| dc.description.abstract | This thesis explores the critical aesthetics of Vernon Lee (Violet Paget 1856-1935) and
the ways in which her theory of aesthetic harmony informed these studies. Arguing for a
more inclusive view of her interest in aesthetics, this thesis takes as its focus the ways in
which Lee applied her aesthetic methodologies to the questions of aesthetics with which
she was concerned – What is the relationship between the artist and his or her art, and
between the artist and the aesthetic critic? How do the various art forms differ and how
do these differences impact on the aesthetic experience? How does the mind, the body,
and the emotions work together in the aesthetic experience? And ultimately, what is the
relationship between art and life, and between beauty and the ideal? This study argues
that these questions are evident in essays that are not usually associated with aesthetics.
Whilst studies on Lee tend to divide her varied interests into phases in her career, such
as her fiction, literary criticism, historical writings, travel writings, and psychological
aesthetics, the current study argues that an investigation into the ways in which these
studies can be seen to interact leads to a more thorough and fulfilling engagement with
her impressive body of work. This thesis fills a critical gap in Lee studies by
approaching her writings through the lens of her interest in aesthetics and by suggesting
a way of reading her work that takes into consideration the ways in which her aesthetic
theories influenced the writing style through which she experimented with, expressed,
and in some cases, performed her aesthetic theories. | en_US |
