This seminar explores the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in literary studies through the pioneering methodology of Josephine Miles, particularly her seminal work, Eras and Modes in English Poetry (1957).

Miles’ approach uniquely integrated meticulous close reading with expansive distant reading, cataloguing syntactic patterns to identify cultural shifts embedded within poetic forms. Building on her innovative model, this project proposes a contemporary theoretical framework leveraging AI workflows designed not merely to extract textual patterns, but to deepen and enrich interpretative analysis.

By combining Miles’ historical sensitivity and modal classifications with advanced computational methods, this approach seeks to bridge the longstanding methodological gap between granular textual nuance and corpus-wide analysis. Ultimately, the seminar presents a vision of computational hermeneutics where AI systems are conceptualised not as mere analytical tools but as critical partners prompting ongoing scholarly reflection on literary categories and interpretative practices.

Further information

Image of Dr Jenny Kwo