Wallace Stevens and the Aesthetics of Abstraction

by Edward Ragg

Edward Ragg's study is the first to examine the role of abstraction throughout the work of Wallace Stevens. By tracing the poet's interest in abstraction from Harmonium through to his later works, Ragg argues that Stevens only fully appreciated and refined this interest within his later career. Ragg's detailed close-readings highlight the poet's absorption of late nineteenth century and early twentieth century painting, as well as the examples of philosophers and other poets' work. Wallace Stevens and the Aesthetics of Abstraction will appeal to those studying Stevens as well as anyone interested in the relations between poetry and painting. This valuable study embraces revealing philosophical and artistic perspectives, analyzing Stevens' place within and resistance to Modernist debates concerning literature, painting, representation and 'the imagination'.

263 pages, ebook

First published July 15, 2010

About the author

Edward Ragg is a poet, literary critic, wine writer and Associate Professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing. He won the 2012 Cinnamon Press Poetry Award and his first collection of poetry, 'A Force That Takes', is published by Cinnamon Press. Selections from his poetry have appeared in 'Lung Jazz: Young British Poets for Oxfam' (Eyewear Publishing/Cinnamon Press, 2012), 'Jericho & Other Stories & Poems '(Cinnamon Press, 2012), 'Visiting Wallace: Poems Inspired by the Life and Work of Wallace Stevens' (Iowa University Press, 2009) and 'New Poetries IV' (Carcanet Press, 2007). He has also published poems in PN Review, Agenda, Critical Quarterly, Envoi, Other Poetry, Acumen, Aesthetica and other magazines. An expert on the work of American poet - and wine tippler - Wallace Stevens, Ragg was co-editor, with Bart Eeckhout, of 'Wallace Stevens across the Atlantic' (Palgrave, 2008) and is author of 'Wallace Stevens and the Aesthetics of Abstraction' (Cambridge University Press, 2010). He is an editorial board member of 'The Wallace Stevens Journal' which he has also guest co-edited. A former Captain of the Cambridge University Wine Tasting Team and former Fellow of the Rothermere American Institute, Oxford University, Ragg is co-founder, with his wife Fongyee Walker, of Dragon Phoenix Wine Consulting (www.longfengwines.com). Ragg's wine writing has appeared in Decanter Magazine, The World of Fine Wine, Harpers Wine & Spirit, The Drinks Business and on wine sites Decanter.com, Catavino, Enobytes, Visit Vineyards and What Wine as well as in publications within mainland China. Edward is brother to Michael Ragg who runs Burgundy negociant-eleveur Mischief & Mayhem with his wife Fiona. He has taught at both Cambridge and Tsinghua Universities and has created the first course in wine at Tsinghua as well as assisting the Tsinghua University Wine Association (est. 2012).