University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 2014 Assemblages of enunciation: a rhizopoetic analysis of contemporary Australian electronic poetry Sally Clair Evans University of Wollongong Recommended Citation Evans, Sally Clair, Assemblages of enunciation: a rhizopoetic analysis of contemporary Australian electronic poetry, Doctor of Philosophy thesis, School of the Arts, English and Media - Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts, University of Wollongong, 2014. http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/4358 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG Assemblages of Enunciation: A Rhizopoetic Analysis of Contemporary Australian Electronic Poetry a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY from UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG by SalLy Clair Evans, BCA (Hons.)/BA Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts School of The Arts, English and Media October 2014 CERTIFICATION I, SaLLy Clair Evans, declare that this thesis, submitted in partial, fulfilm ent of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy, in the School of the Arts, English and Media, Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts, University of Wollongong, is wholly my own work unless otherwise referenced or acknowledged. The document has not been submitted for qualifications at any other academic institution, Sally Clair Evans 24 November 2014 ABSTRACT This thesis provides a model for reading and analysing digital poetry through the application of principles derived from Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari's concept of the rhizome. Drawing on the model provided in Deleuze and Guattari’s A Thousand Plateaus, I focus on the key properties of rhizomatic systems that can he identified both in poetic forms and in digital information, and offer both a theoretical foundation for a model of rhizomatic analysis and a number of case studies in which this approach is applied, By establishing clear connections between rhizomatic structures and the characteristics of poetic Language and electronic data, this thesis provides an investigation of some possible applications of a literary rhizoanalysis and the establishment of 'rhizopoetics', which encompasses both rhizomatic creative texts and critical works that, themselves, become rhizomatic through the process of analysis, The first half of the thesis is focused on establishing the general foundations for understanding contemporary poetry and poetics, electronic literature, and Deleuze and Guattari’s principles of rhizomatic assemblages, and on setting up the intersections between these three fields. The second half provides applications of the rhizopoetic model for textual analysis by focusing specifically on techniques of self-publication, virtual selfhood, and asignifying language rupture. These principles are examined in relation to the online works of Australian poets Mez Breeze, Adam Ford, Derek Motion, and David Prater, drawing on a diverse range of material from each of these authors. Given the rhizomatic emphasis on heterogeneity and multiplicity, these latter chapters combine a variety of critical practices such as close reading, biographicaL study, media specificity, and use of interview data, as well as dealing with a wide range of textual forms, including poetry published both in print and onLine, blog entries (induding poem drafts, finished works, informal commentary, and short-form academic pieces), and interview responses, This thesis provides the initial foundations for establishing a rhizopoetic approach to literature, both in digital form and in print. The intersections between poetic language, digital information, and rhizomatic theory, particularly the emphasis on process and on the examination of complex systems beyond established hierarchical and logic-based models, provide a rich seeding ground for new readings and interpretations of electronic text forms that might otherwise be overlooked, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Oh glorious fanfare, cymbals and drumrolls, here it conies! This thesis has been thrilling and difficult in equal measures, a supreme act of will and a magnificent gift, and I have been lucky to have support from all quarters to finally complete this massive project. Thanks to aLL those who read the thesis, talked me through my project, talked to me about anything but my project, and provided the support th a t! needed to get through this marathon. Raewyn CampbeLL, Sarah-Jane Burton, ELlen Wilkinson, Kylie Evans- Locke, Katie Freund, Kirsti Rawstron, Angela WiLliams, Bronwyn Lang, Tara Goedjen, Shady Cosgrove, Wes Chung, Kate Ruggeri, John Purvis, Daniel East, Patrick Lenton, Bridget Lutherborrow, Kate Middleton, Elizabeth Campbell, Jessica Dendy, Samira Lloyd, Teresa Henriques, Kerry Banks, Ian Buchanan, Benjamin McKenzie, Elise Nagy. Thanks to the research subjects: Me/ Breeze, Derek Motion, David Prater, Adam Ford. Thanks to the staff of the Faculty of Creative Arts with whom I have worked: Olena Cullen, Laura Potter, Kathryn Hamilton, Dr Sarah Miller, Dr Su Ballard, Leonie Watson, Selena Hanet-Hutchins, et. al. Thanks to my family for the financial and emotional support, and their Love: Greg Evans, Kate Evans, Phil Scroope. Thanks to Alan Wearne for guiding the creative component of my doctorate, for his generosity, his humour, and his patience. And my eternal gratitude to my primary supervisor, Dr Joshua Lobb, You have been kind, patient, committed, and enthusiastic for four years, and you honour me with your unwavering support and faith- TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT..................................... ......i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................. ....Hi TABLE OF CONTENTS.................... ....iv LIST OF FIGURES............................. ....vi INTRODUCTION............................... ....7 1 IRRESPONSIBLE, UNLAWFUL, INDETERMINATE ..14 1.1 INTRODUCTION.,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,.., ,.15 1.2 CLASSICISM: MIMESIS AND ETHICS..... ..20 1.3 ROMANTICISM: THE HUMANIST SELF... ,.22 1.4 FORMALISM: ECONOMY AND OSTRANEN1E ...28 1.5 CONCEPTUAL POETRY: PARATAXIS AND INDETERMINACY ...35 2 CODE-DEPENDENT.................................................... ...41 2.1 INTRODUCTION............................................ ...42 2.2 A BRIEF HISTORY OF DIGITECH................. ...44 2.3 DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND LITERATURE ...50 2.4 DEFINING ELECTRONIC LITERATURE....... ...52 2.5 VIRTUAUTY: NON-SPATIAL SPACE... ..... ...55 2.6 RELATIONALITY AND LINKABILITY........... ...63 2.7 DISCUSSING DIGITALLY.............................. ...68 3 EXPERIMENTATION IN CONTACT WITH THE REAL ...72 3.1 INTRODUCTION.................................... ...73 3.2 ANALYSING SYSTEMS........................ ...74 3.3 RHIZOMATIC CHARACTERISTICS...... ...78 3.4 CONDUCTING RHIZOANALYSIS......... ...92 4 THEORETICAL AND APPLIED RHIZOPOETICS 100 4.1 INTRODUCTION.................................... .101 4.2 MEDIA-SPECIFIC ANALYSIS AND RHIZOMATICS .103 4.3 ELECTRONIC RHIZOPOETICS................................ .114 4.4 RHIZOPOETICS: A METHODOLOGY WITHOUT A METHOD .128 INTERLUDE............................................................................................... 136 iV 5 SELF-PUBLICATION AND SELF-PROMOTION.................................................... ..140 5.1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................ ...141 5.2 DISINTERMEDIATION, SELF-PUBLICATION AND SELF-PROMOTION ..143 5.3 ARCHONTIC AUTHORITY AND SELF-PUBLICATION ...155 6 ONLINE PERFORMANCES OF SELF......................................... ...173 6.1 INTRODUCTION ....... .................................................. ..174 6.2 FLUX PERSONAS AND NON-DISCRETE OBJECTS ... ...176 6.3 SELF-PERFORMANCE................................................. ..183 6.4 DAVID PRATER’S PERSONAS AND MEZ BREEZE’S AVATARS .. 189 7 ASIGNIFICATION AND CODE POETRY...................................................... ..199 7.1 INTRODUCTION.,... .................................................................. ..200 7.2 DEFINING CODEWURKS............................................................... ..201 7.3 POLYSEMANTIC AMBIGUITY: NOISE, GAME, AND LINES OF FLIGHT ..208 7.4 MEZ BREEZE'S CODEWURKS..... .................................................. ...... ...218 SOME CONCLUSIONS................................................................................................ ...231 REFERENCES............................................................................................................. ..234 APPENDIX A: TABLE OF ARBORESCENT AND RHIZOMATIC CHARACTERISTICS ..244 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: the authority and technology axes of publication.........................145 vi INTRODUCTION This thesis provides a model for reading and analysing digital poetry through the application of principles derived from Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari's concept of the rhizome. Drawing on the modeL provided in Deleuze and Guattari's A Thousand Plateaus, ! focus on the key properties of rhizomatic systems that can he identified both in poetic forms and in digital information, and offer both a theoretical foundation for a model of rhizomatic analysis and a number of case studies in which this approach is applied. In this thesis, I demonstrate the connections between Deleuze and Guattari's model for rhizomatic systems and textual systems, both the systems