RivermenRivermen
a Romantic Iconography of the River and the Source
Title rated 0 out of 5 stars, based on 0 ratings(0 ratings)
eBook, 1989
Current format, eBook, 1989, , All copies in use.eBook, 1989
Current format, eBook, 1989, , All copies in use. Offered in 0 more formatsRivermen examines the mythic context and psychological dimensions of the river and its source through an investigation of the recurring motifs associated with the source in classical and English literature -the heroic quest, the river journey, and the naiad or muse. Frederic Colwell focuses on the writings of those redoubtable rivermen, the English Romantic poets. He explores poems by Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, and Shelley, showing that the image of the river is used in their work as a compelling archetype and a metaphor for the nature and process of the creative impulse. From the preface: "Unlike the rhythms of oceans, rivers have direction and a purposive flow. The river's will is always its own, not laid down by man, for whom the river passage demands a surrender to its will, its currents and eddies. To move with the flow is to course with time and change; to stand astride or view it from a height offers the prophetic stance by which we contemplate its entire passage, its past, present, and the brightening waters or rippling shoals ahead."
Rivers and their sources have captured the human imagination for centuries. Their special potential for both mystery and commerce has inspired writers, artists, scientists, and politicians throughout history. In both literature and art, riverscapes have traditionally been seen as more than simply geographic: their psychological and metaphysical aspects have often provided a source of myth.
Rivers and their sources have captured the human imagination for centuries. Their special potential for both mystery and commerce has inspired writers, artists, scientists, and politicians throughout history. In both literature and art, riverscapes have traditionally been seen as more than simply geographic: their psychological and metaphysical aspects have often provided a source of myth.
Title availability
About
Details
Publication
- Kingston [Ont.] : McGill-Queen's University Press, Ă1989.
Opinion
More from the community
Community lists featuring this title
There are no community lists featuring this title
Community contributions
There are no quotations from this title
There are no quotations from this title
From the community