Thomas Hardy’s BrainsA Class of 1962 Endowment Talk

Thomas Hardy’s BrainsA Class of 1962 Endowment Talk

Suzanne KeenSuzanne Keen

Neurology, Psychology, and Hardy’s imagination

Neurology, Psychology, and Hardy’s imagination

A book-length study of the influence of contemporary brain science and psychology on Hardy’s imagery of mental and emotional experience in his fiction and poetry, Thomas Hardy’s Brains supplements existing work on Hardy’s philosophical and scientific sources with a fresh look at his representations of brains, nerves, and sensations.

A book-length study of the influence of contemporary brain science and psychology on Hardy’s imagery of mental and emotional experience in his fiction and poetry, Thomas Hardy’s Brains supplements existing work on Hardy’s philosophical and scientific sources with a fresh look at his representations of brains, nerves, and sensations.

Who influenced Hardy?Who influenced Hardy?

Never a slavish adapter of any one individual’s thinking, Hardy’s work reveals the influence of contemporary neurological and psychological research. These influences combine with the well-documented impact of thinkers such as Darwin, Comte, Fourier, and Mill, as well as with Hardy’s own observations of human and animal behavior, to support his materialism and depictions of emotional reactions.

Never a slavish adapter of any one individual’s thinking, Hardy’s work reveals the influence of contemporary neurological and psychological research. These influences combine with the well-documented impact of thinkers such as Darwin, Comte, Fourier, and Mill, as well as with Hardy’s own observations of human and animal behavior, to support his materialism and depictions of emotional reactions.

Hardy’s sources and acquaintances

Hardy’s sources and acquaintances

I explore the direct and indirect sources of Hardy’s knowledge of late Victorian and early twentieth-century psychology, including his reading, his intellectual circle, and his chance acquaintance with one of the most important neurologists of his day, Henry Head, the editor of Brain, who became a friend and neighbor towards the end of Hardy’s life.

I explore the direct and indirect sources of Hardy’s knowledge of late Victorian and early twentieth-century psychology, including his reading, his intellectual circle, and his chance acquaintance with one of the most important neurologists of his day, Henry Head, the editor of Brain, who became a friend and neighbor towards the end of Hardy’s life.

Hardy’s Theory of MindHardy’s Theory of Mind

The book will describe Hardy’s evolving theory of mind as evinced in fictional characters; interpret his depiction of characters suffering from various neurological pathologies; and explore the imagistic schemas of brain and mind in his poetry, including The Dynasts.

The book will describe Hardy’s evolving theory of mind as evinced in fictional characters; interpret his depiction of characters suffering from various neurological pathologies; and explore the imagistic schemas of brain and mind in his poetry, including The Dynasts.

Where the study fits in broadly

Where the study fits in broadly

Recent scholarship in Victorian studies explores the relationship between psychological theories and ideas about the novel and reading (e.g., Nick Dames). The young field of cognitive approaches to literary study features single author studies of Frost, Shakespeare, and Dickinson, but little work on the novel. Some forthcoming or recent work describes the Theory of Mind of c18 and c19 novelists (Lisa Zunshine, Blakey Vermeule).

Recent scholarship in Victorian studies explores the relationship between psychological theories and ideas about the novel and reading (e.g., Nick Dames). The young field of cognitive approaches to literary study features single author studies of Frost, Shakespeare, and Dickinson, but little work on the novel. Some forthcoming or recent work describes the Theory of Mind of c18 and c19 novelists (Lisa Zunshine, Blakey Vermeule).

Where the study fits in more narrowly

Where the study fits in more narrowly

Work on Thomas Hardy has emphasized his philosophy over his psychology. However, in the late c19 and early c20, psychology attains status as a separate discipline. Psychological readings of Hardy’s work have featured Freudian or Jungian approaches. A few scholars (especially of The Dynasts) describe Hardy’s monist influences. Though he is widely regarded as a materialist writer, Hardy’s awareness of contemporary neurology has been completely neglected.

Work on Thomas Hardy has emphasized his philosophy over his psychology. However, in the late c19 and early c20, psychology attains status as a separate discipline. Psychological readings of Hardy’s work have featured Freudian or Jungian approaches. A few scholars (especially of The Dynasts) describe Hardy’s monist influences. Though he is widely regarded as a materialist writer, Hardy’s awareness of contemporary neurology has been completely neglected.

My research questionsMy research questions

•What did Hardy know about contemporary psychology? (knew Bain secondhand through J. S. Mill; read Spencer and Comte)•What did Hardy read? (His Literary Notebooks and Letters are major resources, as well as his allusions)•Would Hardy have ever seen The Lancet? (He belonged to several professional men’s clubs in London; these clubs had well-stocked libraries with periodicals.)

•What did Hardy know about contemporary psychology? (knew Bain secondhand through J. S. Mill; read Spencer and Comte)•What did Hardy read? (His Literary Notebooks and Letters are major resources, as well as his allusions)•Would Hardy have ever seen The Lancet? (He belonged to several professional men’s clubs in London; these clubs had well-stocked libraries with periodicals.)

Whom did Hardy know?Whom did Hardy know?

•Famous people (Leslie Stephen; Henry Head)•Ordinary folk (Hardy was an acute observer of regular people’s behavior. He depicts characters suffering from depression, phobias, obsessions [monomania], and Tourette’s Syndrome.)•Animals (with his first wife Emma, Hardy strongly supported measures against cruelty to animals. He wrote sympathetically about the experiences and likely sensations of dogs, horses, sheep, and even birds.)•Himself (introspection was a respected methodology in early psychological labs. Hardy was an acutely introspective writer.)

•Famous people (Leslie Stephen; Henry Head)•Ordinary folk (Hardy was an acute observer of regular people’s behavior. He depicts characters suffering from depression, phobias, obsessions [monomania], and Tourette’s Syndrome.)•Animals (with his first wife Emma, Hardy strongly supported measures against cruelty to animals. He wrote sympathetically about the experiences and likely sensations of dogs, horses, sheep, and even birds.)•Himself (introspection was a respected methodology in early psychological labs. Hardy was an acutely introspective writer.)

MethodsMethods

I combine biographical and historical research into Hardy’s life and influences with more literary forms of analysis. I am scrutinizing:•Concordance data;•Representations of major psychological areas of research and speculation (human and other forms of will; consciousness; the senses; memory; the brain and nerves) in the poetry and fiction;•Representations of fictional characters suffering from psychological disorders;•Representations of early brain science (The Woodlanders).

I combine biographical and historical research into Hardy’s life and influences with more literary forms of analysis. I am scrutinizing:•Concordance data;•Representations of major psychological areas of research and speculation (human and other forms of will; consciousness; the senses; memory; the brain and nerves) in the poetry and fiction;•Representations of fictional characters suffering from psychological disorders;•Representations of early brain science (The Woodlanders).

Forays into Schema-Reading

Forays into Schema-Reading

In addition to the more traditional literary analytical methods mentioned earlier, Thomas Hardy’s Brains represents my first effort in using the methodology of cognitive poetics to read Hardy’s imagistic schemas. Following Lakoff, Turner, Johnson, and Stockwell, I attempt to map the schemas of Hardy’s lyric poetry and the spatiality of his fictional worlds. It remains to be seen whether these new vocabularies for analysis actually add anything useful to the literary critic’s tool box. Readings in a work’s cognitive poetics often meet with intense skepticism and even hostility. Is it worth it?

In addition to the more traditional literary analytical methods mentioned earlier, Thomas Hardy’s Brains represents my first effort in using the methodology of cognitive poetics to read Hardy’s imagistic schemas. Following Lakoff, Turner, Johnson, and Stockwell, I attempt to map the schemas of Hardy’s lyric poetry and the spatiality of his fictional worlds. It remains to be seen whether these new vocabularies for analysis actually add anything useful to the literary critic’s tool box. Readings in a work’s cognitive poetics often meet with intense skepticism and even hostility. Is it worth it?

Enumerating Hardy’s Brains

Enumerating Hardy’s Brains

Concordance data shows that Hardy’s first sensational novel, Desperate Remedies (1871) employs brain or brains 21 times. The Woodlanders (1887), in which a doctor lusts after the brain of an old lady, comes in second with 13 mentions. All but two books Hardy published mention brains; the exceptions come from among his romances and fantasies, The Trumpet-Major (1880) and The Well-Beloved (1892, 1897). Towards the end of his career, Hardy’s use of the word brain peaks in the long poem, The Dynasts (1904, 1906, 1908), with 26 occurrences.

Concordance data shows that Hardy’s first sensational novel, Desperate Remedies (1871) employs brain or brains 21 times. The Woodlanders (1887), in which a doctor lusts after the brain of an old lady, comes in second with 13 mentions. All but two books Hardy published mention brains; the exceptions come from among his romances and fantasies, The Trumpet-Major (1880) and The Well-Beloved (1892, 1897). Towards the end of his career, Hardy’s use of the word brain peaks in the long poem, The Dynasts (1904, 1906, 1908), with 26 occurrences.

What does he mean by brains?

What does he mean by brains?

•tends to mean simply intelligence, • refers to the contents of the skull—as in The Dynasts• diseases of the brain, particularly in animals, appear in Hardy’s references to shriveled up or liquefied brains. •suicide crops up in idioms featuring the blowing out of brains.

•tends to mean simply intelligence, • refers to the contents of the skull—as in The Dynasts• diseases of the brain, particularly in animals, appear in Hardy’s references to shriveled up or liquefied brains. •suicide crops up in idioms featuring the blowing out of brains.

Do Hardy’s brains change?

Do Hardy’s brains change?

•Desperate Remedies and the experience of living in a busy, fevered brain:

“She thought and thought of that single fact which had been told her—that the first Mrs. Manston was still living — till her brain seemed ready to burst its confinement with excess of throbbing.”. . .“As is well known, ideas are so elastic in a human brain, that they have no constant measure which may be called their actual bulk. Any important idea may be compressed to a molecule by an unwonted crowding of others; and any small idea will expand to whatever length and breadth of vacuum the mind may be able to make over to it.”

•Desperate Remedies and the experience of living in a busy, fevered brain:

“She thought and thought of that single fact which had been told her—that the first Mrs. Manston was still living — till her brain seemed ready to burst its confinement with excess of throbbing.”. . .“As is well known, ideas are so elastic in a human brain, that they have no constant measure which may be called their actual bulk. Any important idea may be compressed to a molecule by an unwonted crowding of others; and any small idea will expand to whatever length and breadth of vacuum the mind may be able to make over to it.”

Do Hardy’s brains change?

Do Hardy’s brains change?

•The Woodlanders and brain tissue under the microscope:

“She applied her eye, and saw the usual circle of light patterned all over with a cellular tissue of some indescribable sort.”. . .

Fitzpiers reveals it is old Mr. South’s brain tissue and explains, “Here am I. . .endeavoring to carry on simultaneously the study of physiology and transcendental philosophy, the material world and the ideal, so as to discover if possible a point of contact between them; and your finer sense is quite offended.”

•The Woodlanders and brain tissue under the microscope:

“She applied her eye, and saw the usual circle of light patterned all over with a cellular tissue of some indescribable sort.”. . .

Fitzpiers reveals it is old Mr. South’s brain tissue and explains, “Here am I. . .endeavoring to carry on simultaneously the study of physiology and transcendental philosophy, the material world and the ideal, so as to discover if possible a point of contact between them; and your finer sense is quite offended.”

The Dynasts’ neurological imagery

The Dynasts’ neurological imagery

The anatomy of the Immanent Will appears, “exhibiting as one organism the anatomy of life and movement in all humanity and vitalized matter”

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES (after a pause)Amid this scene of bodies substantiveStrange waves I sight like winds grown visibleWhich bear men’s forms on their innumerous coils,Twining and serpentining round and through.Also retracting threads like gossamers—

. . .

The anatomy of the Immanent Will appears, “exhibiting as one organism the anatomy of life and movement in all humanity and vitalized matter”

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES (after a pause)Amid this scene of bodies substantiveStrange waves I sight like winds grown visibleWhich bear men’s forms on their innumerous coils,Twining and serpentining round and through.Also retracting threads like gossamers—

. . .

The Dynasts’ neurological imagery

The Dynasts’ neurological imagery

SPIRIT OF THE YEARSThese are the Prime Volitions,—fibrils, veins,Will-tissues, nerves, and pulses of the Cause,That heave throughout the Earth’s compositure.Their sum is like the lobule of a BrainEvolving always that it wots not of;A Brain whose whole connotes the Everywhere,And whose procedure may but be discernedBy phantom eyes like ours; the while unguessedOf those it stirs, who (even as ye do) dreamTheir motions free, their orderings supreme;

SPIRIT OF THE YEARSThese are the Prime Volitions,—fibrils, veins,Will-tissues, nerves, and pulses of the Cause,That heave throughout the Earth’s compositure.Their sum is like the lobule of a BrainEvolving always that it wots not of;A Brain whose whole connotes the Everywhere,And whose procedure may but be discernedBy phantom eyes like ours; the while unguessedOf those it stirs, who (even as ye do) dreamTheir motions free, their orderings supreme;

The Dynasts’ neurological imagery

The Dynasts’ neurological imagery

“[At once, as earlier, a preternatural clearness possesses the atmosphere of the battle-field, in which the scene becomes anatomized and the living masses of humanity transparent. The controlling Immanent Will appears therein, as a brain-like network of currents and ejections, twitching, interpenetrating, entangling, and thrusting hither and thither the human forms.]”. . .“There immediately is shown visually the electric state of mind that animates WELLINGTON, GRAHAM, HILL, KEMPT, PICTON, COLVILLE, and other responsible ones on the British side; and on the French KING JOSEPH stationary on the hill overlooking his own centre, and surrounded by a numerous staff that includes his adviser MARSHAL JOURDAN, with, far away in the field, GAZAN, D'ERLON, REILLE, and other marshals. This vision, resembling as a whole the interior of a beating brain lit by phosphorescence, in an instant fades back to normal.”

“[At once, as earlier, a preternatural clearness possesses the atmosphere of the battle-field, in which the scene becomes anatomized and the living masses of humanity transparent. The controlling Immanent Will appears therein, as a brain-like network of currents and ejections, twitching, interpenetrating, entangling, and thrusting hither and thither the human forms.]”. . .“There immediately is shown visually the electric state of mind that animates WELLINGTON, GRAHAM, HILL, KEMPT, PICTON, COLVILLE, and other responsible ones on the British side; and on the French KING JOSEPH stationary on the hill overlooking his own centre, and surrounded by a numerous staff that includes his adviser MARSHAL JOURDAN, with, far away in the field, GAZAN, D'ERLON, REILLE, and other marshals. This vision, resembling as a whole the interior of a beating brain lit by phosphorescence, in an instant fades back to normal.”

Schemas of BrainSchemas of Brain

“Thoughts of Phena.” BRAIN IS A FIRE; BRAIN IS A CONTAINER.

“Nature’s Questioning.” BRAIN IS AN [EMPTY] CONTAINER.

“A Wasted Illness.” BRAIN IS A THEATER; BRAIN IS A GOTHIC BUILDING; BRAIN IS A CONTAINER you must journey through[LIFE IS A JOURNEY] to get to death [DEATH IS A DOOR].

“He Resolves to Say No More.” BRAIN IS A FIRE.

“Thoughts of Phena.” BRAIN IS A FIRE; BRAIN IS A CONTAINER.

“Nature’s Questioning.” BRAIN IS AN [EMPTY] CONTAINER.

“A Wasted Illness.” BRAIN IS A THEATER; BRAIN IS A GOTHIC BUILDING; BRAIN IS A CONTAINER you must journey through[LIFE IS A JOURNEY] to get to death [DEATH IS A DOOR].

“He Resolves to Say No More.” BRAIN IS A FIRE.

Likely structure of the book

Likely structure of the book

Contemporary psychology and neurology: the big frame

Hardy’s life and influences From Desperate Remedies to The Dynasts: evolution of Hardy’s schemas

The fiction, esp. The Woodlanders The lyric poetry and its image complexes

Hardy’s emotion-saturated theory of mind

Contemporary psychology and neurology: the big frame

Hardy’s life and influences From Desperate Remedies to The Dynasts: evolution of Hardy’s schemas

The fiction, esp. The Woodlanders The lyric poetry and its image complexes

Hardy’s emotion-saturated theory of mind

Where this project fits in my work

Where this project fits in my work

When I wrote my first book, I was mainly a Victorianist; one of my chapters focused on Thomas Hardy. Since then I have worked in the areas of the novel, narrative theory, and literature and psychology (though not cognitive poetics). Like Hardy, I believe that affect is a neglected aspect of cognition. In my most recent book, I argue for the centrality of literary empathy for novel readers. Again like Hardy, I hold out little hope that reading alone can change the world, but with the old meliorist, believe that our feeling responses to other people and their words might make it a little less dreadful.

When I wrote my first book, I was mainly a Victorianist; one of my chapters focused on Thomas Hardy. Since then I have worked in the areas of the novel, narrative theory, and literature and psychology (though not cognitive poetics). Like Hardy, I believe that affect is a neglected aspect of cognition. In my most recent book, I argue for the centrality of literary empathy for novel readers. Again like Hardy, I hold out little hope that reading alone can change the world, but with the old meliorist, believe that our feeling responses to other people and their words might make it a little less dreadful.

Where this project fits in my teachingWhere this project fits in my teaching

In winter 2007, a year from now, I’ll teach English 299; Seminar for Prospective Majors. My topic will be Thomas Hardy, Novelist and Poet. I will integrate the methods and research questions I’ve broached today into that seminar, in order to get the assistance of 15 smart English majors in thinking through my project before I write it.

Thus we prosper, as scholars and teachers.

In winter 2007, a year from now, I’ll teach English 299; Seminar for Prospective Majors. My topic will be Thomas Hardy, Novelist and Poet. I will integrate the methods and research questions I’ve broached today into that seminar, in order to get the assistance of 15 smart English majors in thinking through my project before I write it.

Thus we prosper, as scholars and teachers.