This thesis re-evaluates Inhumanism, the philosophy of twentieth-century American poet Robinson Jeffers, in light of the Christian eremitic tradition. Inhumanism continues to create controversy around Jeffers' life and work; charges of misanthropy and anti-Americanism have pushed him to the margins of American literature. My first chapter looks at how critics have tried to understand Inhumanism's influences and motives by contextualizing Jeffers' philosophy in many cultural, psychological, literary, and spiritual traditions. Chapter Two explores the main tenets of the eremitic ideal, as expressed in the lives and writings of hermits from the fourth to the twentieth centuries. Chapters Three, Four, and Five then situate Inhumamsm's themes, imagery, and purpose---as set down in Jeffers' poetry from 1903 to 1962---in this eremitic tradition. Looking at Jeffers' early work shows that Inhumanism is not politically-motivated, as many critics claim, but rather is a deep-rooted spiritual orientation, carried in his heart from boyhood. Recontextualizing Jeffers' work in the eremitic tradition shows Inhumanism to be, not an exceptional or dangerous philosophy, but part of the core of western spirituality.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.30207 |
| Date | January 2000 |
| Creators | Reiswig, Amy. |
| Contributors | Ohlin, Peter (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Arts (Department of English.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001763448, proquestno: MQ64185, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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