Visions of the City - Wittgenstein and Linguistic Modalities in Modernism

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• I. Introduction
• II. Wittgenstein's Private Language and its Use
• III. Woolf, Eliot, and the Parallax of Private Language
• IV. Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis argues that Ludwig Wittgenstein's philosophy, particularly his private language argument, offers a unique perspective on the works of Virginia Woolf and T.S. Eliot. The paper examines the authors' differing solutions to the problems of language that are found in their respective works. It aims to show that the city, with its allure and paradoxes, serves as a space of potentiality in both Woolf's and Eliot's writings, highlighting the complex relationship between language, knowledge, and intimacy.

• Wittgenstein's private language argument and its relevance to modernist literature
• The city as a space of potentiality and the knowledge of intimacy
• The interplay of language, meaning, and public rules in the works of Woolf and Eliot
• The exploration of ethical stances in response to the epistemological problems of private language
• The influence of Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations on understanding modernist literature

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter II: Wittgenstein's Private Language and its Use: This chapter focuses on Wittgenstein's private language argument, exploring its implications for understanding language and the limitations of subjective experience. It examines how Wittgenstein's concept of language as a public phenomenon challenges the notion of private meaning.
• Chapter III: Woolf, Eliot, and the Parallax of Private Language: This chapter analyzes the works of Virginia Woolf and T.S. Eliot through the lens of Wittgenstein's philosophy. It examines how their literary representations of the city reflect the challenges of communication, knowledge, and the search for intimacy within a complex urban environment.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This thesis focuses on the intersection of philosophy and literature, specifically exploring the application of Wittgenstein's private language argument to modernist literature. It investigates the role of language in shaping perceptions of the city, the complexities of intimacy, and the ethical stances taken by Woolf and Eliot. Key terms include private language, public rules, knowledge of intimacy, city as a space of potentiality, modernist literature, and the works of Virginia Woolf and T.S. Eliot.