Grounding the ‘auto-intoxicated’ Romantic poet: A socio-material theory of poetic praxis

Abstract

This paper engages with the archetype of the ‘auto-intoxicated’ lyrical poet (Moffitt 2005: 34) associated with the Romantic tradition. The archetype is of interest because it continues to inform theories of creativity, including in the discipline of psychology, where studies examine character traits or cognitive processes as if creativity resides in distinctive patterns of thinking alone. It is also present in creative-writing classrooms that insist on their role in cultivating an innate talent and unique voice. Following a socio-material approach to creativity, this paper argues that creativity must be understood in a broader context that extends beyond the paradigm of the special individual. This necessitates considering both the creative practitioner’s embodiment within a social or institutional network and also the affordances and constraints of creative materials, which are themselves enacted within social and cultural frameworks. This paper focuses on the generative agency of materials or media when it comes to poiesis. The goal is to provide a more rigorous understanding of poetic creativity and to lay the foundation for a way of teaching poetry that better serves contemporary apprentices in the craft, particularly in a time of medial change.