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Laurence Coupe

Manchester Metropolitan University, English, Emeritus

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I was a lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University (1984- 2014); I was subsequently a visiting professor there (2014-17).

My work has mainly been in the field of literary studies, with special emphasis on the relation between literature, mythology and ecology. I have also related these to popular song.

Find out more by visiting my website, where you will find a wide range of my writings: www.laurencecoupe.co.uk

Search 'Laurence Coupe PopMatters' for other articles, mainly on music but also on film.

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Papers by Laurence Coupe

THE WIZARD OF OZ: Follow the yellow brick road to find some interesting ideas

National World, 2023

THE WIZARD OF OZ is an entertaining classic film that is always worth viewing again. One reason i... more

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: In praise of a deeply humane classic for the festive season

National World, 2024

It's the time of year when many people think about re-reading Charles Dickens's A CHRISTMAS CAROL... more

'What We Can Learn from a Simple Tale about a Donkey: AU HASARD BALTHAZAR

PopMatters, 2022

This is a classic film fable about the life and death of a donkey. It has been consistently voted... more

The 20 Best Harry Chapin Songs

This is not only a survey of Chapin's powerful songs, but also a sustained reminder of the influe... more

'Popular Music and the Figure of the Guru'

PopMatters, 2022

Here I explore the work of … Brian Wilson The Beatles and Van Morrison

'The Case for Country Music and its Poetry of Pain'

PopMatters, 2022

A multimedia article that offers you a chance to listen to the songs that are being discussed. He... more

Myth, Ideology and Identity

MYTHIC IDENTITIES, 2010

First published as 'Foreword', Amina Alyal & Paul Hardwick (eds), CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY MYTH... more

Thoughts on Jack Kerouac

Ringing Roger , 2015

Here is a brief celebration of Jack Kerouac in the spirit of my book, BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION.

LISTENING TO VAN MORRISON by Greil Marcus (Faber)

Ringing Roger, 2010

My endorsement of this celebration of a major figure in popular song

'To Dance Beneath the Diamond Sky': Reading Dylan's 'Mr Tambourine Man' in its Visionary Context

E-MAGAZINE, 2005

I had forgotten all about this article until recently. Re-reading it, it seems to be transitional... more I had forgotten all about this article until recently. Re-reading it, it seems to be transitional between ‘Waiting for the End: Ginsberg, Dylan and the Poetry of Apocalypse’ and my discussion of ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ in BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION – both available here in my Academia profile. I like to think it has its own distinctive merits, and I thought it may be of interest to admirers of Dylan’s work.

Link to song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZkPx2gQeRY

TEMPEST by Bob Dylan (Columbia)

Ringing Roger, 2012

A short celebration of one of Dylan's later albums, written when it first came out. See also Ala... more

AVATAR, dir. James Cameron (20th Century Fox)

Ringing Roger, 2011

Here I offer a reading of James Cameron's iconic film re Joseph Campbells's model of the 'monomyt... more

Reading Myth (2): Developments

Here I offer the second selection of my commentaries on books about -- or relevant to -- the stud... more

Reading Myth (1): Pioneers

ABES , 2000

I aim to provide some of my most important contributions to the ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLIS... more I aim to provide some of my most important contributions to the ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH STUDIES, focussing on the study of MYTH. This is the first selection.

If citing this selection, use the following details: Laurence Coupe, 'Myth', ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH STUDIES, ed. Robert Clark (Lisse & Abingdon: Swets & Zeitlinger, 2000).

ABES, 2000

Here I provide some of my most important contributions to the ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH ... more Here I provide some of my most important contributions to the ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH STUDIES, focussing on the development of ECOCRITICISM (also known as Green Studies or Environmental Humanities). If citing this selection, use the following details: Laurence Coupe, 'Ecocriticism', ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH STUDIES, ed. Robert Clark (Lisse & Abingdon: Swets & Zeitlinger, 2000).

Violence and the Sacred: MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL

English Review, 1995

Is it possible that, with Murder in the Cathedral, T. S. Eliot achieves the impossible: a perfect... more

Story and Vision in the Poetry of Thomas Hardy

E-Magazine, 2009

Laurence Coupe discovers that the typical Hardy poem illuminates a moment set against a narrative... more

The Hero's Journey

English Review, 2000

People have always been fascinated by the similarities between different stories. From The Fairie... more

Words and the Word: Kenneth Burke's Logology and T. S. Eliot's Mythology

The Ways of Creative Mythologies, 2000

This essay is based on the assumption that the Bible may be defined as the expression of the Word... more This essay is based on the assumption that the Bible may be defined as the expression of the Word of God in the words of human beings. It also assumes the converse of this definition: that is, though the book offers itself as a direct apprehension of the sacred and though much of its authorship seems to have the authenticity of divine inspiration, it needs to be borne in mind that the Biblical text, like any other literary text, carries the traces of its human, linguistic origin. I propose to translate this latter insight from scriptural theology to secular criticism, and to apply it to the poetry of T. S. Eliot, which works within the distance between words and Word. Eliot relies heavily on mythology in order to suggest a privileged understanding of this distance, which in turn conveys the impression that he speaks for the Word despite being limited to words. Here I place his achievement in the context of the theories of his contemporary, Kenneth Burke, particularly as they demonstrate that any use of mythology may be explained in terms of 'logology', or `words-about-words'.

Bob Dylan's 'Mr Tambourine Man' as Beat poem

BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION, 2007

Note: This discussion of the song comes from my book BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION, towards the end of... more

THE WIZARD OF OZ: Follow the yellow brick road to find some interesting ideas

National World, 2023

THE WIZARD OF OZ is an entertaining classic film that is always worth viewing again. One reason i... more

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: In praise of a deeply humane classic for the festive season

National World, 2024

It's the time of year when many people think about re-reading Charles Dickens's A CHRISTMAS CAROL... more

'What We Can Learn from a Simple Tale about a Donkey: AU HASARD BALTHAZAR

PopMatters, 2022

This is a classic film fable about the life and death of a donkey. It has been consistently voted... more

The 20 Best Harry Chapin Songs

This is not only a survey of Chapin's powerful songs, but also a sustained reminder of the influe... more

'Popular Music and the Figure of the Guru'

PopMatters, 2022

Here I explore the work of … Brian Wilson The Beatles and Van Morrison

'The Case for Country Music and its Poetry of Pain'

PopMatters, 2022

A multimedia article that offers you a chance to listen to the songs that are being discussed. He... more

Myth, Ideology and Identity

MYTHIC IDENTITIES, 2010

First published as 'Foreword', Amina Alyal & Paul Hardwick (eds), CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY MYTH... more

Thoughts on Jack Kerouac

Ringing Roger , 2015

Here is a brief celebration of Jack Kerouac in the spirit of my book, BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION.

LISTENING TO VAN MORRISON by Greil Marcus (Faber)

Ringing Roger, 2010

My endorsement of this celebration of a major figure in popular song

'To Dance Beneath the Diamond Sky': Reading Dylan's 'Mr Tambourine Man' in its Visionary Context

E-MAGAZINE, 2005

I had forgotten all about this article until recently. Re-reading it, it seems to be transitional... more I had forgotten all about this article until recently. Re-reading it, it seems to be transitional between ‘Waiting for the End: Ginsberg, Dylan and the Poetry of Apocalypse’ and my discussion of ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ in BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION – both available here in my Academia profile. I like to think it has its own distinctive merits, and I thought it may be of interest to admirers of Dylan’s work.

Link to song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZkPx2gQeRY

TEMPEST by Bob Dylan (Columbia)

Ringing Roger, 2012

A short celebration of one of Dylan's later albums, written when it first came out. See also Ala... more

AVATAR, dir. James Cameron (20th Century Fox)

Ringing Roger, 2011

Here I offer a reading of James Cameron's iconic film re Joseph Campbells's model of the 'monomyt... more

Reading Myth (2): Developments

Here I offer the second selection of my commentaries on books about -- or relevant to -- the stud... more

Reading Myth (1): Pioneers

ABES , 2000

I aim to provide some of my most important contributions to the ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLIS... more I aim to provide some of my most important contributions to the ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH STUDIES, focussing on the study of MYTH. This is the first selection.

If citing this selection, use the following details: Laurence Coupe, 'Myth', ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH STUDIES, ed. Robert Clark (Lisse & Abingdon: Swets & Zeitlinger, 2000).

ABES, 2000

Here I provide some of my most important contributions to the ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH ... more Here I provide some of my most important contributions to the ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH STUDIES, focussing on the development of ECOCRITICISM (also known as Green Studies or Environmental Humanities). If citing this selection, use the following details: Laurence Coupe, 'Ecocriticism', ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR ENGLISH STUDIES, ed. Robert Clark (Lisse & Abingdon: Swets & Zeitlinger, 2000).

Violence and the Sacred: MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL

English Review, 1995

Is it possible that, with Murder in the Cathedral, T. S. Eliot achieves the impossible: a perfect... more

Story and Vision in the Poetry of Thomas Hardy

E-Magazine, 2009

Laurence Coupe discovers that the typical Hardy poem illuminates a moment set against a narrative... more

The Hero's Journey

English Review, 2000

People have always been fascinated by the similarities between different stories. From The Fairie... more

Words and the Word: Kenneth Burke's Logology and T. S. Eliot's Mythology

The Ways of Creative Mythologies, 2000

This essay is based on the assumption that the Bible may be defined as the expression of the Word... more This essay is based on the assumption that the Bible may be defined as the expression of the Word of God in the words of human beings. It also assumes the converse of this definition: that is, though the book offers itself as a direct apprehension of the sacred and though much of its authorship seems to have the authenticity of divine inspiration, it needs to be borne in mind that the Biblical text, like any other literary text, carries the traces of its human, linguistic origin. I propose to translate this latter insight from scriptural theology to secular criticism, and to apply it to the poetry of T. S. Eliot, which works within the distance between words and Word. Eliot relies heavily on mythology in order to suggest a privileged understanding of this distance, which in turn conveys the impression that he speaks for the Word despite being limited to words. Here I place his achievement in the context of the theories of his contemporary, Kenneth Burke, particularly as they demonstrate that any use of mythology may be explained in terms of 'logology', or `words-about-words'.

Bob Dylan's 'Mr Tambourine Man' as Beat poem

BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION, 2007

Note: This discussion of the song comes from my book BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION, towards the end of... more

THE GREEN STUDIES READER: From Romanticism to Ecocriticism

THE GREEN STUDIES READER: From Romanticism to Ecocriticism (2000) A pioneering anthology of wr... more THE GREEN STUDIES READER: From Romanticism to Ecocriticism (2000)

A pioneering anthology of writings on the connection between ecology and literature, and between nature and culture, this book demonstrates that there is a vital ‘green’ tradition to be drawn upon in this age of planetary crisis and offers a corrective to the all-too-common notion in literary and cultural studies that ‘there is no such thing as nature’.

More about THE GREEN STUDIES READER:

https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/the-green-studies-reader-from-romanticism-to-ecocriticism/

An extract from the introduction to the book is included in my Academia papers.

MYTH, 2009

MYTH (1997 and 2009) Beginning with a reading of the Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now, and bran... more MYTH (1997 and 2009)

Beginning with a reading of the Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now, and branching out from there to include discussions of most of the key writers of the Anglo-American tradition, this book proceeds to demonstrate the mythic basis of literature and culture; in doing so it puts forward a new way of thinking about how myths function and evolve, which the author calls ‘radical typology’.

The second, fully revised edition (2009) includes an extra chapter, ‘Earth’, which significantly expands the original argument by discussing the relation between mythology and ecology.

More about MYTH:
https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/myth/

The first study of this contemporary novelist and cultural historian, this book explains the stru... more The first study of this contemporary novelist and cultural historian, this book explains the structure and symbolism of her fiction, and demonstrates the connection between her various reflections on such topics as female representation, fairy tales and horror, and above all on myth and history.

More about MARINA WARNER:

https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/marina-warner/

KENNETH BURKE ON MYTH

The first study of Burke’s work on mythology, this book explains the relevance of his ideas on so... more The first study of Burke’s work on mythology, this book explains the relevance of his ideas on society as ‘ritual drama’, on ‘victimage’ and the sacrificial process, and above all on the link between mythology and ecology. The original book is no longer in print, but it has been revised and republished under a different name: see KENNETH BURKE FROM MYTH TO ECOLOGY.

More about KENNETH BURKE ON MYTH:

https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/kenneth-burke-on-myth-an-introduction/

BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION: The Beat spirit and popular song

The first ever exploration of the influence of the Beat movement (notably Jack Kerouac, Allen Gin... more The first ever exploration of the influence of the Beat movement (notably Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder, but also the philosopher Alan Watts) on the songwriters of the 1960s (including Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Leonard Cohen and others), this book opens up new possibilities for the interpretation of literature and popular song alike.

More on BEAT SOUND, BEAT VISION:

https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/beat-sound-beat-vision-the-beat-spirit-and-popular-song/

KENNETH BURKE: FROM MYTH TO ECOLOGY

This is a revised version of Kenneth Burke on Myth. Being published in paperback, it is much more... more This is a revised version of Kenneth Burke on Myth. Being published in paperback, it is much more affordable than the original, which was only ever available as an expensive hardback. The change in title is intended to draw attention to the ‘green’ dimension of Burke’s thinking: this was fully dealt with in the first version, but not obvious from the title.

More about KENNETH BURKE: FROM MYTH TO ECOLOGY:

https://laurencecoupe.co.uk/books/kenneth-burke-from-myth-to-ecology/