Table Of Content‘A SMALL ADJECTIVE ATTENDING LIGHT, THE ARCHANGELIC NOUN’.
JESSICA POWERS: A MODERN METAPHYSICAL POET
by STELLAMARIE BARTLETTE PROZESKY
submitted in accordance with the requirements
for the degree of
DOCTOR OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY
in the subject
ENGLISH STUDIES
at the
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
SUPERVISOR:
Dr F. Horne
CO-SUPERVISOR:
Prof. B. Spencer
APRIL 2013
In memory of my parents, Pamela and Vincent Lamb.
With love and thanks to my husband, Det, with whom all debts begin and end;
to our dear ten children who believe in us and support us unfailingly;
to my friend and supervisor, Felicity, who was a sure source of guidance and kindness,
to Brenda, my co-supervisor, who kept a cheerful and practical eye on proceedings
throughout, and to David and Deirdre who oversaw the final stage with quiet diligence;
to my siblings and extended family who confidently predicted a happy outcome;
to my friend and first teacher, Moira;
to my friends and colleagues who lined the course to urge me on;
to Ruth, my fellow sufferer, and Lilli, her supervisor, who kept a neighbourly and kindly
eye on me as well;
and to Dawie Malan whose prompt and expert assistance was unstintingly available to
me.
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DECLARATION
I declare that this thesis, entitled ‘”A Small Adjective Attending Light, the Archangelic
Noun”. Jessica Powers: A Modern Metaphysical Poet’ is my own work and that all the
sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of
complete references.
Signed:
Student Number: 02333422.
Date: 25 April 2013.
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SUMMARY
This thesis aims to establish Jessica Powers (1905 – 1988) as a metaphysical poet, to
augment the composite definition of metaphysical poetry, and to add two emphases to
Christian literary theory. A comprehensive library search on Powers reveals that no
scholarly work has been written on her poetry since 2005. A meta-analysis of existing
work on Powers demonstrates that the metaphysical aspect of her poetry has not yet
been comprehensively examined. Though Powers wrote in a time commonly called
‘post-modern’, my contention is that it would be more accurate to describe her as a
metaphysical poet in the traditional sense of that term, as used, for example, of George
Herbert (1593 – 1633). I endorse the view that the central theme of all metaphysical
poetry is the relation between body and soul (Tanenbaum 2002: 211). It will be seen
that this relation is the central concern of Powers’ metaphysical poetry.
My close reading of Powers’ work as metaphysical is according to a Christian literary
theory which agrees with Hass ‘that the study of the text and textual hermeneutics in
the twenty-first century will continue because of a particular resurgence of religion’
(2007: 856). It is augmented by two emphases, a scientific (based on Gallagher’s 2009
study of the neurophysiology of attention), and a philosophical (based on Fromm’s
1976 analysis of the ‘being mode’, and on Buber’s 1947 analysis of attentiveness to the
present moment). My study thereby contributes to Christian literary theory.
There are one hundred and eighty two poems in The Selected Poetry of Jessica Powers.
This thesis refers, to greater or lesser extents, to one hundred and seventy six of the
poems, and comprehensive examination of their metaphysical aspect is the primary
focus of the thesis.
My examination of the poems demonstrates that Powers’ poetry can justly be
described as metaphysical, which definition of her work serves to highlight an
important and hitherto neglected aspect of her work, that she is a metaphysical poet of
the finest calibre, and that renewed attention to her work is timely.
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KEY TERMS:
Jessica Powers; Metaphysical poetry; a Christian theory of reading; a Christian criticism;
a Theological Aesthetic; Discalced Carmelites.
KEY TERMS, THEORIES AND THEORISTS
Jessica Powers
Jessica Powers (1905 – 1988), a Carmelite nun and a poet who wrote between 1948
and 1988.
Metaphysical Poetry
The label ‘Metaphysical’ is traditionally given to English poets of the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries who inclined towards intellectual complexity, metaphysical
speculation, and concentration of language. This thesis does not examine the work of
the sixteenth and seventeenth century poets known as ‘the Metaphysicals’, though it
uses one iconic ‘Metaphysical’ poem as a key note in its introduction. The thesis is
concerned with qualities in the ouevre of Jessica Powers which I contend may be called
metaphysical as the term is used in this thesis. Metaphysical poetry is sometimes
accused of being ‘difficult’. The boldness of the literary devices used – especially
obliquity, irony, paradox and a unique brand of wit – is often reinforced by a dramatic
directness of language and by rhythms derived from living speech. Metaphysical poets
express deep thoughts in common language, and extraordinary thoughts in ordinary
language. The strength of the religious poetry of metaphysical poets is that they bring
to their praise, prayer and meditation so much experience that is not in itself religious,
although the central theme is always the relation between body and soul.
Some famous poets known in the canon as ‘Metaphysical’ are Sir Walter Ralegh
(1552?-1618); Robert Southwell (1561-1595); John Donne (1572-1631); Ben Jonson
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(1573-1637); George Herbert (1593-1633); Richard Crashaw (1612 – 1649); Andrew
Marvell (1621-1678); and Henry Vaughan (1621/2-1695).
A Christian Theory of Reading
A Christian Theory of Reading aims to have the qualities and points of view of an
orthodox Christian criticism. The Christian Theory of Reading according to which I read
Powers in this thesis is grounded in Hans Urs Von Balthasar’s account of a theological
aesthetic, and agrees with Hass that if, as Eagleton maintains, the study of English
literature in the nineteenth century arose out of the decline of religion, then the study
of the text and textual hermeneutics in the twenty-first century may continue because
of a particular resurgence of religion.
A Christian Criticism
A Christian criticism is grounded in orthodox Christian theology and holds that
literature may be seen as a site of theology because literature, biblical and non-biblical,
is a place where sacred and secular meet. Based on this hypothesis, a Christian reading
will expect to find in the words of non-canonical and even non-Christian writings
something of the moral and doctrinal instruction to be found in sacred scripture.
A Theological Aesthetic
A Christian theological aesthetic considers Christ to be the greatest beauty, in the
Incarnation, the Crucifixion and the Eucharist, and maintains that religious
metaphysical poetry, such as Powers’ poetry, symbolises in its form the beauty of the
divine creation.
Discalced Carmelites
‘Discalced’ or ‘Barefoot’ Carmelites are a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the
eremitic tradition of the ‘Desert Fathers’ and ‘Mothers’. The order was established in
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1593, pursuant to the reform of the Carmelite order of the Ancient Observance by two
Spanish saints, Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of the Cross. The Discalced
Carmelites are men and women, in religious consecration and lay people, who dedicate
themselves to a life of prayer. Carmelites trace their roots and their name to Mount
Carmel in the Holy Land. There, in the 13th century, a band of European men gathered
together to live a simple life of prayer. Carmelite nuns live in cloistered (enclosed)
convents and follow a completely contemplative life.
George Steiner
Francis George Steiner (born 1929), is a European-born American literary critic,
essayist, philosopher, novelist, translator, and educator. This study is indebted to his
influence and inspiration.
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER ONE: SCHOLARLY WORK PUBLISHED ON POWERS’ POETRY 19
CHAPTER TWO: SOME DOMINANT LITERARY THEORIES OF THE TWENTIETH 31
CENTURY
CHAPTER THREE: SOME ASPECTS OF A CHRISTIAN THEORY OF READING 42
CHAPTER FOUR: FURTHER ASPECTS OF A CHRISTIAN THEORY OF READING 88
CHAPTER FIVE: TWO EMPHASES: A SCIENTIFIC AND A PHILOSOPHICAL 134
CHAPTER SIX: RELATING TO THE TRANSCENDENT: SEVEN OBSERVATIONS 172
ABOUT METAPHYSICAL POETRY
CHAPTER SEVEN: ENIGMATIC LUSTRE: EIGHT ASPECTS OF THE METAPHYSICAL 206
IN POWERS’ POETRY
CHAPTER EIGHT: MYSTIC AND MATERIAL: EIGHT FURTHER ASPECTS OF THE 242
METAPHYSICAL IN POWERS’ POETRY
CHAPTER NINE: A ‘SHINING THROUGH’: EIGHT FINAL ASPECTS OF THE 283
METAPHYSICAL IN POWERS’ POETRY
CONCLUSION 322
REFERENCES 3 2 7
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INTRODUCTION
‘Metaphysic means the ultimate reality’ (Radice 2003: xv 1)
‘The central theme of all metaphysical poetry is the relation between body and soul’
(Tanenbaum 2002: 211)
This thesis is a reading of the metaphysical aspect of the poetry of Jessica Powers
which has not been comprehensively examined hitherto.1 My reading is informed
by a Christian Theory of Reading which I consider to be an appropriate theory in the
light of which to read an avowedly religious poet, but of course I acknowledge that
other literary theories could be used to read Powers and would no doubt yield
differing readings from mine. I use inclusive pronouns, as in ‘we’, ‘us’, and ‘our’, in
my analysis of Powers’ work as I deem this usage to be compatible both with the
content of the poems and with a Christian Theory of Reading. My usage as well as
my theory of reading is informed by Steiner in this regard. He says ‘The questions
“What are poetry, music, art?”, “How can they not be?”, “How do they act upon us
and how do we interpret their action?” are, ultimately, theological questions’
(Steiner2 1989: 227). However my usage of inclusive language makes absolutely no
suppositions about any opinions or beliefs of any reader of Powers or of my study,
and equally, makes no statement about any personal beliefs of my own.
This comprehensive examination of the metaphysical aspect of Powers’ selected poetry
appears to be the first scholarly writing on her since 2005.3 In the course of my reading
of Powers I have developed an added nuance to the definition of the term
‘metaphysical’. I read Powers in this study in the light of a Christian theory of reading
by means of close study of text and textual hermeneutics. In my opinion, religion and
1 As demonstrated in Chapter One of this study.
2 Francis George Steiner (born 1929), European-born American literary critic, essayist, philosopher,
novelist, translator, and educator. This study is indebted to his influence and inspiration.
3 As revealed by an expert search conducted by Mr Dawie Malan of the UNISA library of the major
theological (ATLA Catholic Periodical and Literature Index, ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials) and
literature, humanities and interdisciplinary databases (MLA, LLBA, Humanities & Social Sciences Index
Retrospective, Humanities Source, Academic Onefile, Academic Search Premier and Masterfile Premier)
as well as the Proquest Dissertations Database and WorldCat.
1
close reading are complementary. I agree with Hass that: ‘if the earlier Eagleton was
right, that the study of English literature in the nineteenth century arose as the result
of “the failure of religion”, then we might venture to say that the study of the text and
textual hermeneutics in the twenty-first century will continue because of a particular
resurgence of religion’ (Hass 2007: 856).
My Christian theory of reading acknowledges a debt to George Steiner’s exposition of
real presence in his book Real Presences which has been a lode-star to my exploration
of the metaphysical in Powers’ work. My literary theory is further characterised by two
emphases, a scientific and a philosophical, which emphases constitute a contribution to
Christian literary theory.
A quotation from Powers sets the scene for a consideration of the metaphysical aspect
of her work:
How glorious, O soul, is this your journey!
Love is its end and love its plan and prod.
‘On Reading Saint Peter of Alcantara’.
These lines state the goal of her work: ‘Love is its end’; they give her opinion of a life
lived for Christ: ‘How glorious, O soul, is this your journey!’; they acknowledge, as
metaphysical poetry does, the intrinsic role of human intelligence in life: it has a ‘plan’;
and they claim that mankind needs a divine antidote to the self-destructiveness that
undermines human joy: the ‘prod’. All these components which Powers considers to be
intrinsic to human life, its ‘end’, its ‘plan’, and its ‘prod’, find their metaphysical raison
d’etre in Powers’ most used word, ‘love’, the ‘love [that] must out of Love begin’
(‘Letter of Departure’).
Metaphysical poetry, according to the use of the term ‘metaphysical’ in this study, is
poetry
which relates us most directly to that in being which is not ours. All good art and
literature begin in immanence. But they do not stop there … it is the enterprise
and the privilege of the aesthetic to quicken into lit presence the continuum
2
Description:iii. DECLARATION. I declare that this thesis, entitled '”A Small Adjective Attending Light, the Archangelic. Noun”. Jessica Powers: A Modern Metaphysical Poet' is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references
