The Enchafèd Flood
Encyclopedia
The Enchafèd Flood: or, The Romantic Iconography of the Sea is a book of three lectures by W. H. Auden
, first published in 1950.
The book contains Auden's 1949 Page-Barbour Lectures at the University of Virginia
. The three lectures are titled "The Sea and the Desert", "The Stone and the Shell", Ishmael–Don Quixote".
The theme of the book is the sensibility of romanticism
, especially in its search for escape from responsibility and community. It deals with poems by Coleridge, Byron, Hopkins, Blake, but above all with Herman Melville
's Moby-Dick
, which is analysed with psychoanalytical tools (especially used to interpret the main characters of the novel) and with an analogical interpretation of such symbols as the sea, the ship, the stone, and the shell.
The book is dedicated to Alan Ansen
.
W. H. Auden
Wystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
, first published in 1950.
The book contains Auden's 1949 Page-Barbour Lectures at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. The three lectures are titled "The Sea and the Desert", "The Stone and the Shell", Ishmael–Don Quixote".
The theme of the book is the sensibility of romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
, especially in its search for escape from responsibility and community. It deals with poems by Coleridge, Byron, Hopkins, Blake, but above all with Herman Melville
Herman Melville
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and the posthumous novella Billy Budd....
's Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, was written by American author Herman Melville and first published in 1851. It is considered by some to be a Great American Novel and a treasure of world literature. The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whaleship Pequod,...
, which is analysed with psychoanalytical tools (especially used to interpret the main characters of the novel) and with an analogical interpretation of such symbols as the sea, the ship, the stone, and the shell.
The book is dedicated to Alan Ansen
Alan Ansen
Alan Ansen was an American poet, playwright, and associate of Beat Generation writers. He was a widely-read scholar who knew many languages. Ansen grew up on Long Island and was educated at Harvard. He worked as W. H...
.