Visions of the City - Wittgenstein and Linguistic Modalities in Modernism

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. Wittgenstein’s Private Language and its Use

III. Woolf, Eliot, and the Parallax of Private Language

IV. Conclusion

Research Objectives and Themes

This thesis examines the intersection of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s private language argument and the modernist literary works of Virginia Woolf and T.S. Eliot, specifically focusing on how these authors navigate the epistemological and communicative challenges posed by the "city" as a space of isolation and potentiality.

• Analysis of Wittgenstein’s "Philosophical Investigations" and the paradox of private language.
• Exploration of London as a backdrop for modernist struggles with intimacy and knowledge of the "Other."
• Examination of Virginia Woolf’s "Mrs. Dalloway" and "To the Lighthouse" regarding the limitations of language.
• Investigation of T.S. Eliot’s "The Wasteland" and its portrayal of communal isolation.
• Application of Saul Kripke’s modal logic to evaluate authorial models of communication.

Excerpt from the Book

Chapter Summaries

I. Introduction: This chapter introduces the core thesis that Wittgenstein’s private language argument provides a unique lens to analyze the works of Woolf and Eliot, focusing on the epistemological problems of language in the context of the city.

II. Wittgenstein’s Private Language and its Use: This chapter analyzes Wittgenstein’s methodology in "Philosophical Investigations," focusing on how he approaches the paradoxes of meaning, rules, and the inability to formulate private sensations into public language.

III. Woolf, Eliot, and the Parallax of Private Language: This chapter applies the previously established philosophical framework to Woolf’s and Eliot’s novels and poems, examining how their characters grapple with isolation and the struggle to convey meaning.

IV. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, arguing that for both authors, the "solution" to the paradox of private language is found not in theory, but in an action-based ethical imperative and the act of artistic creation.

Keywords

Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations, Virginia Woolf, T.S. Eliot, Modernism, Private Language Argument, London, Epistemology, Modal Logic, Saul Kripke, Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, The Wasteland, Isolation, Language Games

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this thesis?

The thesis explores the connection between Ludwig Wittgenstein’s philosophy of language—specifically the "private language argument"—and the literary works of Virginia Woolf and T.S. Eliot, focusing on how they represent the modern individual's struggle to connect with others.

What central themes are addressed?

Key themes include the limits of language, the experience of isolation in urban environments, the possibility of intimate knowledge, and the role of artistic vision in navigating these philosophical difficulties.

What is the main research question?

The work seeks to determine how the epistemological problems identified by Wittgenstein, particularly the impossibility of a truly private language, manifest in the narratives of Woolf and Eliot and whether these authors propose a "solution" to the resulting social and personal isolation.

Which scientific methods are employed?

The author uses a close-reading literary analysis combined with philosophical inquiry, specifically utilizing Saul Kripke’s interpretations of Wittgenstein and the concepts found in "Philosophical Investigations."

What does the main body cover?

The body analyzes Wittgenstein's linguistic philosophy, examines the "parallax" view of private language in literature, and provides detailed comparative analyses of characters and scenes in "Mrs. Dalloway," "To the Lighthouse," and "The Wasteland."

How would you characterize the keywords of this work?

The work is defined by the intersection of analytic philosophy and modernist literature, centered on communication, subjectivity, and the urban experience.

How does Wittgenstein’s "private language argument" apply to the characters in "Mrs. Dalloway"?

The thesis argues that characters like Clarissa Dalloway and Septimus Smith represent the failure to bridge the gap between inner private sensations and public language, leading to their profound sense of isolation.

Why does the author focus on the city of London?

London serves as both a physical setting and a metaphor for the modernist condition—a labyrinthine space that reflects the fragmented subjectivity and the difficulty of authentic human connection.

What is the significance of the "two-paintings-in-one" analogy in the text?

Used to interpret Lily Briscoe’s art in "To the Lighthouse," this analogy illustrates that the artist’s vision and the public perception of that vision can never fully reconcile, mirroring the communicative divide between individuals.