In Two Worlds at Once: Animism, Borders and Liminality in Mary Butts
Mary Butts’ examination of place derives its central vitality from a grounding in the landscapes of Dorset. Her attempts to re-enchant this world by drawing upon myth and mysticism often become ideologically problematic; her project is fundamentally ambivalent, combining a deep sense of attachment to her home region with a similarly strong desire to reinvent that area. Such reimaginings take complex forms: sometimes expressing a deracinated sensibility that reclaims rural England as a cosmopolitan zone in which marginalised socio-cultural groups can thrive; and emphasising the landscape’s animistic qualities. In such respects, the influence of modernity upon Butts’ distinctive vision of place is clear. In her later work, however, rather than blurring or transgressing boundaries, Butts draws upon her sense of living ‘in two worlds at once’ to create imaginary cultural, temporal and geographical realms that are beyond the influences and developments of her period, accessible only to initiates.