Date of Award

5-2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Legacy Department

English

Committee Chair/Advisor

Paul, Catherine

Committee Member

Hilligoss , Susan

Committee Member

Naimou , Angela

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how occultism is a major influence within Pound's writing as a result of his mentorship under Yeats from 1909-1916. Chapter One examines the connections between Pound's time in London and his subsequent exposure to the occult. Alongside Yeats, Pound finds a use for his belief in the aristocracy of the arts through the occultist teachings of exclusivity and sharing of select knowledge. Chapter Two focuses on Pound's development of the occult practice of automatic writing and its later use in The Pisan Cantos . Chapter Three analyzes Pound's occultism by focusing on the séances, ghosts, and demons present within The Pisan Cantos . This thesis argues that Pound's occultism is a valuable tool for understanding his poetry.

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