A Study of the Expression of Lawrence Durrell's Heraldic Universe in a Selection of his Fictional...
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Eastern and Western philosophies, including Buddhism; the influences of Freud and Einstein; The Book of the It by psychologist Georg W. Groddeck, are the components that form the backbone of Durrell’s Heraldic Universe, a personal philosophy that summarises his intellect and influences his literary work.This paper investigates how each of these four major contributors influenced the formation of Durrell’s ideology using examples from four of his major novels, The Black Book, The Alexandria Quartet, The Revolt of Aphrodite, and The Avignon Quintet.
Transcript of A Study of the Expression of Lawrence Durrell's Heraldic Universe in a Selection of his Fictional...
A STUDY OF THE EXPRESSION OF LAWRENCE DURRELLS HERALDIC UNIVERSE IN A SELECTION OF HIS FICTIONAL WORK
Lynne Lowes
April 2003
CONTENTS
An Introduction to the Heraldic UniversePage 1
Chapter One
Eastern Philosophy, Buddhism and The Heraldic UniversePage 7
Chapter Two
Durrell and Freudian TheoryPage 12
Chapter Three
Durrells Adoption of Einsteins Space-Time ConceptPage 19
Chapter Four
The Influence of GroddeckPage 25
A Summary of Durrells Heraldic Universe and itsUse in the Fiction of his CanonPage 32
EndnotesPage i
BibliographyPage vii
An Introduction to the Heraldic Universe
According to Professor Paul H. Lorenz, Durrells literary canon springs from many sources and merges many idioms (1) and it is from the same basis that the content of Durrells philosophy, a system which he called The Heraldic Universe, is formed. This thesis will explore some of these sources and idioms, relate them to The Heraldic Universe, which is inherent in Durrells work, and investigate the translation of the system into the literature of four of his novels: The Black Book, The Alexandria Quartet, The Revolt of Aphrodite and The Avignon Quintet.
As early as August, 1936, when Durrell was only twenty four years old, he was already formulating his philosophy as he wrote to the American novelist, Henry Miller:
What I propose to do is to create my HERALDIC UNIVERSE quite alone. The foundation is being quietly laid. I AM SLOWLY BUT VERY CAREFULLY AND WITHOUT ANY CONSCIOUS THOUGHT DESTROYING TIME. (2)
The Heraldic Universe was the title Durrell gave to his then embryonic ideology which was to underpin his future literary achievements; its importance to the young Durrell is apparent when he writes The Heraldic Universe when I get through with it will be the only habitable place. It will be full of creators of real caliber. (3) In another letter to Miller, Durrell further clarifies his thoughts on this subject as he relates how:
All great art of every kind and degree is this struggle to impose the inner on the outer, to transform the material, the social, to the psychic. The Heraldic Universe is just a name for that element in which that queer fish the artist swims. THE PRECISE NATURE OF THIS REALITY, WHICH DEMANDS AS YET A REAL PHILOSOPHIC PLACE IN THOUGHT, I WANT TO TRY AND FIX. !!!!!!
