Ansgar Riedißer, Research Area 4: "Literary Currencies"
Doctoral Research Project

The dissertation project examines how criticism around Ashbery's poetic oeuvre develops and sustains an interest in incomprehensibility. With Ashbery now considered one of the most canonical US poets of the second half of the twentieth century, his long and prolific career has sparked many critical debates which often centre around the idea that his works are 'elusive', 'difficult', 'obscure' or 'slippery'. In examining these controversies, the project touches upon questions of literary value, the specificity of poetic language and the role and methods of literary studies more broadly.

  

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Michael Gamper, Prof. Dr. Frank Kelleter (both Freie Universität Berlin/EXC 2020)