Harold Bloom, a prominent literary critic, and scholar, introduced the concept of the “Anxiety of Influence” in his influential book of the same name published in 1973. Bloom’s theory explores the complex relationship between poets and their predecessors and posits that a poet’s creative process is shaped by deep-seated anxiety and struggle to both acknowledge and overcome the influence of earlier literary figures.
According to Bloom, every poet faces a formidable precursor, often referred to as the “strong poet,” whose work has achieved canonical status and casts a long shadow over subsequent generations. The strong poet represents an ideal or originality that subsequent poets feel compelled to engage with and respond to in their own work. However, this engagement is fraught with a sense of anxiety and a fear of being overshadowed or surpassed by the predecessor.
Bloom argues that poets, consciously or unconsciously, experience a “poetic misprision” or misreading of their precursor’s work. They reinterpret and reinterpret the strong poet’s words to create a sense of originality and difference. This process is driven by the poet’s desire to assert their own voice and establish their unique poetic identity.
Also read; Discuss the concept “The Personal Heresy” by C.S. Lewis
The anxiety arises from the poet’s recognition that they cannot escape the influence of the strong poet entirely. While they seek to differentiate themselves, the weight of the predecessor’s work is ever-present and may exert a significant influence on their own creative output. This tension between influence and originality gives rise to a psychological struggle within the poet, fueling a creative tension known as the “Anxiety of Influence.”
Bloom suggests that this anxiety manifests in various strategies employed by poets to assert their own poetic vision while engaging with the precursor’s work. These strategies include “clinamen,” which involves a deliberate deviation from the precursor’s style, “tessera,” which involves quoting or alluding to the predecessor’s work, and “kenosis,” which involves emptying oneself of the precursor’s influence.
The Anxiety of Influence theory has far-reaching implications for literary analysis and the understanding of poetic creation. Bloom argues that great literature is not a linear progression but a complex interplay of influences, misreadings, and creative struggles. Poets must grapple with the weight of tradition while striving to carve out their unique artistic voice.
While Bloom’s theory has faced criticism and has been debated among literary scholars, it has significantly shaped the field of literary criticism and provided a lens through which to examine the intricate relationships between poets and their predecessors. The Anxiety of Influence theory invites a deeper exploration of the psychological and creative processes involved in the development of literary works, highlighting the complex interplay between tradition and innovation in the realm of poetry.
Also read: Discuss the concept ‘heterotopia’ by Michel Foucault