Argues for the importance of insects to modernism’s formal innovations
Uses the idea of the insect as a key to modernist writers’ engagement with questions of politics, psychology, life, and literary formProvides in-depth analysis of lesser-known modernist narratives, such as H.D.’s Asphodel and Lewis’s Snooty Baronet, as well as new readings of canonical texts – including D. H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Samuel Beckett’s TrilogyExplores the influence of popular scientific writing on modernist aestheticsReveals the attentiveness of modernist writers to nonhuman life, thus forging new lines of connection between modernism and literary animal studies
Focusing on the writing of Wyndham Lewis, D. H. Lawrence, H.D. and Samuel Beckett, this book uncovers a shared fascination with the aesthetic possibilities of the insect body – its adaptive powers, distinct stages of growth and swarming formations. Through a series of close readings, it proposes that the figure of the exoskeleton, which functions both as a protective outer layer and as a site of encounter, can enhance our understanding of modernism’s engagement with nonhuman life, as well as its questioning of the boundaries of the human.

About the Author

Rachel Murray is lecturer in English at Loughborough University. She is the author of several book chapters and articles in refereed journals including ‘Insects in Language and Literature’, A Cultural History of Insects, eds. Gene Kritsky, Vazrick Nasari (Bloomsbury, 2019); ‘Beelines: Joyce’s Apian Aesthetics’, Humanities Special Issue: James Joyce, Animals, and the Non Human, Vol. 6, No. 2 (June 2017), pp. 1-14 and ‘Vermicular Origins: The Creative Evolution of Samuel Beckett’s Worm’ [Winner of the 2016 BSLS/JLS Early Career Essay Prize], Journal of Literature and Science, Vol. 9, No. 2 (2016), pp. 19-35.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

We carry a comprehensive range of out of print and rare books.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Kennys Bookshops and Art Galleries Limited
Liosban Industrial Estate, Tuam Road, Galway, GY, Ireland

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We guarantee the condition of every book as it's described on the Abebooks websites.

If you're dissatisfied with your purchase (Incorrect Book/Not as Described/Damaged) or if the order hasn't arrived, you're eligible for a refund within 30 days of the estimated delivery date.

For any queries please use the contact seller link or send an email to books@kennys.ie

Conor Kenny

Shipping Terms

All books securely packaged. Some books ship from Ireland.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	14 to 20 business days	13 to 14 business days
First item	US$ 10.50	US$ 21.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.