Genre Studies- Unit- II Imagism

 Imagism

Points to remember

• Imagism is an important movement of Modernism. 

• In University of Pennsylvania, Pound met Hilda Dolittle, Amy Lowell (later, the members of the Imagist group) and Imagism was founded.

• Imagism used concrete and direct images in poetry without any explanation or description

• Father of Imagism was T.E. Hulme who influenced Pound

• An imagist poem is like a snapshot, it freezes in one moment in the poem

• There is use of specific rather than general words, use of adjectives

• Principles of Imagism were outlined in an essay called- A Retrospect

Imagism involves a direct treatment of the thing. The significance of an ordinary thing is just suggested, and the readers can explore the meanings

• There is use of just the necessary words, any word that does not contribute to the presentation is omitted 

• Its aim is to compose in the sequence of musical phrase- not artificial music/ rhythm but natural rhythm of the musical phrase 

• E.g. In a Station of the Metro, Hugh Selwyn Mauberley

• Anthology- Ripostes (1912), Des Imagistes (1914) was the first anthology of Imagism movement

• Meaning should be condensed and suggestive, there is use of irony.

First Imagist collection of poems/ works was – Ripostes, it contained translations from old English and Italian.

Imagism

Introduction

        The dawn of the 20^th century brought about a drastic change in the field of poetry. The beginning of modern era gave birth to new poetic style (expressionism, symbolism, etc.) for the expression of ideas and emotions. One among the modern poetic styles which became very popular among the poets was Imagism. Imagism as a movement started in 1909 with the publication of T.E. Hulme’s poems “A City Sunset” and “autumn”. However, this movement did not last long in poetry and ended in 1917.

Overview

        Imagism is a 20^th century new movement in poetry which was a reaction against the too much romanticism of the 19^th century poetry. The poets of Imagism emphasized on the use of clear, direct language. They were not happy with the high romanticism and elaborative expression of 19th century poets. They wished to present the pictures with the least possible use of words. Their language was succinct (to say clearly in a few words) and to the point. Sir Philip Sidney, an English poet and critic had highly defined poetry in the following words:

            “Poetry, therefore, is an art of imitation, a speaking picture, with this end to teach and delight.”   

    In this way, Sidney during the 16^th century spoke about the importance of imagism in poetry. According to him, true poetry must be able to create pictures in the mental eyes of the readers.                             “Poetry is a speaking picture, and picture is a mute poetry”.

Features

1. Use of Simple language- they avoid high flowery language.
2. Use of five senses- It appeals our five senses (touch, hear, see, smell and taste) directly. For Instance, T.S. Eliot has used this image of vision in his famous poem “Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”

“Let us go then you and I

When the evening is spread out against the sky

Like a patient etherized upon a table.”

3. Use of Free Verse- The poetry of imagism did not follow the traditional style of poetry writing. In traditional style, the poets followed proper rhythm and meter.

4. Brevity and Precision- They used exact words. Japanese Haiku was also the result of this insistence on brevity of expression.

Major Imagist Poets

T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, T.E. Hulme, Sylvia Plath, Hilda Doolittle, F. S. Flint, Carlos Williams, etc.

Conclusion

        In nutshell, the movement of Imagism had a deep influence in English poetry in the beginning of the 20th century. However, it faded away soon. it is because the poets concentrated too much on this new technique of creating visual pictures and they ignored the subject matter.