The Egoist (periodical)
Encyclopedia
The Egoist was a London literary magazine
published from 1914
to 1919
, during which time it published important early modernist poetry and fiction. In its manifesto, it claimed to "recognise no taboos," and published a number of controversial works, such as parts of Ulysses
. Today, it is considered "England's most important Modernist periodical."
as a successor to her feminist magazine The New Freewoman
, but was changed, under the influence of Ezra Pound
, into a literary magazine. Pound got his benefactor John Quinn to buy him an editorial position in the magazine, and quickly it became a leading publication for imagist
poetry. Its group of friends and contributors includes almost every writer of significance of the time, though some, like D.H. Lawrence (whose "Once" was published in the magazine in 1914), came to denounce it for "editorial sloppiness" and for the philosophical attitudes of its editorial staff. Among the work published in The Egoist is the work of James Joyce
and T. S. Eliot
, as well as letters and criticism.
Marsden was the editor in the first half of 1914, when it was a fortnightly; for most of its life it was a monthly. Editorship was taken over in July 1914 by Harriet Shaw Weaver
. Assistant editors were Richard Aldington
and Leonard A. Compton-Rickett, with H. D. When Aldington left in 1917 for the Army, his place was taken by T. S. Eliot
, who was also working on The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
at the time. When it folded in 1919, there were only 400 subscribers, down from 2,000 in 1911 when it was The Freewoman.
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
published from 1914
1914 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* January 29 – Yone Noguchi lectures on "The Japanese Hokku Poetry" at Magdalen College, Oxford...
to 1919
1919 in poetry
—From A Prayer for My Daughter by W. B. Yeats, first published this yearNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Two paintings by E. E...
, during which time it published important early modernist poetry and fiction. In its manifesto, it claimed to "recognise no taboos," and published a number of controversial works, such as parts of Ulysses
Ulysses (novel)
Ulysses is a novel by the Irish author James Joyce. It was first serialised in parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920, and then published in its entirety by Sylvia Beach on 2 February 1922, in Paris. One of the most important works of Modernist literature,...
. Today, it is considered "England's most important Modernist periodical."
History
The Egoist was founded by Dora MarsdenDora Marsden
Dora Marsden was an English feminist editor of avant-garde literary journals, and an author of philosophical writings.-Early life:...
as a successor to her feminist magazine The New Freewoman
The New Freewoman
The New Freewoman was a monthly London literary magazine edited by Dora Marsden and owned by Harriet Shaw Weaver. Initially Rebecca West was in charge of the literary content of the magazine, but after meeting Ezra Pound at one of Violet Hunt's parties in 1913 she recommended that he be appointed...
, but was changed, under the influence of Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound
Ezra Weston Loomis Pound was an American expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early modernist movement in poetry...
, into a literary magazine. Pound got his benefactor John Quinn to buy him an editorial position in the magazine, and quickly it became a leading publication for imagist
Imagism
Imagism was a movement in early 20th-century Anglo-American poetry that favored precision of imagery and clear, sharp language. The Imagists rejected the sentiment and discursiveness typical of much Romantic and Victorian poetry. This was in contrast to their contemporaries, the Georgian poets,...
poetry. Its group of friends and contributors includes almost every writer of significance of the time, though some, like D.H. Lawrence (whose "Once" was published in the magazine in 1914), came to denounce it for "editorial sloppiness" and for the philosophical attitudes of its editorial staff. Among the work published in The Egoist is the work of James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
and T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
, as well as letters and criticism.
Marsden was the editor in the first half of 1914, when it was a fortnightly; for most of its life it was a monthly. Editorship was taken over in July 1914 by Harriet Shaw Weaver
Harriet Shaw Weaver
Harriet Shaw Weaver was a political activist and a magazine editor. She also became the patron of James Joyce....
. Assistant editors were Richard Aldington
Richard Aldington
Richard Aldington , born Edward Godfree Aldington, was an English writer and poet.Aldington was best known for his World War I poetry, the 1929 novel, Death of a Hero, and the controversy arising from his 1955 Lawrence of Arabia: A Biographical Inquiry...
and Leonard A. Compton-Rickett, with H. D. When Aldington left in 1917 for the Army, his place was taken by T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
, who was also working on The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, commonly known as Prufrock, is a poem by T. S. Eliot, begun in February 1910 and published in Chicago in June 1915. Described as a "drama of literary anguish," it presents a stream of consciousness in the form of a dramatic monologue, and marked the beginning of...
at the time. When it folded in 1919, there were only 400 subscribers, down from 2,000 in 1911 when it was The Freewoman.
Notable publications
- T. S. EliotT. S. EliotThomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
, "Tradition and the Individual TalentTradition and the individual talent"Tradition and the Individual Talent" is an essay written by poet and literary theorist T. S. Eliot. The essay was first published, in two parts, in The Egoist and later in Eliot's first book of criticism, "The Sacred Wood"...
," vol. 6, nos. 4 & 5 (September & December 1919). - James JoyceJames JoyceJames Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManA Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManA Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a semi-autobiographical novel by James Joyce, first serialised in the magazine The Egoist from 1914 to 1915, and published first in book format in 1916 by B. W. Huebsch, New York. The first English edition was published by the Egoist Press in February 1917...
, starting in 19141914 in literatureThe year 1914 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*The literature of World War I makes its first appearance.*November 7 - The first issue of The New Republic magazine is published....
; three-and-a-half sections of UlyssesUlysses (novel)Ulysses is a novel by the Irish author James Joyce. It was first serialised in parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920, and then published in its entirety by Sylvia Beach on 2 February 1922, in Paris. One of the most important works of Modernist literature,...
(1919) - Wyndham LewisWyndham LewisPercy Wyndham Lewis was an English painter and author . He was a co-founder of the Vorticist movement in art, and edited the literary magazine of the Vorticists, BLAST...
, TarrTarrTarr is a modernist novel by Wyndham Lewis, written in 1909-11, revised and expanded in 1914-15 and first serialized in The Egoist from April 1916 until November 1917...
, April 1916–November 1917. - Charlotte MewCharlotte MewCharlotte Mary Mew was an English poet, whose work spans the cusp between Victorian poetry and Modernism.She was born in Bloomsbury, London the daughter of the architect Frederick Mew, who designed Hampstead town hall and Anna Kendall. She attended Lucy Harrison's School for Girls and lectures at...
, "Fête," May 1914 - William Carlos WilliamsWilliam Carlos WilliamsWilliam Carlos Williams was an American poet closely associated with modernism and Imagism. He was also a pediatrician and general practitioner of medicine, having graduated from the University of Pennsylvania...
, "The Wanderer" and seven other poems, March 1914; "Transitional" and three other poems, December 1914
Works cited
- Edwards, Paul. "Futurism, Literature and the Market," in
- Eliot, Valerie. "Introduction," in
- Johnson, Jeri. "Composition and Publication History," in
- Longenbach, James. "'Mature Poets Steal': Eliot's Allusive Practice," in
- Matherer, Timothy. "T.S. Eliot's Critical Program," in
External links
- The Egoist at the Modernist Journals ProjectModernist Journals ProjectThe Modernist Journals Project was created in 1995 at Brown University in order to create a database of digitized periodicals connected with the period loosely associated with modernism. The University of Tulsa joined in 2003...
: all 6 volumes, from No 1.1 (January 1, 1914) to No. 6.5 (December, 1919) - Articles online, from The Egoist Archive at nonserviam.com
- Account of The Egoist, at Modernism Lab Essays, a Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
website
- The Egoist at the Modernist Journals Project
- Matherer, Timothy. "T.S. Eliot's Critical Program," in
- Longenbach, James. "'Mature Poets Steal': Eliot's Allusive Practice," in
- Johnson, Jeri. "Composition and Publication History," in
- Eliot, Valerie. "Introduction," in