Sin and sacrament : Andrew Hudgins' inversion of the sacred and profane.

Abstract

Andrew Hudgins makes frequent use of both sacred and profane imagery and language. By inverting the sacred and profane, Hudgins renders traditional Protestant Christianity into a language palatable to the Postmodern aesthetic. A close examination of three of Hudgins' poems, "Praying Drunk," "Piss Christ," and "When the Weak Lamb Dies" demonstrates Hudgins frequent use of inversion and Christian metaphor. A concluding chapter links Hudgins' style of inversion to the Postmodern aesthetic through a brief examination of parallels between Hudgins' work and criticism by Jacques Derrida and Charles Altieri.