The Loneliness of the Bush

The central focus of this thesis is the bush environment as depicted by the Australian author Henry Lawson which fosters a sense of loneliness in the characters that appear in his narrative. The stories included in the analysis include "His Father's Mate", "The Drover's Wife", "The Bush Undertaker", "The Selector's Daughter", "A Child in the Dark, and a Foreign Father", and "Drifting Apart". The textual analysis is guided by the principles of unity, complexity and intensity as proposed by Monroe C. Beardsley, a philosopher who specialised in aesthetic theory, thus illuminating the importance of the environment's role in shaping human lives. This research aims to provide a deeper understanding of the harsh environment which shaped the artistic sensibility of the writer, creating a mood of melancholy and loneliness that is ever present in these works.

Autorentext

Katalin Gaal is in the final stages of completing her PhD in literature. She is a qualified teacher with an interest in creative writing. Her poems are currently being published. Katalin's research interests include the aesthetic dimension of literature, spirituality, beauty, iconic representations as well as symbolism and metaphors.