A poetics of being minor.

Abstract

The history of the genre of the ars poetica, or the writer's commentary on his/her own art, begins with Horace's Ars Poetica and traditionally includes, as does Aristotle's Poetics, discussions of the purpose of literature, choice of subject matter and genre, diction, character, and style. The ars poetica differs from the open critical tradition begun by Aristotle, however, in that it firmly establishes the right of the poet-critic to be opinionated about the choices he/she has made in his/her own art. After giving a brief history of the ars poetica, this dissertation, written by a minor woman writer, goes on to discuss the traditional Horatian subjects, but in terms of what it means to be a minor writer in the post-modern era. The question of minor literature is first explored in an overview of theoretical stances taken by critics Frye, Bloom, and Deleuze and Guattari.