Blurred Boundaries: Literary Biography, Literary Autobiography, and Evidence

James Underwood

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

This chapter interrogates a number of questions about literary texts and their biographical value by exploring significant moments in the lives and afterlives of four controversial writers: Thomas Hardy, Anne Sexton, Ted Hughes, and Elizabeth Bishop. In what ways are literary texts treated as (auto)biographical? What role do ex cathedra sources play? What counts as ex cathedra? What kind of artistic status do literary texts commonly regarded as (auto)biographical assume? Is it possible to shun biographical knowledge? And can biography ever truly account for the power of literary texts?
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationA Companion to Literary Biography
EditorsRichard Bradford
PublisherWiley-Blackwell
Chapter11
Pages195-212
Number of pages8
ISBN (Electronic)9781118896433
ISBN (Print)9781118896297
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 17 Oct 2018

Publication series

NameBlackwell Companions to Literature and Culture

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Blurred Boundaries: Literary Biography, Literary Autobiography, and Evidence'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this