Resonant Frequencies: Towards A Rationale of Audio Texts in Literary Study

Tanya Clement

Department of English, UT Austin 

Resonant Frequencies: Towards A Rationale of Audio Texts in Literary Study

Digital humanities scholars have made a tradition of problematizing concepts of textuality by understanding textual study as a concern with the design of information systems for modeling, retrieving, storing, and disseminating digital texts. A similar rationale of audio texts that takes into consideration how spoken word recordings are represented within the context of developing information infrastructures for facilitating scholarship can help us reimagine the role audio can play in literary scholarship. Spoken-word recordings have played a significant role in mid-twentieth century literary production and reception and yet remain under-studied even as they are increasingly digitized. Using the extant recordings in the Anne Sexton Collection at the Harry Ransom Center, including personal tapes of Sexton's therapy sessions, I uncover the significance of audio recordings in understanding Sexton's larger poetic project and reconsider how a rationale of audio textuality helps us understand the nature of textuality in literary study more broadly.

Seminar:

Professor Clement will offer a seminar to faculty, staff and graduate students on November 30, 2018 at 12:00 p.m.  Seating is limited.