The long way home: Studies in twentieth century romanticism

Abstract

These studies trace the development of a mid-twentieth century romanticism, a Neo-Romanticism distinct from both an earlier High Romanticism and a later Postmodernism. The focus is on six twentieth century writers, all but one American: D. H. Lawrence (English), Paul Bowles, Robert Lowell, John Ashbery, William Stafford, and Tim O'Brien. Neoromantics seek to relandscape the derealized self by venturing outward; venturing outward they both empty and refurbish the self. By pursuing a new self or taking an extreme course--that is, the long way home--they come to an unexpected conclusion: they discover the illusion of liberty, of democracy, of self-agency, and thus the great truth of old orders, deeper than tradition.