I was a lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University (1984- 2014); I was subsequently a visiting professor there (2014-17).
My work has mainly been in the field of literary studies, with special emphasis on the relation between literature, mythology and ecology. I have also related these to popular song.
Find out more by visiting my website, where you will find a wide range of my writings: www.laurencecoupe.co.uk
Search 'Laurence Coupe PopMatters' for other articles, mainly on music but also on film.
Is it possible that, with Murder in the Cathedral, T. S. Eliot achieves the impossible: a perfect... more Is it possible that, with Murder in the Cathedral, T. S. Eliot achieves the impossible: a perfectly coherent religious play for the twentieth century? Laurence Coupe expresses doubts about the coherence, but still finds the play compelling.
Laurence Coupe discovers that the typical Hardy poem illuminates a moment set against a narrative... more Laurence Coupe discovers that the typical Hardy poem illuminates a moment set against a narrative framework. He argues that it is the tension between them that produces its special kind of beauty.
People have always been fascinated by the similarities between different stories. From The Fairie... more People have always been fascinated by the similarities between different stories. From The Fairie Queene to The Pilgrim's Progress, from Jane Eyre to Star Wars, Laurence Coupe explores the idea that there is one central story which keeps being retold.
This essay is based on the assumption that the Bible may be defined as the expression of the Word... more This essay is based on the assumption that the Bible may be defined as the expression of the Word of God in the words of human beings. It also assumes the converse of this definition: that is, though the book offers itself as a direct apprehension of the sacred and though much of its authorship seems to have the authenticity of divine inspiration, it needs to be borne in mind that the Biblical text, like any other literary text, carries the traces of its human, linguistic origin. I propose to translate this latter insight from scriptural theology to secular criticism, and to apply it to the poetry of T. S. Eliot, which works within the distance between words and Word. Eliot relies heavily on mythology in order to suggest a privileged understanding of this distance, which in turn conveys the impression that he speaks for the Word despite being limited to words. Here I place his achievement in the context of the theories of his contemporary, Kenneth Burke, particularly as they demonstrate that any use of mythology may be explained in terms of 'logology', or `words-about-words'.
Note: This discussion of the song comes from my book BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION, towards the end of... more Note: This discussion of the song comes from my book BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION, towards the end of the chapter on Dylan, in which I demonstrate his debt to the Beat writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg.
The hero of Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman is nobody special, yet we feel his life and ... more The hero of Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman is nobody special, yet we feel his life and tragic death to be deeply significant. Laurence Coupe argues that the clue might be 'ideology'. Willy Loman sacrifices himself for exactly those beliefs and values which are the 'common sense' of our own competitive society.
The article explores King Lear as both a play of conventions and a play on conventions. It debate... more The article explores King Lear as both a play of conventions and a play on conventions. It debates the relation between tragedy and comedy, reality and fantasy. Seeking to link Cordelia's plight with that of Cinderella, it argues that both stories are more fantastic than realistic. Above all, it proposes that Christianity itself, the ultimate 'source' of Lear, involves an imaginative logic which takes us beyond narrow definitions of tragedy.
This article relates a particular literary past to the present of Beckett's play. Taking his cue ... more This article relates a particular literary past to the present of Beckett's play. Taking his cue from T.S. Eliot's essay 'Tradition and the Individual Talent', Laurence Coupe demonstrates how Beckett 'takes on' canonical texts (Shakespeare, Dante, the Bible). Far from these being academic allusions, Beckett manages to treat them as vitally relevant to his own needs and to appropriate them for our own age.
How American folk songs, from Woody Guthrie to Neil Young, tilled the soil for the rise of 'Green... more How American folk songs, from Woody Guthrie to Neil Young, tilled the soil for the rise of 'Green Pop'.
To access the article, either use the given link or search for 'Laurence Coupe PopMatters' (which will give you access to all the articles I have written for that journal).
This is the second part of my discussion of Leonard Cohen. In the first part, 'Reading Song as P... more This is the second part of my discussion of Leonard Cohen. In the first part, 'Reading Song as Poem', I focussed entirely on the song 'Suzanne'. Here, I offer a wider perspective, relating various songs to those of his predecessor, Hank Williams, and to those of his contemporary, Townes Van Zandt. In either case, it is less a matter of influence than of affinity.
Laurence Coupe argues that what Allen Ginsberg's famous poem 'Howl' and Bob Dylan's lyrics have i... more Laurence Coupe argues that what Allen Ginsberg's famous poem 'Howl' and Bob Dylan's lyrics have in common is that they belong to a visionary tradition which goes back to the ancient scriptures. *** There are certain parts of the Bible which we call 'apocalyptic', from an ancient Greek word which means 'unveiling', because they offer to 'reveal' the secret of the last days of history. Over the centuries, many poets have been inspired by these writings-most recently the 'Beat' poet Allen Ginsberg (1926-97) and the singer Bob Dylan (b. 1941). Ginsberg's most famous poem, 'Howl', uses the long line and expansive rhetoric associated with biblical verse, although he himself was not an orthodox believer. Dylan, though working within the short lyric form associated with secular poetry, has never strayed far from the biblical view of the world-alternating between, and sometimes even fusing, the values of Judaism and Christianity. Thus, we might consider them as two complementary kinds of apocalyptic poets.
Is it possible that, with Murder in the Cathedral, T. S. Eliot achieves the impossible: a perfect... more Is it possible that, with Murder in the Cathedral, T. S. Eliot achieves the impossible: a perfectly coherent religious play for the twentieth century? Laurence Coupe expresses doubts about the coherence, but still finds the play compelling.
Laurence Coupe discovers that the typical Hardy poem illuminates a moment set against a narrative... more Laurence Coupe discovers that the typical Hardy poem illuminates a moment set against a narrative framework. He argues that it is the tension between them that produces its special kind of beauty.
People have always been fascinated by the similarities between different stories. From The Fairie... more People have always been fascinated by the similarities between different stories. From The Fairie Queene to The Pilgrim's Progress, from Jane Eyre to Star Wars, Laurence Coupe explores the idea that there is one central story which keeps being retold.
This essay is based on the assumption that the Bible may be defined as the expression of the Word... more This essay is based on the assumption that the Bible may be defined as the expression of the Word of God in the words of human beings. It also assumes the converse of this definition: that is, though the book offers itself as a direct apprehension of the sacred and though much of its authorship seems to have the authenticity of divine inspiration, it needs to be borne in mind that the Biblical text, like any other literary text, carries the traces of its human, linguistic origin. I propose to translate this latter insight from scriptural theology to secular criticism, and to apply it to the poetry of T. S. Eliot, which works within the distance between words and Word. Eliot relies heavily on mythology in order to suggest a privileged understanding of this distance, which in turn conveys the impression that he speaks for the Word despite being limited to words. Here I place his achievement in the context of the theories of his contemporary, Kenneth Burke, particularly as they demonstrate that any use of mythology may be explained in terms of 'logology', or `words-about-words'.
Note: This discussion of the song comes from my book BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION, towards the end of... more Note: This discussion of the song comes from my book BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION, towards the end of the chapter on Dylan, in which I demonstrate his debt to the Beat writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg.
The hero of Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman is nobody special, yet we feel his life and ... more The hero of Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman is nobody special, yet we feel his life and tragic death to be deeply significant. Laurence Coupe argues that the clue might be 'ideology'. Willy Loman sacrifices himself for exactly those beliefs and values which are the 'common sense' of our own competitive society.
The article explores King Lear as both a play of conventions and a play on conventions. It debate... more The article explores King Lear as both a play of conventions and a play on conventions. It debates the relation between tragedy and comedy, reality and fantasy. Seeking to link Cordelia's plight with that of Cinderella, it argues that both stories are more fantastic than realistic. Above all, it proposes that Christianity itself, the ultimate 'source' of Lear, involves an imaginative logic which takes us beyond narrow definitions of tragedy.
This article relates a particular literary past to the present of Beckett's play. Taking his cue ... more This article relates a particular literary past to the present of Beckett's play. Taking his cue from T.S. Eliot's essay 'Tradition and the Individual Talent', Laurence Coupe demonstrates how Beckett 'takes on' canonical texts (Shakespeare, Dante, the Bible). Far from these being academic allusions, Beckett manages to treat them as vitally relevant to his own needs and to appropriate them for our own age.
How American folk songs, from Woody Guthrie to Neil Young, tilled the soil for the rise of 'Green... more How American folk songs, from Woody Guthrie to Neil Young, tilled the soil for the rise of 'Green Pop'.
To access the article, either use the given link or search for 'Laurence Coupe PopMatters' (which will give you access to all the articles I have written for that journal).
This is the second part of my discussion of Leonard Cohen. In the first part, 'Reading Song as P... more This is the second part of my discussion of Leonard Cohen. In the first part, 'Reading Song as Poem', I focussed entirely on the song 'Suzanne'. Here, I offer a wider perspective, relating various songs to those of his predecessor, Hank Williams, and to those of his contemporary, Townes Van Zandt. In either case, it is less a matter of influence than of affinity.
Laurence Coupe argues that what Allen Ginsberg's famous poem 'Howl' and Bob Dylan's lyrics have i... more Laurence Coupe argues that what Allen Ginsberg's famous poem 'Howl' and Bob Dylan's lyrics have in common is that they belong to a visionary tradition which goes back to the ancient scriptures. *** There are certain parts of the Bible which we call 'apocalyptic', from an ancient Greek word which means 'unveiling', because they offer to 'reveal' the secret of the last days of history. Over the centuries, many poets have been inspired by these writings-most recently the 'Beat' poet Allen Ginsberg (1926-97) and the singer Bob Dylan (b. 1941). Ginsberg's most famous poem, 'Howl', uses the long line and expansive rhetoric associated with biblical verse, although he himself was not an orthodox believer. Dylan, though working within the short lyric form associated with secular poetry, has never strayed far from the biblical view of the world-alternating between, and sometimes even fusing, the values of Judaism and Christianity. Thus, we might consider them as two complementary kinds of apocalyptic poets.
THE GREEN STUDIES READER: From Romanticism to Ecocriticism (2000)
A pioneering anthology of wr... more THE GREEN STUDIES READER: From Romanticism to Ecocriticism (2000)
A pioneering anthology of writings on the connection between ecology and literature, and between nature and culture, this book demonstrates that there is a vital ‘green’ tradition to be drawn upon in this age of planetary crisis and offers a corrective to the all-too-common notion in literary and cultural studies that ‘there is no such thing as nature’.
MYTH (1997 and 2009)
Beginning with a reading of the Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now, and bran... more MYTH (1997 and 2009)
Beginning with a reading of the Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now, and branching out from there to include discussions of most of the key writers of the Anglo-American tradition, this book proceeds to demonstrate the mythic basis of literature and culture; in doing so it puts forward a new way of thinking about how myths function and evolve, which the author calls ‘radical typology’.
The second, fully revised edition (2009) includes an extra chapter, ‘Earth’, which significantly expands the original argument by discussing the relation between mythology and ecology.
The first study of this contemporary novelist and cultural historian, this book explains the stru... more The first study of this contemporary novelist and cultural historian, this book explains the structure and symbolism of her fiction, and demonstrates the connection between her various reflections on such topics as female representation, fairy tales and horror, and above all on myth and history.
The first study of Burke’s work on mythology, this book explains the relevance of his ideas on so... more The first study of Burke’s work on mythology, this book explains the relevance of his ideas on society as ‘ritual drama’, on ‘victimage’ and the sacrificial process, and above all on the link between mythology and ecology. The original book is no longer in print, but it has been revised and republished under a different name: see KENNETH BURKE FROM MYTH TO ECOLOGY.
The first ever exploration of the influence of the Beat movement (notably Jack Kerouac, Allen Gin... more The first ever exploration of the influence of the Beat movement (notably Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder, but also the philosopher Alan Watts) on the songwriters of the 1960s (including Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Leonard Cohen and others), this book opens up new possibilities for the interpretation of literature and popular song alike.
This is a revised version of Kenneth Burke on Myth. Being published in paperback, it is much more... more This is a revised version of Kenneth Burke on Myth. Being published in paperback, it is much more affordable than the original, which was only ever available as an expensive hardback. The change in title is intended to draw attention to the ‘green’ dimension of Burke’s thinking: this was fully dealt with in the first version, but not obvious from the title.
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To access the article, either use the given link or search for 'Laurence Coupe PopMatters' (which will give you access to all the articles I have written for that journal).
To access the article, either use the given link or search for 'Laurence Coupe PopMatters' (which will give you access to all the articles I have written for that journal).
A pioneering anthology of writings on the connection between ecology and literature, and between nature and culture, this book demonstrates that there is a vital ‘green’ tradition to be drawn upon in this age of planetary crisis and offers a corrective to the all-too-common notion in literary and cultural studies that ‘there is no such thing as nature’.
More about The Green Studies Reader:
https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/the-green-studies-reader-from-romanticism-to-ecocriticism/
An extract from the introduction to the book is included amongst my Academia papers.
Beginning with a reading of the Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now, and branching out from there to include discussions of most of the key writers of the Anglo-American tradition, this book proceeds to demonstrate the mythic basis of literature and culture; in doing so it puts forward a new way of thinking about how myths function and evolve, which the author calls ‘radical typology’.
The second, fully revised edition (2009) includes an extra chapter, ‘Earth’, which significantly expands the original argument by discussing the relation between mythology and ecology.
More about MYTH:
https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/myth/
More about MARINA WARNER:
https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/marina-warner/
More about KENNETH BURKE ON MYTH:
https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/kenneth-burke-on-myth-an-introduction/
More on BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION:
https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/beat-sound-beat-vision-the-beat-spirit-and-popular-song/
More about KENNETH BURKE: FROM MYTH TO ECOLOGY:
https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/kenneth-burke-from-myth-to-ecology/