Modernist Magazines and Digital Humanities

The English Review in its January 1910 publication demonstrates stylistic choices that have become the literary norm in the 21st century.  The advertising is intentional and specifically geared for the literary crowd.  The prime retail space directly behind the front cover is reserved for paying advertisers of new books, pens, publishers, and novelties.  This section of the Review is numbered with Roman numerals like the introduction of a book, and the header identifies it as "The English Review Advertiser."  The English Review officially begins with its title on page 185, presumably because the previous issue ended on page 184.  So, the many issues of this publication can be torn away from the ads and bound together into a unified volume of literature without advertising or other interruption. 

"A Superman" is a short story by Hall Ruffy found in the Winter, 1911 issue of Rhythm. It tells of a seemingly ordinary cafe, most likely in France, considering that whatever dialogue is written in interaction with the waiting staff of the cafe is in French. Two people are seated separately at the cafe; once they were lovers, now they watch each other from afar. "A Superman" offers a tense glimpse into the furtive thoughts of these two, going about a seemingly ordinary activity, disturbed inwardly by the sight of one another. The interruption propmts him to get drunk, whereupon he reveals that she has left him for a wealthy fat man, the one whom she is with. She, despite her having left her lover for another, is unhappy. She is young and attractive, and imagines leaving at that moment in the cafe, for her old beloved. The story is interrupted by a picture. It is a copy of a painting by Auguste Chaubaud. It looks dreary and dark, dotted with globs of paint. It seems to portray a desolate street scene, under a patched umbrella, potentially seats in a cafe, with a dark silhouettes in the distance. The cafe is described as lively in the story, as though busy and bright in the daytime; moreover, the painting has no particularly distinct connection to the story, despite its location amid the pages of the narrative. The artist is different, as is even listed separately in the table of contents at the beginning of the magazine issue. Why then place the picture in between in story's content? It reminds me of a line in the text: "Just in that moment he was in the passive condition when one seems to be outside of life. All was like a picture which he looked at critically; the pale green chairs and tables; the laurel trees in white boxes looking unreal in the brilliant light with men and women dotted about." The description with its "white boxes" and "dotted" imagery is reminiscent of a similar scene, maybe and a different time of day, or a different season, one cannot be entirely sure, but it influences the imagery within one's own imagination.

The end of the story also hosts a small "Study" in the blank half of the page below the text. The picture, by J. D. Fergusson portrays an open champagne bottle, upon a cluttered table, potentially and illustration of the scenario described in the story, when the man gets drunk. Also a thought provoking piece of art.

In addition, the story itself begins with a French epigraph, although the story itself is not in French; however, there are many French articles in this particular issue of Rhythm, mostly proceeding this particular story. The influence of the French language and culture within the sequence of what goes into the issue itself is an interesting way to view what material surround this story, and why the issue was assembled in its particular fashion.

Stanley Spencer's 1912 illustration, "Joachim Among the Sheepcotes" pays homage to the 14th century artist Giotto, and his painting "Joachim Taking Refuge Among the Shepherds".  While Spencer's original drawing was mostly pen and pencil with a subtle wash, its reprint in "The Blue Review" (vol. 2) gives the work a starkly contrasted, black and white quality, straying from the softer, sepia-like feel of Spencer's initial illustration. 

Giotto's painting, as the basis for Spencer's later work, provides a religious context to both pieces, as Joachim is said to be the father of the Virgin Mary.  This becomes pertinent if we are to understand the usage of any version of this piece by "The Blue Review".  Indeed, it seems noteworthy that Spencer's piece appears before any literary works in this volume of "The Blue Review", as the ensuing literary contribuitions have a similarly spiritual quality.

 Whether it be of reverance as we see in James Elroy Flecker’s “Yasmin” (“And some to Mecca turn to pray, and I toward thy bed, Yasmin”), or vague allusion to sanctity as seen by Norman Boothroyd’s “The End of the Lonely King” (“They shed no tear: they prayed no prayer”), it seems that the binding themes emerge as religiously entrenched.  As we read on, our questions of religious significance might arguably be answered by John Drinkwater's (the next contributing writer in this volume of “The Blue Review”) black and white affirmation: “Art is holy”.

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"The Blue Review" (Vol 1, No.3) is filled with all kinds of essays and poems which all showcase the different writing styles of the authors of that time. There is not much else in terms of art or advertisements. However, there is one advertisement that shows up in the very beginning of the magazine; http://dl.lib.brown.edu/jpegs/1169132435156250.jpg. This advertisement showcases two different novels. The first half of the page talks about a novel called "The Golden Journey to Samarakand" by James Elroy Flecker. It says that "his work is now eagerly looked for by all who really care for poetry". This to me sounds like the author is saying that whoever doesn't get this book must obviously not care about poetry.

The second half of the page advertises Compton Mackenzie's "Famous" novel, "Carnival", which is written in big bold letters. This is most likely the first word people see when they first look at the page. I would assume that this was done because, unlike the long and condescending description for the first novel, there is very little description for this one. So I guess in order to get people interested they had to use large letters to catch the readers attention.

It was interesting to me that this was the only advertisement in the whole magazine. Not only was it the only one but it comes right in the very beginning after the table of contents. That clearly shows its importance and kind of sets the stage for the many writings that are to come in the magazine.

Instances of bibliographic coding in Dana #8 (from December 1904):  a sequence of two articles and a poem, which together develop a strong sense of the magazine's own principles and aims.  The first article, "In Praise of the Gaelic League" by Stephen Gwynn, addresses criticisms raised by a "Mr. Ryan" against the League, which was conceived in an effort to preserve the use of the Gaelic language in Ireland.  Following this article is the first half of a short biography of Jane Austen (the second half was published in the following issue), which not only relates details of  Austen's life, but also praises the bucolic character of her novels as they were informed by her own happy distance from "the grim misfeature of the England of collieries and factories" (Dana 8, 251).  Finally, appearing on the last page of this article is a poem by Seumas O'Sullivan, "In the City."  O'Sullivan views the city as a display of the fallen state of humanity, a kind of anti-Eden, where what is natural and good is stifled within its streets, among the "rows of stinking fish and vegetables" (251).  The publication of these three works in sequence supports, in diverse and nuanced ways, Dana's overall interest in questions of Irish culture: Irish culture vs. the presence of England/English in Ireland, the primitive vs. progress, industrialization vs. progress, the country and the city, Edenic nature vs. toxic urbanity.  What first drew me to these pieces together was the inclusion of Austen's biography, nearly a century after her death.  Certainly, such biographies are a dime a dozen and concrete details about Austen's life at this point appear finite: there is very little left to uncover.  However, examining the writing which appears before and after the biography gives clues as to the significance and relevance of Austen's work to the editors of Dana.  By placing her stories firmly at a distance from the dramas of the city and world politics, Austen appeals to the longing for a return to innocence, to a more simple though not simplistic way of life, something purer, unmarred by the corrosive realities of London.  O'Sullivan's poem, in its indictment of the city immediately following, supports the presence of this longing in the pages of Dana itself.  Together, these two pieces provide an interesting context for the article supporting the Gaelic League, which may not necessarily reject English influence on Irish culture, but does seek to preserve a more "natural" Irish character in a time of English/imperial influence.

One interesting example of bibliographic coding can be seen in the placement of the cartoon "A Study in Dubiety" by Max Beerborn in the first issue of The Blue Review. Appearing, as it does, immediately after the table of contents and before the first poems of the journal, this cartoon seems to stand as a sort of introduction. Its content as well signals that such a designation is apt.

"A Study in Dubiety" depicts the editor of "Georgian Poetry", an anthology of modern British verse, debating as to what should qualify for inclusion in his book. The cartoon is satire, however, as the the "poem" he is contemplating is actually a political slogan of the day. Taken on its own this poem may be interpreted simply as a musing on the nature of poetry or possible a critique of British politics, Within the context of The Blue Review, however, its meaning may be construed differently.

This instantiation of the cartoon highlights the concept of the selection process. That is, what should or should not be included by editors in a collection of poems or of other artworks. It is not a manifesto as it does not offer a concrete position on this matter, but it introduces this question that readers must consider as they read the journal.

I noticed a lot of connections between the art in Rythm and the poetry. In Rythm Vol. 2, No. 6, there is a piece called "Petrouchka" that is about the Russian ballet. Both pieces of art that surround the piece (http://dl.lib.brown.edu/repository2/repoman.php?verb=render&id=115989532... and http://dl.lib.brown.edu/repository2/repoman.php?verb=render&id=115989532...) depict dancers.

In Rythm Vol. 2, No. 6, the first poem, "The Sea Child," by Katherine Mansfield is about a mother letting a child go, at the bottom of the page is a bent over figure that embodies the poem. http://dl.lib.brown.edu/repository2/repoman.php?verb=render&view=pagetur... In this instance more than the first I believe a lot would be lost if the poem was reprinted without the art.

It should be interesting to look into more instances of work to art relationships.

The magazine Rhythm, which was produced from 1911 until early 1913, had a consistent lay out which was followed through its issues. The magazine’s cover and table of contents as well as the back cover and advertisements page was printed on its signature blue paper while the inside of the magazine was printed on the traditional white. The context of the magazine follows the same similar pattern through out every issue. Rhythm starts off with a few stories moving into portraits going in to play and poems and end off with one or several books reviews and a few advertisements for the magazine its self and other press releases.     

After reading several blogs from my fellow peers and skimming through all of The English Review magazines, I felt as though there wasn't any real reason why certain poems and/or short stories were placed together or right after one another. I noticed that every issue - there are 15 issues with a special supplement - beings with a title page that is blue and has either all or most of the contributing authors on it. There is nothing special about the title page, everything is generally written in uppercase letters and in the same "Plain Jane" typeface. Then the magazine starts off with advertisements that generally speak about new books that are coming out or have just been released. There are other advertisements that are trying to sell pens, ink, desks, or other writers materials. Generally speaking the advertisements are directed to those who enjoy reading or writing or maybe even the serious literary critic. I also noticed that a great deal of the work in the magazines are short stories or essays. I noticed that there were no pictures, except for the advertisements that had maybe a grand total of 20 pictures of the 15 issues. I began to feel that there was no bibliographic coding in this particular magazine. But then I remembered that the bibliographic coding is any and all context of the writings. So maybe the editor of this particular magazine were trying to reach a more literary audience as opposed to an audience that Blast, for example, was trying to reach with their bold typeface and drawings. Maybe this is why most of the contributing authors were already well established, for instance, Fyodor Dostoevsky, H. G. Wells, and Ezra Pound.

I think that if the works in The English Review were taken out and put into an anthology I would not read the works differently, since the magazine already feels like an anthology with some advertisements thrown in for flavoring.

       The article I read that I felt included bibliographic coding was written by W.D.P Bliss of The New Age. This article entitled Mark Twain was a direct critique of how Bliss views Twain as a writer and as a person. He quotes Twain many times, mentioning that Twain was a gifted writer that made many laugh. He goes onto say how he finds it hard to believe that such a writer was born from a country that seems to be so very serious about everything. At first it was hard to tell if the author was for or against the writings of Twain. Bliss took a lot of what Twain wrote about and tried to put his own spin on it, essentially trying to convince his readers about the kind of writer Twain was, instead of presenting his opinion as being his and only his. Bliss also quotes Abraham Lincoln, saying that Lincoln once said "Well, he looks like a man", in reference to Walt Whitman, and goes onto say that Lincoln would have said the very same thing about Twain. I felt that Bliss was taking away the real meaning of what Lincoln meant by his comment of Whitman by trying to assume that Lincoln would have made the same comment for both men.

       Although I too enjoy reading the works of Mark Twain, many readers may not have the same opinion that Bliss does, but the way in which he presents his arguement and opinion shows that he took the original content and tried to make something else come out of it. I think that this is a good example of bibliographic coding because it shows how a writer chose to let his perception of another writer shine through his article, allowing no room for dispute or any other conception of it to occur. I guess he tried to open the eyes of others who are not familiar with the works of Twain, by allowing them to judge Twain the same that he has.

page 180 of the July 18th, 1907 issue