The dissertation investigates the correlations among the development of general anthologies of Canadian literature, the Canadian canon, and visions of national identity. While literature anthologies are widely used in university classrooms, the influential role of the anthology in the critical study of literature has been largely overlooked, particularly in Canada. The dissertation begins with an analysis of the stages of development of general anthologies of Canadian literature, demonstrating that there are important links between dominant critical trends and the guiding interests of the various phases of anthology development and that anthologies both reflect and participate in moulding views of the nation and its literature. Focusing then upon five eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Canadian authors, the dissertation traces their treatment in anthologies and analyzes in detail the impact of stages of anthology development upon authors’ inclusion and presentation. The reception of Frances Brooke, John Richardson, William Kirby, Susanna Moodie, and Emily Pauline Johnson over a span of nearly 90 years is examined, and points of inclusion and exclusion are scrutinized to determine links with prevailing critical interests as well as canonical status. These case studies reveal the functions of anthologies, which include recovering overlooked authors, amending past oversights, reflecting new areas of critical inquiry, and preserving the national literary tradition. Their treatment also reveals the effect of larger critical concerns, such as alignment with dominant visions of the nation, considerations of genre, and reassessments of past views. The dissertation shows that the anthology is a carefully constructed, culturally valuable work that plays an important role in literary criticism and canon formation and is a genre worthy of careful scrutiny.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Full text release at OhioLINK's ETD Center delayed at author's request

Thesis (MA (English))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts at the University of Stellenbosch / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since 1995, three female authors have published novels narrating the events of Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita from Lolita’s point of view. What is it about the character Lolita that prompts writers to rework Nabokov’s text? In an attempt to answer this question this thesis explores reader-responses to Lolita. The grand narrative of girlhood is illuminated, and it emerges that, influenced by the discourse of Romanticism, girls’ subjectivity in the Western world is governed by an ‘innocent-or-corrupt’ dichotomy. As a result, Lolita, who seduces her stepfather, Humbert Humbert, has been vilified by readers through the decades, so that very little further critical attention has been given to her representation in the text. However, in recent years rising concern over the representation of girls has seen renewed interest in Lolita from feminist quarters, with Lolita’s non-representation being critics’ main concern. These derivative novels work towards compiling a body of feminist criticism on Lolita. A secondary function of the derivatives is the restructuring of the grand narrative of girlhood: in other words, the erasure of the ‘innocent-or-corrupt’ dichotomy in favour of a wide range of conceivable subjectivities. This is necessary because the sexualised images of girls in the media are in danger of representing girl-children as one-dimensional sexual objects. Both feminist critics and critical theorists are calling for a new form of resistance to these hegemonic media forms, so that a collaboration between the two fields seems useful. This thesis argues that the existence of the derivative novels point to the emergence of a new form of feminist resistance to the oppressive representations of advancing technological society. Consequently, the thesis performs a reading of Lolita and three derivative novels to ascertain how the girl-child is represented. Issues of interest include the Romantic discourse of childhood, the representational practices of advancing technological society, and girls’ agency. Finally, conclusions are drawn about the effectiveness of each derivative novel in terms of their contributions to both the Lolita-discourse and the feminist endeavour to restructure the grand narrative of girlhood. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Drie vroueskrywers het sedert 1995 romans gepubliseer wat die gebeure van Vladimir Nabokov se roman Lolita uit Lolita se oogpunt oorvertel. Wat is dit omtrent die karakter Lolita wat skrywers aanspoor om Nabokov se teks te hersien? In ‘n poging om hierdie vraag te beantwoord verken hierdie tesis leser-reaksies op Lolita. Die meesternarratief oor jongmeisieskap word blootgelê en dit kom na vore dat meisies se subjektiwiteit in die Westerse wêreld, onder die invloed van die Romantiese diskoers, regeer word deur die digotomie van ‘onskuldig-of-korrup’. Gevolglik is Lolita, wat haar stiefpa, Humbert Humbert, verlei, oor die dekades heen deur lesers sleggemaak, sodat baie min kritiese aandag verder aan haar gewy is. Toenemende kommer onder feministe rondom die uitbeelding van meisies het egter in die afgelope klompie jare tot hernieude belangstelling in Lolita gelei, met die gebrek aan aandag aan Lolita se uitbeelding as hoofbekommernis. Die Lolita-verwerkings dra by tot die saamstel van ‘n versameling van feministiese kritiek oor Nabokov se teks. Die sekondêre funksie van die verwerkings is die herstrukturering van die meesternarratief aangaande jongmeisieskap: met ander woorde, die uitwissing van die onskuldig-ofkorrup digotomie ten gunste van ‘n wye reeks denkbare subjektiwiteite. Dít is nodig omdat die geseksualiseerde beelde van meisies wat in die media voorkom, die gevaar loop om meisies as een-dimensionele seksobjekte uit te beeld. Beide feministe en kritiese teoretici beywer hul vir ‘n nuwe vorm van teenstand teen hierdie verdrukkende uitbeeldings, so samewerking tussen die twee is nuttig. Hierdie tesis doen dit aan die hand dat die bestaan van Lolita-verkwerkings bewys is van die ontluiking van ‘n nuwe vorm van feministiese teenstand teen die verdrukkende uitbeeldings van die vooruitgaande tegnologiese samelewing. Gevolglik analiseer hierdie tesis Lolita en drie verwerkings om vas te stel hoe die meisiekind uitgebeeld word. Sake van belang sluit die Romantiese diskoers van kindwees, die uitbeeldingspraktyke van die toenemend tegnologiese samelewing, en meisies as agente in. Uiteindlik word gevolgtrekkings gemaak oor die effektiwiteit van elke roman ten opsigte van hul bydraes tot beide die Lolita-diskoers en die feministiese poging om die meesternarratief aangaande jongmeisieskap te herstruktureer.

La période examinée dans la recherche est un des rares moments de la préhistoire italienne où les traces archéologiques permettent d’identifier l’arrivée de groupes allochtones concomitamment à la désagrégation d’un monde indigène de tradition ancienne. Les travaux concernant cette phase du Néolithique italien se réfèrent principalement aux observations de Bagolini (Bagolini et Biagi, 1987; Bagolini, 1998), reprises par plusieurs auteurs (par exemple Barfield et alii 2000), qui présentent un tableau très multiforme de l’Italie du nord, créé par l’interaction entre les peuples indigènes, relevant de la Culture des Vases à Bouche Carrée (« VBQ ») (chapitre 1), et ceux du Chasséen (Chapitre 2), venant de la France actuelle, en plus des apports des Alpes du nord, qui acquirent un poids croissant au fil du temps. La rencontre, qui s’effectua dans chaque région d’une façon et dans des temps différents entre le milieu du Ve et le milieu du IVe millénaire avant J.C., semble s’être produite par des voies côtières et transalpines en raison surtout des échanges de matières premières (pierres vertes, obsidienne, silex), mais aussi à cause de certaines compétences technologiques. Au même moment, dans le monde Chasséen dont la variabilité diachronique et spatiale est bien connue (Vaquer, 1990; Beeching, 1995, 2002; Sargiano et alii 2010), on a aussi identifié des spécificités régionales de plus en plus marquées, qui révèlent un modèle de diffusion complexe, et dont on doit tenir compte également pour comprendre les phénomènes italiens (chapitre 2). Donc, si le cadre de référence proposé par Bagolini dans les années ‘80 reste grosso modo acceptable, le développement du débat culturel, les découvertes récentes et l'étude des nouveaux sites réalisée dans ce travail de Thèse, devraient nous permettre d‘enrichir la documentation de référence et de préciser l’éventail des rapports entre la population indigène et les gens qui venait d’ailleurs. L’interprétation de ces nouvelles interactions peut donner la possibilité d’expliquer les grands changements culturels dans le Néolithique occidental dans la première moitié du IVe millénaire, produisant des expériences dans lesquelles on distingue aujourd’hui surtout des signes de discontinuité avec les traditions précédentes (Ferrari et alii 2002) (Chapitre 7-8). L’Emilie, à en juger depuis les données disponibles sur les sites du Néolithique récent et final (chapitre 4-7), représente un carrefour de tous les apports directs et indirects cités ci-dessus. La preuve en est la variabilité culturelle bien marquée que l’on constate entre les sites, même quand ils se trouvent géographiquement rapprochés. Cette variabilité est due soit à l’entrecroisement de traditions culturelles complexes, soit aux différences chronologiques, en considérations des très rapides changements qui caractérisent l’époque considérée (Bagolini, 1981). L’Emilie représente, donc, un territoire privilégié d’observation pour évaluer les modalités de rencontre entre les divers groupes humains qui ont interagi en Italie septentrionales pendant la période examinée. Les contextes de l’Emilie faisant objet de cette recherche sont les sites, inédit et publié, dans les provinces de Piacenza, Parme et Reggio Emilia, chronologiquement attribuables aux derniers siècles du cinquième millénaire et la première moitié du quatrième BC cal. En particulier Sant’Andrea di Travo (Chapitre 5), Le Mose (chapitre 4) et Vignola (chapitre 7) dans le département de Plaisance, Botteghino (Chapitre 6) e Vighi (chapitre 7) à Parma et S.Ilario d'Enza (chapitre 7) dans la province de Reggio Emilia. L'étude s'est concentrée sur l'analyse des industries céramiques, à la fois d'un point de vue typologique et technologique (chapitre 3) afin d'essayer de mieux définir la chronologie des différents sites. ... / The period under review is one of the few moments of Italian prehistory in which the archaeological record permits determination of the arrival of foreign-born groups in conjunction with the disintegration of an indigenous world of ancient tradition. Studies related to this phase of the Neolithic mainly refer to the observations of Bagolini (Bagolini and Biagi 1987; Bagolini 1998) taken from various other authors (Barfield et al 2000), which outline a framework for northern Italy multifaceted , created by the interaction between the people of the local culture of Square Mouth Pottery and people of culture Chassey from France, as well as by contributions from the North Alpine acquiring increasing importance over time (Chapter 1). The meeting, which took place from area to area at different times and different ways between half V millennium and half IV millennium BC, seems to have produced along the coastal and transalpine paths especially related to the exchange of raw materials (green stones, obsidian, flint), but also of technological expertise.In reading these new interactions, therefore, is the ability to explain the crisis in the world of Western culture in the first half of the fourth millennium, whose disintegration develop experiences in which today stand out above all the traits of discontinuity with the earlier traditions (various Authors in Ferrari et al 2002a).The Emilia is a crossroads of all the direct and indirect contributions to the circles mentioned above. This is demonstrated by the marked variability observed in cultural sites are also close, attributed mainly to differences in chronological (Bagolini 1981), but also resulting complex interweaving of cultural routes.This region is therefore an area for privileged observation to assess how to meet, including conflict, interaction and assimilation between different human groups that have settled or still have covered the territory in the period under review. If the reference framework outlined by Bagolini in the 80s remains roughly shared, the development of the cultural debate, the recent discoveries in the study of the sites proposed by Emilian this PhD work will allow further information and updatesThe contexts Emilia object of this work are those published and unpublished due to the last centuries of the fifth millennium BC and the early fourth cal. In detail it is the site of S. Andrea in Travo (Chapter 5) and Le Mose in Piacenza (Chapter 4), Vignola Fiorenzuola (chapter 7), Box Office (Chapter 6) and Vighi and Parma (Chapter 7), S.ILARIO d'Enza (Reggio Emilia) (Chapter 7).The study focused on the analysis of the ceramic industry, from the point of view of both technological and typological (Chapter 3), in order to better define the internal chronology of the different sites.From this analysis were in fact identified a number of representative types, for which it has been proposed a relative chronology useful in order to reconstruct a chronological framework to realize the variability observed in Emilia at the turn of the fifth millennium BC.In this reading, the sites of Travo and Le Mose proved to be the most useful in the construction of this trial-type first of all because it is multi-staged sites. The study of the stratigraphy of Travo and Le Mose of the different settlement phases from the VBQ I to Late Neolithic, in fact, has provided important data for the evaluation of the different diachronic cultural indicators / Il periodo in esame è uno dei pochi momenti della preistoria italiana in cui il record archeologico consenta di individuare l’arrivo di gruppi alloctoni in concomitanza con la disgregazione di un mondo indigeno di antica tradizione. I lavori relativi a questa fase del Neolitico fanno principalmente riferimento alle osservazioni di Bagolini (Bagolini e Biagi 1987; Bagolini 1998) riprese da vari altri autori (ad es. Barfield et alii 2000), che delineano per l’Italia settentrionale un quadro molto sfaccettato, creato dall’interazione tra la gente della locale Cultura dei Vasi a Bocca Quadrata e genti di cultura Chassey provenienti dall’attuale Francia, oltre che dagli apporti nord alpini che acquisiscono peso crescente nel tempo (Capitolo 1). L’incontro, verificatosi di zona in zona in tempi e modi diversi tra metà V e metà IV millennio a.C., sembra essersi prodotto lungo le vie costiere e transalpine legate soprattutto allo scambio di materie prime (pietre verdi, ossidiana, selce), ma anche di competenze tecnologiche.Nella lettura di queste nuove interazioni, quindi, sta la possibilità di spiegare la crisi del mondo di cultura occidentale nella prima metà del IV millennio, dalla cui disgregazione si sviluppano esperienze in cui oggi si distinguono soprattutto i tratti di discontinuità con le tradizioni precedenti (vari Autori in Ferrari et alii 2002a). L’Emilia, rappresenta un crocevia di tutti gli apporti diretti e indiretti dagli ambienti citati sopra. Lo dimostra la marcata variabilità culturale riscontrata in siti anche vicini, attribuita principalmente a differenze cronologiche (Bagolini 1981), ma anche derivante dall’intreccio di percorsi culturali complessi. Questa regione rappresenta quindi un’areale privilegiato di osservazione per valutare le modalità di incontro, tra conflittualità, interazione ed assimilazione, tra i diversi gruppi umani che si sono stanziati o hanno comunque interessato il territorio nel periodo in esame.Se il quadro di riferimento delineato da Bagolini negli anni ‘80 rimane a grandi linee condivisibile, lo sviluppo del dibattito culturale, i rinvenimenti recenti e lo studio dei siti emiliani proposto da questo lavoro di dottorato ne permettono approfondimenti ed aggiornamenti. Ad esempio, nello stesso mondo Chassey, di cui era già nota la variabilità diacronica e spaziale (Vaquer 1990, 2002; Beeching 1995, 2002), sono oggi individuate specifiche regionali sempre più marcate, che rivelano una matrice di diffusione nei territori italiani sempre più frazionata (Capitolo 2). I contesti emiliani oggetto di questo lavoro sono quelli inediti ed editi riconducibili agli ultimi secoli del V millennio ed ai primi del IV BC cal. In dettaglio si tratta del sito di S:Andrea a Travo (capitolo 5) e Le Mose a Piacenza (capitolo 4), Vignola a Fiorenzuola (capitolo 7), Botteghino (capitolo 6) e Vighi e Parma (capitolo7), S.ILario d'Enza (Reggio Emilia) (capitolo 7). Lo studio si è concentrato sulla'analisi dell'industria ceramica, da un punto di vista sia tecnologico che tipologico (capitolo 3), al fine di poter meglio definire la cronologia interna dei diversi siti. A partire da quest'analisi sono stati infatti identificati un certo numero di tipi rappresentativi, per i quali è stata proposta una cronolgia relativa utile per poi ricostruire un quadro cronologico che rendesse conto della variabilità riscontrata nell'areale emiliano nel periodo a cavallo del V millennio. In questa chiave di lettura, i siti di Travo e Le Mose si sono rivelati quelli più utili nella costruzione di questa crono-tipologia inanzitutto poichè si tratta di siti plurifase. Lo studio della stratigrafia verticale a Travo ed orizzontale a Le Mose delle diverse fasi insediative dal vbq I al Neolitico finale, ha fornito infatti dati importanti per la valutazione diacronica dei diversi indicatori culturali.

The dissertation investigates the correlations among the development of general anthologies of Canadian literature, the Canadian canon, and visions of national identity. While literature anthologies are widely used in university classrooms, the influential role of the anthology in the critical study of literature has been largely overlooked, particularly in Canada. The dissertation begins with an analysis of the stages of development of general anthologies of Canadian literature, demonstrating that there are important links between dominant critical trends and the guiding interests of the various phases of anthology development and that anthologies both reflect and participate in moulding views of the nation and its literature. Focusing then upon five eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Canadian authors, the dissertation traces their treatment in anthologies and analyzes in detail the impact of stages of anthology development upon authors’ inclusion and presentation. The reception of Frances Brooke, John Richardson, William Kirby, Susanna Moodie, and Emily Pauline Johnson over a span of nearly 90 years is examined, and points of inclusion and exclusion are scrutinized to determine links with prevailing critical interests as well as canonical status. These case studies reveal the functions of anthologies, which include recovering overlooked authors, amending past oversights, reflecting new areas of critical inquiry, and preserving the national literary tradition. Their treatment also reveals the effect of larger critical concerns, such as alignment with dominant visions of the nation, considerations of genre, and reassessments of past views. The dissertation shows that the anthology is a carefully constructed, culturally valuable work that plays an important role in literary criticism and canon formation and is a genre worthy of careful scrutiny.

This essay analyses and compares gender construction in Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. The focus is on the construction of the female and male gender of selected female and male characters. Using the knowledge that gender is highly dependent on the social and cultural environment and that family relations often impact gender, the aim of the essay is to examine if the two authors use similar methods to construct gender. Additionally, the aim is to analyse if the novels are critical towards Victorian gender norms. As feminist criticism specializes in gender analysis, this literary critical approach is used. Furthermore, additional information about the historical context was used to analyse and compare the novels. The comparison demonstrates that Emily Brontë and Charlotte Brontë mainly use the same methods to construct the female and male gender in their novels. It also illustrates that both novels are critical towards Victorian gender norms.

Though born a century apart, American poets Emily Dickinson and Sylvia Plath share several similarities: Both were born in New England, both fought for their rights by writing, and both broke new poetic ground.          In this thesis, I look at their poetry through a movement in space, which begins with the poets’ precarious position as societal outliers and ends with ascension. I examine what crossing the threshold meant to them, physically and metaphorically, and how it is mirrored in their poems, I look at how the physical space in which they wrote color their poetry, I examine windows as a space of transit, and finally I take a closer look at the shape ascension takes in selected poems. I propose this road, this movement in space, is mirrored in both Dickinson’s and Plath’s poetry.      I use as my method deconstruction, to uncover hints and possibilities. I scan letters and journals, biographies and memoirs. As my theoretical framework, I use Walter Benjamin’s ideas about the threshold as a place of transit, as well as his thoughts about the flaneur as the observer of the crowd, both of which are presented in The Arcades Project. To further examine the threshold as a space for pause, reconsideration, retreat, or advance, I rely on Subha Mukheriji and her book Thinking on Thresholds: The Poetics of Transitive Spaces. I further use Gaston Bachelard’s seminal The Poetics of Spaceto investigate the poets’ response to the physical space in which they wrote. I look at ascension through the prism offered by the ideas of Mircea Eliade as presented in Myths, Dreams, and Mysteries: The Encounter Between Contemporary Faiths and Archaic Realities.

Heber J. Grant: A Study of Gospel-Oriented Family RelationshipsRobert Richard Pommerening IIIDepartment of Religious Education, BYUMaster of ArtsUnder the direction of President Gordon B. Hinckley, the fifteenth president of TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church released the document, The Family: AProclamation to the World. The Proclamation outlines core values of family life, which ifconsistently practiced can lead to successful family relationships. Through a study of hispersonal journals, letters, and recorded anecdotes from his life, these values can be identified inHeber J. Grants life. As one studies the Proclamation alongside President Grant (particularly theinteractions he had with his mother, wives and children), a portrayal of the man came into focusthat has not been previously scrutinized through scholarly work, Heber J. Grant as a family man.Chapter one begins with the special relationship Heber shared with his mother Rachel. Itoutlines some of the trials and successes they faced together. As Heber grew into manhood,chapter two focuses on his plural marriage relationships during era of the Edmunds-Tucker act. Itexplains some of the challenges the Grant family faced as they lived in a plural marriage during atime when plural marriages were deemed illegal. Chapter three highlights Heber as a care takerfor his aging mother, wives Lucy Stringham, Emily Wells, and numerous sick children. Thepractices of President Grant in the home, including holding Family Home Evening are exploredin chapter four. Chapter five emphasizes President Grants example of personal righteousnesswithin his familial relationships. The leisurely activities of the Grant family are emphasized inchapter six as Heber shared family vacations, cultural events, golf games, and even honeymoonswith his immediate and extended family. Chapter seven details the generosity of President Grantand his desire to share of his material wealth with family members, friends, and strangers. Theteachings of President Grant on the doctrine of the family as taught to the Church of Jesus Christof Latter-day Saints are presented in chapter eight. The final chapter concludes with the agingPresident nearing death and how his legacy of love and family devotion continued through hisliving relatives. This thesis provides research into how President Grant implemented principles of theFamily Proclamation in his own home. This research can serve as a model for members of TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints desiring to strengthen their relationships and unitywithin the family.

Выпускная квалификационная работа имеет своей целью выявить ключевые характеристики индивидуального стиля поэтического творчества Эмили Дикинсон и особенности их передачи на русском языке. Первая глава посвящена теоретическим основам изучения отражения индивидуального стиля автора в художественном переводе. В главе рассматриваются основные научные подходы к изучению понятия «индивидуальный стиль», выделяются его компоненты, изучается проблема передачи индивидуального стиля в поэтическом переводе, а также перечисляются и описываются методы и методики сравнительного анализа переводов поэтических произведений. Во второй главе рассматривается идиостиль Эмили Дикинсон в русских переводах. В начале представляется методика отбора исследовательского материала, а далее анализируются 3 стихотворения (“The Soul selects her own Society”, “I died for Beauty – but was scarce”, “The Sky is low – the Сlouds are mean”) в оригинале и их переводы на русский язык. В последнем разделе главы также разбираются виды трансформаций оригиналов в переводах, что позволяет обобщить наблюдения о ключевых характеристиках индивидуального стиля Дикинсон и особенностей их передачи на русском языке. / Master's thesis aims to identify the key characteristics of the individual style of Emily Dickinson's poetic work and the features of their transmission in Russian. The first chapter is devoted to the theoretical foundations of studying the reflection of the author's individual style in literary translation. The chapter discusses the main scientific approaches to the study of the concept of "individual style", identifies its components, studies the problem of transferring individual style in poetic translation, and lists and describes methods and techniques for comparative analysis of translations of poetic works. The second chapter deals with the idiostyle of Emily Dickinson in Russian translations. At the beginning, the methodology for selecting research material is presented, and then 3 poems are analyzed (“The Soul selects her own Society”, “I died for Beauty – but was scarce”, “The Sky is low – the Clouds are mean”) in the original and their translations into Russian. The last section of the chapter also analyzes the types of transformations of the originals in translations, which allows to summarize the observations about the key characteristics of Dickinson's individual style and the features of their transmission in Russian.

This dissertation works against the longstanding literary critical premise that aesthetics and ethics are at odds. I challenge this notion by foregrounding the verse of four nineteenth-century-born and Northeastern-based poets who unapologetically prioritize aesthetic perception and experience in their writing. These poets—Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, Emily Dickinson, Olivia Ward Bush, and William Stanley Braithwaite—were well aware of the criticism politicians, social reformers, educators, business proponents, and even other writers leveled against the functional and ethical utility of poetry in an era when transatlantic industrial revolutions and innovations in manufacturing and transportation technology contributed to a national ethos that celebrated progress and productivity in the most concrete terms. These developments, coupled with moral and political divisions over slavery and the economic and psychic strain of a nationwide war that brought life’s precariousness into relief, spurred citizens to contemplate their sense of purpose in contexts ranging from the vocational to the existential. Writers and poets in particular faced continual pressures to defend the practical value of their work. What makes the four poets in this dissertation unparalleled, I suggest, is the way they challenge readers to revise and expand their understanding of the aesthetic by devoting poetic attention to unsettling and unsightly products and processes in the natural world. Moldering plant matter, heaps of manure, broom-ravaged spiderwebs, and fragments of driftwood; the kinds of waste and remains normally deemed indecorous for nineteenth-century verse become vibrant and arresting in the work of these poets. Yet while each poet approaches humble and neglected phenomena as worthy of aesthetic treatment, they do so without idealizing the unpalatable and disregarded subjects they portray in verse. The attention they devote to the abject—a witnessing they extrapolate from literal to human nature—is, as I show over the course of this dissertation, an ethical and political act. In addition to upholding the unsettling and unglamorous qualities of the natural subjects they honor, these poets also abstain from sentimentalizing the elements of lived experience that inform their writing, and refuse to downplay the often demanding process of poetic composition itself. While this dissertation’s insistence on regarding aspects of nature that nineteenth-century poetry has traditionally neglected is, in part, an ecocritical intervention, my project is also a call to dignify the artistic labors that reframe overlooked natural phenomena as worthy of aesthetic attention. To portray writing as work is to regard the craft as just as substantial and legitimate a pursuit as occupations whose effects are more straightforwardly measurable in practical terms. Indeed, each poet in this dissertation insists upon depicting poetic making as a labor that requires the same dexterity as the construction of an architectural structure and that has as dramatic and far-reaching effects as military and legislative developments. Far from posing an escapist diversion from the social and civic realities of their day, I argue, these poets frame aesthetic creation and experience as fundamental to human nature, especially during wartime and periods of political upheaval.