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Dorothy Richardson and the Poetics of Silence

Lindskog, Annika LU (2012) In Pilgrimages: A Journal of Dorothy Richardson Studies 5. p.7-34
Abstract
Unlike most modernist fiction, Dorothy Richardson’s Pilgrimage not only recognizes but celebrates silence as a strength in life and literature alike. Richardson’s silence is one which enables, communicates, and reveals truth. It speaks in a way words never can; ‘[r]eal speech can only come from complete silence’, as Miriam concludes (III, 389). This article explores the role silence plays in Pilgrimage. Starting by exploring the author’s philosophy of silence as it is represented and discussed in her writings, the paper will then proceed to examine the relation of silence to the poetics Miriam develops over the course of the novel-sequence. To Miriam, silence in literature, like silence between people, represents experiences that move... (More)
Unlike most modernist fiction, Dorothy Richardson’s Pilgrimage not only recognizes but celebrates silence as a strength in life and literature alike. Richardson’s silence is one which enables, communicates, and reveals truth. It speaks in a way words never can; ‘[r]eal speech can only come from complete silence’, as Miriam concludes (III, 389). This article explores the role silence plays in Pilgrimage. Starting by exploring the author’s philosophy of silence as it is represented and discussed in her writings, the paper will then proceed to examine the relation of silence to the poetics Miriam develops over the course of the novel-sequence. To Miriam, silence in literature, like silence between people, represents experiences that move beyond words, and speaks to the reader’s intuition through an act of recognition. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Dorothy Richardson, silence, Quakers, novel aesthetics, Modernism
in
Pilgrimages: A Journal of Dorothy Richardson Studies
volume
5
pages
7 - 34
ISSN
2050-9502
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5a021b20-f5b4-46f3-9907-e685a2fe07a8 (old id 3683786)
alternative location
http://www.dorothyrichardson.org/PJDRS/Issue5/Contents.html
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:42:41
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:55:04
@article{5a021b20-f5b4-46f3-9907-e685a2fe07a8,
  abstract     = {{Unlike most modernist fiction, Dorothy Richardson’s Pilgrimage not only recognizes but celebrates silence as a strength in life and literature alike. Richardson’s silence is one which enables, communicates, and reveals truth. It speaks in a way words never can; ‘[r]eal speech can only come from complete silence’, as Miriam concludes (III, 389). This article explores the role silence plays in Pilgrimage. Starting by exploring the author’s philosophy of silence as it is represented and discussed in her writings, the paper will then proceed to examine the relation of silence to the poetics Miriam develops over the course of the novel-sequence. To Miriam, silence in literature, like silence between people, represents experiences that move beyond words, and speaks to the reader’s intuition through an act of recognition.}},
  author       = {{Lindskog, Annika}},
  issn         = {{2050-9502}},
  keywords     = {{Dorothy Richardson; silence; Quakers; novel aesthetics; Modernism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{7--34}},
  series       = {{Pilgrimages: A Journal of Dorothy Richardson Studies}},
  title        = {{Dorothy Richardson and the Poetics of Silence}},
  url          = {{http://www.dorothyrichardson.org/PJDRS/Issue5/Contents.html}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}