Thesis Abstract and Dissertation Abstracts
The Bloomsbury Revolt - The Shift in Literary and Aesthetic Perspective
Abstract Category: Arts
Course / Degree: Master of Arts
Institution / University: University of Malta, Malta
Published in: 2008
I was always fascinated by, if not obsessed with, Virginia Woolf. I found her to be intriguing both as a writer as well as a person, because her extraordinary life was as captivating as her brilliant work. And it was through her that I was gradually introduced to the fantastic and amazing world of the Bloomsbury Group. Her companions were as invigorating, as cheeky, and as witty as she was, and in unison they brought about significant changes especially in the literary and artistic worlds. Though the members of Bloomsbury experimented within various fields, I got the strong impression that they were especially concerned with art and literature. Together and individually, Bloomsbury members worked to propose new ideas of how one could go about producing works of art. What I found especially admirable in Bloomsbury was the fact that, despite the adverse response they got from the general public of the time, they persevered relentlessly to drive their point home. They sincerely believed that both the art and the literature that was being produced at the beginning of the twentieth century was in desperate need of renewal and that it could be taken to a superior level.
For this reason, I decided to analyze the shift in literary and aesthetic perspective that the Bloomsbury Group brought about. With this view in mind, I decided to start my dissertation by exploring the major influences that have moulded the philosophy of Bloomsbury, and then I analyzed how certain circumstances brought a number of young men and women together under one roof. Having a somewhat similar Victorian background and upbringing, it was easier for this group of young people to share certain thoughts and opinions. Apart from the reform they intended to bring about in their respective arts, they also wanted to change the outlook that many people had on life. This certainly was not an easy task, especially if one considers the fact that the early 20th century had only recently emerged from the strict and orderly rule of Queen Victoria. Thus, one can better appreciate the courage of these young people, not just in standing up to the set conventions, but also in their proposing a freer life in their stead.
Roger Fry, Clive and Vanessa Bell, and Duncan Grant faced harsh criticism from the public when they launched the two post-impressionist exhibitions at the Grafton Galleries in London. In spite of the personal attacks they received, Bloomsbury’s artists persevered in producing works which were significantly more abstract than the landscapes and portraits that were accepted as the norm at the time. Concurrently, Lytton Strachey through his biographies and Virginia Woolf through her biographies and fiction, also went against the grain. They presented their readers with literature that was more audacious and less restrained. In so doing, they were dangerously dismissing the neat British literary canon, with its emphasis on life and letters, orderly plot, characters that were described in the minutest detail, and social concern. Bloomsbury simply refused to allow anything or anyone to dictate how they should produce their art.
Furthermore, this rebellious and non-conforming behaviour of theirs was not only manifested in their work, but also in their personal life. They paid very little heed to the decorum that their social upbringing required, and when their outrageous actions turned heads, as they probably still would have nowadays, they seemed to enjoy it. Admittedly, apart from their marvellous work which has fascinated many, my interest in the Bloomsbury Group also sprang from this deep desire, which is probably shared by many others, to possess just a little of their audacity, genius, and nonchalance. In addition, they had the power to make a significant difference in the world; a difference that has resounded down many generations and that is still visible till this very day.
Thesis Keywords/Search Tags:
Virginia Woolf, Lytton Strachey, Roger Fry, Vanessa Bell, Clive Bell, Post-Impressionism, Bloomsbury
This Thesis Abstract may be cited as follows:
Tiziana Cauchi, "The Bloomsbury Revolt: The Shift in Literary and Aesthetic Perspective" (2008)
Submission Details: Thesis Abstract submitted by Tiziana Cauchi from Malta on 06-Dec-2008 20:45.
Abstract has been viewed 3558 times (since 7 Mar 2010).
Tiziana Cauchi Contact Details: Email: tcau001@msn.com
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