The Poem's Defiance of Sociology

Abstract

It is pointed out that the new `sociology of literature' makes virtually no reference to poetry and is unable to cope with it. I argue that the reason for this is that in some sense poetry is incompatible with the idea of sociology. The language of poetry is almost definable as that which cannot be used in ordinary discourse or in the affirmation of social organizations. Examples are given to support this view. The implication is then drawn that `academic sociology' by overlooking this feature of poetic language stays unaware of the limitations of its own language; on the other hand Marxism, although clearly more sympathetic to poetic uses of language, is over-eager to then explain that use in Marxist terms. But even Marxist criticism pays little attention to poetry, thus supporting the general view of this paper. The parallels with the view expressed in terms of the views of social phenomenology, and its view of language, are also drawn out.