Creation and Criticism

Frank O’ Hara’s Poetry: An Epistemological Study, authored by Dr Gunjan Saxena, is a research-based exploration in the realm of Epistemology. Analyzing the significant poems of Frank O’ Hara, she has elaborated various paradigms of epistemological theories of Indian philosophy. This Indian approach to American poetry proves quite interesting till the last chapter. The content is divided into eight chapters beginning with literary background and contribution of American poet Frank O’ Hara.

In the second chapter, the tools and essential involvement of epistemology in literature are discussed. The author intends to remove the apparent complexities from O’ Hara’s poems with the assistance of several dogmas of this branch of philosophy. What makes this book apart from others is its innovative application of epistemological tools to psycho-philosophical poetic pieces. It lures the readers to dive into the depth of poetic caliber with different and new perspective.

In the chapter “The Mosaic of Images”, the significance and classification of images for enhancing the intensity of emotions are beautifully described under the section of ‘Emotional Alloy and Collage of Images’ (38). Main attraction of the next chapter “The Temporal Sensibility” lies in the pictorial presentations (diagrams) of hypothetical notions like the graphical chart of Experiential Chrono-Kinetics (57). It reveals that if our attention absorbs the events or objects of thoughts, it fails to note the speed of time. Further it is dexterously elaborated that poetic time is recreated in poetry with the aid of Kaleidoscopic Experiential Time as is shown in another pictorial presentation (60). In order to illustrate the trigonal movement of attention, the examples of ‘mobile’, ‘Durvasa rishi’ and ‘examination’ (58-59) are given. Such examples not only simplify the abstract conceptions but also enhance the interest and curiosity to read further.

In the chapter “Projection of the Self”, the author clarifies that personal dimensions of space and time creates microcosm of human experience. The importance of space-consciousness gets reflected in literature all over the world. This conception is exemplified by Dickinson’s ‘The Brain is wider than the Sky’, Coleridge’s ‘Kubla Khan’ and O’Hara’s poems like ‘Morning’, ‘Aix-En-Provence’. ‘To John Ashberry’ and ‘February’ etc. The innovative endeavor of the author of exhibiting the mental stratum through the Experiential Spatiometric Graphs (81-84) of some poems of O’Hara is undoubtedly praiseworthy. The favorable approach with the aspects of centripetal contraction and centrifugal projection has provided an interesting study of his poems.

In sixth chapter “Psychosynthetic Shades”, she endeavors to manifest ‘the inter relationship of the artistic emotion and the human emotion’ (88). In this reference, Rasa Theory is also mentioned as Indian aesthetics consider emotions the main ingredients in each of the fine arts like poetry, drama, music etc. The diagram (91) which highlights how the process of rasa nishpatti occurs in psychosynthetic domain draws the attention of the reader and elucidates the concept distinctly. It is also interesting to have the scrutiny of O’ Hara’s poems with umpteen hues of emotions.

In next chapter “Fluctuations of Levels”, what attracts the reader most is again the graphical mode of psychostratographs based on the fluctuation of experiences levels related to the poet’s consciousness. They are, according to Upnishadic literature, divided into five koshas – Annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya, anandamaya. The author left no stone unturned to simplify the deep philosophy of these domains. The motto behind manifesting the psychostratographs of some of O’ Hara’s poems is that- ‘these mental levels and states with their warp and woof weave the fabric of the consciousness of human mind as well as literary creations’ (104).

Thus, several significant aspects and abstract notions of epistemology are discussed with contextualization, diagrams, sense of visualization and leisurely contemplation. Because of its thought-provoking content, reader can anticipate the dedication and passion about elaborating even the obscure ideas in easy and comprehensible manner. As a crux of matter, this book is worth reading for every reader particularly researchers who remain engaged to quench their thirst for knowledge through innovative exploration and researches.

About the Reviewer:

Dr. Shilpi Sharma is serving as an Assistant Professor in Gindo Devi Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Badaun, affiliated to M.J.P. Rohilkhand University. She is keenly interested in research and analytical approach. She has published several papers in reputed journals. She can be contacted at slpsharma09@gmail.com.