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Märt Väljataga. Empire, Demon, and Poetics. Three Concepts of Literary Theory |
2007, nr. 9 |
The review-essay distinguishes between three
meanings under which the term "literary theory" is used
nowadays: 1) postmodern discourse; 2) critique of literary common
sense; 3) poetics the study of the conditions, kinds, general
concepts and conventions of literature. A bibliographic excursion
provides a picture how recent English language textbooks and other
introducory literature articulates the field of literary theory.
The outline of postmodern theory is based on the anthology "Theory's
Empire" (ed by Daphne Patai and Will H. Corral. New York:
Columbia University Press, 2004). The description of theory as
a polemical and critical force which challenges the notions of
common sense is based on the book "Le démon de la
théorie" by Antoine Compagnon (Paris: Seuil, 1998).
The third part of the essay attempts to map some recent developments
in the realm of stylistics, narratology, cognitive poetics, thematics,
and theory of the novel. The final part is a polemical discussion
of the question in which sense and to what extent theory is necessary
for literary history and criticism. The possibility of non-theoretical
literary studies is admitted and some dangers of theory abuses
are pointed at.
Keywords: literary theory, theory
of literature, postmodernism, poetics, cognitive poetics, narratology,
literary history.
Märt Väljataga (b. 1965), editor-in-chief
of magazine Vikerkaar, Tallinn University, The Estonian Institute
of Humanities, lecturer
mart@vikerkaar.ee
| 2007 |
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