Overview

A Curious Peril examines the prose penned by modernist writer H.D. in the aftermath of World War II, a little-known body of work that has been neglected by scholars, and argues that the trauma H.D. experienced in London during the war profoundly changed her writing. Lara Vetter reveals a shift in these writings from classical “escapist” settings to politically aware explorations of gender, spirituality, nation, and imperialism. Impelled by the shocking political crises of the early 1940s, and increasingly sensitive to imperialist logics, H.D. began to write about the history of modern Europe using innovative forms and genres. She directed her well-known interest in mysticism and otherworldly themes toward the material world of empire-building and perpetual war. Vetter contends that H.D.’s postwar work is essential to understanding the writer’s entire career, marking her entrance into late modernism and even foretelling crucial aspects of postmodernism.

Full Product Details

9780813054568

Table of Contents

Reviews

Exquisitely researched. --Modern Language Review Offers a fascinating and thorough analysis of the chosen texts, grounding them not only in the context of H.D.'s own experiences and recognizing the trauma of two World Wars but also in the context of post-war Europe. --Forum for Modern Language Studies Thoroughly accounts for the modernist's overlooked late-career prose. --Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature

Exquisitely researched. --Modern Language Review Offers a fascinating and thorough analysis of the chosen texts, grounding them not only in the context of H.D.'s own experiences and recognizing the trauma of two World Wars but also in the context of post-war Europe. --Forum for Modern Language Studies

Author Information

Lara Vetter, associate professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, is the editor of H.D.'s By Avon River and the author of Modernist Writings and Religio-scientific Discourse: H.D., Loy, and Toomer.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available