The Anatomy of Prose

205 Pages·2013·7.15 MB·English

by  Marjorie Boulton

Routledge Revivals
The Anatomy of Prose
First published in 1954, this title is a companion to The Anatomy of
Poetry as a literary guide for the student reader. Writing that students
generally find it more challenging to analyse a passage of prose than a
piece of poetry, Marjorie Boulton takes a systematic approach to the
technical elements of prose, considering form, vocabulary, rhythm and
the application of historical context. With suggestions for further
reading and practical, lucid advice, this reissue will be of particular
value to students of English Literature in need of a constructive study
aid.
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The Anatomy of Prose
Marjorie Boulton
Routledge
Taylor & Francis Group
Firstpublishedin1954
byRoutledge&KeganPaulLtd
Thiseditionfirstpublishedin2013byRoutledge
2ParkSquare,MiltonPark,Abingdon,Oxon,OX144RN
SimultaneouslypublishedintheUSAandCanada
byRoutledge
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RoutledgeisanimprintoftheTaylor&FrancisGroup,aninformabusiness
©1954MarjorieBoulton
TherightofMarjorieBoultontobeidentifiedasauthorofthisworkhasbeen
assertedbyherinaccordancewithsections77and78oftheCopyright,Designs
andPatentsAct1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
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Publisher’sNote
Thepublisherhasgonetogreatlengthstoensurethequalityofthisreprintbut
pointsoutthatsomeimperfectionsintheoriginalcopiesmaybeapparent.
Disclaimer
The publisher has made every effort to trace copyright holders and welcomes
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ALibraryofCongressrecordexistsunderLCcontrolnumber:55000017
ISBN13:978-0-415-72222-3(hbk)
ISBN13:978-1-315-85837-1(ebk)
Additional materials are available on the companion website at
[http://www.routledge.com/books/series/Routledge_Revivals]
THE ANATOMY OF PROSE
by
MARJORIE BOULTON
ROUTLEDGE & KEGAN PAUL LTD
BroadwayH ouse,6 8-74 CarterL ane
London
First publishedi n 1954
by Routledge& Kegan Paul Limited
BroadwayH ouse, 68-74 Carter Lane
London E.C.4
Printed in Great Britain
by Latimer, Trend & Co Limited
Plymouth
To
JOHN F. DANBY
and
GERTRUDE DANBY
with love
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION page xi
I. THE GENERAL FORM OF PROSE I
II. THE WORD: VOCABULARY 8
III. THE SENTENCE: GRAMMAR AND IDIOM 20
IV. TIIE SENTENCE: WRITTEN AND SPOKEN PROSE 30
V. THE PARAGRAPH 41
VI. PROSE RHYTHM 49
VII. INDIVIDUAL AND COMMON STYLE 70
VIII. COMMON STYLE AND CHEAP STYLE 79
IX. SIMPLICITY AND ORNAMENTATION 85
x. SUBDIVISIONS: A. OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE 95
XI. SUBDIVISIONS: B. ABSTRACT AND CONCRETE 102
XII. SUBDIVISIONS: REALISM, ROMANCE AND UNREALITY 108
XIII. SUBDIVISIONS: SOME SPECIAL CONVENTIONS 120
XIV. SUBDIVISIONS: PROSE FOR ITS OWN SAKE 132
XV. THE HISTORICAL APPROACH 137
XVI. THE SCIENCE OF RHETORIC 149
XVII. A WORD ABOUT WRITING PROSE 174
XVIII. SUGGESTIONSF OR FURTHER READING 178
INDEX 183
Vll