The enigma of surrealism : the origin of "revolutionary" ideas, 2004

Item — Call Number: MU Thesis Rej

Identifier: b2089698

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection consists of theses written by students enrolled in the Monmouth University graduate History program. The holdings are bound print documents that were submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Arts degree.

From the Collection:

During the fall 2022 semester (in instances where the requisite waivers were received from consenting student authors), the Monmouth University Library, together with the University's Graduate School and Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, began providing open access to select full-text digital versions of current theses and dissertations through links to the ProQuest Dissertations Publishing website in the Library's Online Public Access Catalog. Links to these open access digital publications can also be found in the "External Documents" section under any conforming titles that are listed among the holdings itemized in the collection inventory for this finding aid.

Dates

Creation: 2004

Creator

Rejan, Wendy A. (1978- ) (Author, Person)
Stunkel, Kenneth R. (1931-2019) (Thesis advisor, Person)
Jankowski, Edward (1939-2020) (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Access is by appointment only.

Access to the collection is confined to the Monmouth University Library and is subject to patron policies approved by the Monmouth University Library.

Collection holdings may not be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Research appointments are scheduled by the Monmouth University Library Archives Collections Manager (723-923-4526). A minimum of three days advance notice is required to arrange a research appointment for access to the collection.

Patrons must complete a Researcher Registration Form and provide appropriate identification to gain access to the collection holdings. Copies of these documents will be kept on file at the Monmouth University Library.

Extent

1 Items (print book) : 122 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Preface [excerpt]

This thesis is an analysis of the origins of surrealist ideas and art. I will attempt to answer the question about where Surrealism came from, what caused it, and who inspired it? I will examine the common theories on the origins of Surrealism and the evidence for them. It is popular among scholars of Surrealism to attribute the emergence of the movement to the First World War. It is my argument that the surrealist's literary predecessors had much more to do with the emergence of the movement than the war did. After examining the origins of Surrealism, I came to the conclusion that there was very little to the movement that was indeed revolutionary, radical, or new. Clearly the surrealists were not the first to propose the equal treatment of women. Clearly they were not the first to advocate atheism and were not the inventors of the id, ego, and superego. So, why then is this movement which seems to have borrowed so many of its ideas from others, consistently labeled revolutionary? I propose that the label of 'surrealist ideas" and "surrealist art" is itself a misnomer, for all these things had antecedents.

Partial Contents

Preface -- Introduction : a brief overview of surrealism -- 1. Surrealism's origins : First World War -- 2. The origin of ideologies -- 3. The origin of surrealist art -- 4. Conclusion -- 5. A note on historiography -- Bibliography.