Mats Malm Livres

Exploring the essence of poetry, this study delves into Aristotle's Poetics and the concept of mimesis, revealing its varied interpretations throughout history. It begins with a rhetorical analysis of Aristotle's work, highlighting how poetological categories were influenced by rhetoric. The examination continues through notable reinterpretations by figures like Averroës and movements in the Italian Renaissance and French classicism. Concluding chapters address aesthetics, the sublime, symbolism, and emotional roles in literary genres, showcasing the evolving understanding of poetry's soul.

Within the rhetorical tradition lay an often unnoticeable, but at times marked suspicion about what was perceived to be effeminate and voluptuous language. Sensual and pleasurable language was thus understood as immoral in the same way as excessive corporeal pleasures were considered detrimental, and the notion of voluptuous language could result in a tension concerning the delights of poetry. This study develops ways to analyse how this poetic ambivalence affected poetry in early modern Sweden, where the notion of voluptuous language became especially strong, not only influencing poetry but also connecting to political and religious self-understanding. Treating this in connection with the media conditions of the time, the study attempts to clarify the phenomenon of 'Baroque'.

This study examines how an artist construed himself as cultural heritage by the turn of the 19th century, how this heritage was further construed after his death, and how the artworks can be made to further new approaches and insights through a digital archive (aroseniusarchive.se).