Sailing the Good Ship Albion on the Way to Arcady. Is Peter Doherty a Romantic Poet?

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The Romantic Poet of Today
  • A Definition of English Romantic Poetry
  • Popular Rock Music as Heir to Romantic Poetry
  • Peter Doherty and his Romantic Public Persona
  • Peter Doherty and his Romantic Poetic Doctrines
    • Albion
    • Arcady
• Lyric Analysis
  • Down for the Outing
  • The Ballad of Grimaldi
  • Albion
  • The Good Old Days
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This bachelor paper aims to answer the question of whether Peter Doherty can be termed a Romantic poet by examining his public persona and poetic doctrines. It will explore his self-depiction and the media's portrayal of him as a Romantic figure, contrasting this with his lyrical themes and their relation to Romantic poetry.

• The influence of English Romantic poetry on contemporary popular music, specifically rock music.
• The concept of "Romantic public persona" and its application to Peter Doherty.
• The themes of Albion and Arcady in Doherty's work and their connection to Romantic ideals.
• The analysis of Doherty's lyrics through the lens of Romantic poetic principles.
• The exploration of Doherty's status as a "Romantic poet" in the context of his music and public image.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The Introduction sets the stage by introducing Peter Doherty as a contemporary "popstar" and "performance poet" who embodies both the romanticized and vilified aspects of a rock star. It establishes Doherty's interest in themes like "love, England & a quest for depth, grace & charm" and his use of Albion and Arcady as symbolic landscapes. This chapter connects Doherty's work with the Romantic tradition, highlighting its emphasis on aestheticism, feeling, imagination, and nationalism.

Chapter 1, "The Romantic Poet of Today," begins by defining English Romantic poetry and its core elements, including its reaction against neoclassicism, emphasis on imagination and emotion, and celebration of nature and the individual. It then explores the connection between Romantic poetry and popular rock music, arguing that rock music can be seen as a contemporary heir to the Romantic tradition. The chapter further examines Doherty's public persona as a Romantic figure, analyzing his self-depiction and the media's portrayal of him. Finally, it delves into Doherty's poetic doctrines, specifically his use of Albion and Arcady as symbols of a romanticized England and an idealized escape.

Chapter 2, "Lyric Analysis," delves into the analysis of four of Doherty's songs: "Down for the Outing," "The Ballad of Grimaldi," "Albion," and "The Good Old Days." This chapter examines the lyrical content of these songs through the lens of Romantic poetic principles, focusing on themes like nature, imagination, emotion, and the sublime. The analysis aims to demonstrate the presence of Romantic elements in Doherty's lyrics and to further support the claim that his work can be considered Romantic.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This bachelor paper focuses on the themes of English Romantic poetry, popular rock music, and the figure of Peter Doherty. It examines the intersection of these areas, exploring Doherty's self-depiction as a Romantic poet, his use of Romantic themes in his lyrics, and the media's portrayal of him as a modern-day Romantic. Key terms include: Romanticism, Romantic poetry, Albion, Arcady, lyric analysis, rock music, public persona, and Peter Doherty.