C.P. Cavafy in the English and American Literary Scenes: Authorizing the Other (Oxford Modern Languages and Literature Monographs)

C.P. Cavafy in the English and American Literary Scenes: Authorizing the Other explores the global reputation of the Greek-Alexandrian poet C.P.Cavafy in relation to literary networks of the twentieth century.It examines how the writings of E.M. Forster, Lawrence Durrell, W.H. Auden, Stephen Spender, Joseph Brodsky, and James Merrill played a key role in establishing Cavafy's standing in world literature and shaping perceptions of his authorial identity.Moving beyond conventional studies of reception, the book argues that the poet's authorisation by his author-champions was inherently reciprocal: while these influential writers propelled the steady rise of Cavafy's fame in England and America, they simultaneously reinforced their own authority as cultural arbiters.The analysis of overlooked aspects of these authors' critical essays, translations, and fictionalised portrayals, reveals how their readings and presentation of Cavafy were shaped by their cultural preferences and ideological