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Thomas Chatterton and the Performance of Literary Thesis Title : Professionalism

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Thomas Chatterton and the Performance of Literary Thesis Title : Professionalism Thomas Chatterton and the Performance of Literary Professionalism Katherine Sumner A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of the Arts and Media Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences October 2020 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/ Dissertation Sheet Surname/Family Name : Sumner Given Name/s : Katherine Abbreviation for degree as give in the University : PhD calendar Faculty : Arts and Social Sciences School : School of Arts and Media Thomas Chatterton and the performance of literary Thesis Title : professionalism Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) Mid-eighteenth-century English writer and illustrator Thomas Chatterton was a stylistic chameleon with a keen interest in literary fame and commercial success. The emerging professional and publishing opportunities of Georgian England both engendered and were reflected in Chatterton’s protean stylistic experimentation. This thesis examines Chatterton’s stylistic mediation of this dynamic cultural economy, as expressed through his various textual, visual and antiquarian ventures. It comprises a series of four case studies that explore Chatterton’s engagement with Georgian literary sociability and theatricality, material and visual cultures, literary professional networks, and emergent middle-class cultural economy. It adds to existing scholarship by offering a new conception of Chatterton’s style, both as he understood it himself and as it was constituted in the context of Georgian England’s convivial urban literary milieus. Essential to this recovery is a critical assessment of Chatterton’s lesser known illustrative works as continuous with his precocious stylistic mirroring of the prevailing fashions of Georgian visual and bibliographic cultures. This mixture of archival and cultural historical analysis provides a more accurate reflection of Chatterton’s idiosyncratic experimentation with literary style as a performative means of professional self-promotion, and reveals the broader social catalysts for his ever-changing array of genres, voices and modes. The significance of Chatterton’s protean style lies, this thesis argues, in its often poignant, yet compelling, expression of the anxieties and ambitious failures of the creative underclasses of the Georgian literary economy. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). …………………………………………………………… ……………………………………..……………… ……….…………………….. Signature Witness Signature .…….… Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE Date of completion of requirements for USE ONLY Award: ORIGINALITY STATEMENT ‘I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.’ Signed …………………………………………….............. Date …………………………………………….............. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents a non-exclusive licence to archive and to make available (including to members of the public) my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known. I acknowledge that I retain all intellectual property rights which subsist in my thesis or dissertation, such as copyright and patent rights, subject to applicable law. I also retain the right to use all or part of my thesis or dissertation in future works (such as articles or books).’ ‘For any substantial portions of copyright material used in this thesis, written permission for use has been obtained, or the copyright material is removed from the final public version of the thesis.’ Signed ……………………………………………........................... Date …………………………………………….............................. AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT ‘I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis.’ Signed ……………………………………………........................... Date …………………………………………….............................. INCLUSION OF PUBLICATIONS STATEMENT UNSW is supportive of candidates publishing their research results during their candidature as detailed in the UNSW Thesis Examination Procedure. Publications can be used in their thesis in lieu of a Chapter if: x The candidate contributed greater than 50% of the content in the publication and is the “primary author”, ie. the candidate was responsible primarily for the planning, execution and preparation of the work for publication x The candidate has approval to include the publication in their thesis in lieu of a Chapter from their supervisor and Postgraduate Coordinator. x The publication is not subject to any obligations or contractual agreements with a third party that would constrain its inclusion in the thesis Please indicate whether this thesis contains published material or not: This thesis contains no publications, either published or submitted for publication ܈ Some of the work described in this thesis has been published and it has been ܆ documented in the relevant Chapters with acknowledgement This thesis has publications (either published or submitted for publication) ܆ incorporated into it in lieu of a chapter and the details are presented below CANDIDATE’S DECLARATION I declare that: x I have complied with the UNSW Thesis Examination Procedure x where I have used a publication in lieu of a Chapter, the listed publication(s) below meet(s) the requirements to be included in the thesis. Candidate’s Name Signature Date (dd/mm/yy) For Lily and Owen Figure 1. “Chatterton’s Holiday Afternoon”1 1 William Ridgeway, “Chatterton’s Holiday Afternoon”, The Art Journal, 1875. Engraving after a picture by W. B. Morris, 22 x 16.3cm. -.,.%% &)*1'! #!(!).-%%% %-.*"%#/,!-0 Chapter 1 Introducing Chatterton’s .3'! .3'!) /.$*,%'$,.!, %.!,,3-*%%'%.3) +,*"!--%*)'+!,"*,()! ""!.) "%'/,! -.!/'./,'0'/!) !2$)#! $+.!,2+!,%(!).')$,*)%-( Knowing “the classicals” Performing “Pyrrha” to the spouting club (#%)%)#(! %eval Bristol’s literary sociability $+.!,,!%*/-$%)#- *&!)-*"!2$)#! !-.(!).,3*)-!)-/- %-*, !,'3**&- $+.!, *.$%,0/, *.$%'' - “Mountaynes joynd bie Cemente” Bristol’s gallery of memories $+.!, *(*-*%'!,"*,()! !2.%*)-*".$! %0%)!'*0!.,%)#'! ,*.%-*"-.%,%',*-- ,!--%)# *#-) )#'%-$(!) $+.!, ".!,1*, %'%*#,+$3 # Mid-eighteenth-century English writer and illustrator Thomas Chatterton was a stylistic chameleon with a keen interest in literary fame and commercial success. The emerging professional and publishing opportunities of Georgian England both engendered and were reflected in Chatterton’s protean stylistic experimentation. This thesis examines Chatterton’s stylistic mediation of this dynamic cultural economy, as expressed through his various textual, visual, and antiquarian ventures. It comprises a series of four case studies that explore Chatterton’s engagement with Georgian literary sociability and theatricality, material and visual cultures, literary professional networks, and emergent middle-class cultural economy. It adds to existing scholarship by offering a new conception of Chatterton’s style, both as he understood it himself and as it was constituted in the context of Georgian England’s convivial urban literary milieus. Essential to this recovery is a critical assessment of Chatterton’s lesser known illustrative works, as continuous with his precocious stylistic mirroring of the prevailing fashions of Georgian visual and bibliographic cultures. This mixture of archival and cultural historical analysis provides a more accurate reflection of Chatterton’s idiosyncratic experimentation with literary style as a performative means of professional self- promotion and reveals the broader social catalysts for his ever-changing array of genres, voices and modes. The significance of Chatterton’s protean style lies, this thesis argues, in its often poignant, yet compelling, expression of the anxieties and ambitious failures of the creative underclasses of the Georgian literary economy. ! I would like
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