The Question of Literature: The Place of the Literary in Contemporary TheoryElizabeth Beaumont Bissell The question of literature brings together essays by a number of distinguished theorists and academics on the changing cultural significance of literature as such. As literary theory has grown more influential, interdisciplinary and sophisticated, it has come to concern itself with a much greater range of issues and objects than those traditionally considered literary. Literary theory now addresses philosophy, history, psychology, politics, the media, and potentially every other aspect of our culture - but as a result the nature of its relation to literature itself has become less clear. The question of literature seeks to recontextualise literature within the diversity of postmodern theory, showing how theory has changed our understanding of literature and its questions, and affirming the ways in which literature remains valuable and transformative for present day culture. It relates literature importantly to the institution of the university, but also to ethical judgements and values, new media and computer technology, and the nature of representative democracy. In the scope of its discussion The question of literature constitutes a major intervention in current literary-theoretical debates, and will be of great interest not only to academics and students in literary, social, and cultural studies but to anyone concerned with these debates or with the future of literature as such. |
Contents
Introduction Elizabeth Beaumont Bissell | 1 |
difference as definition Charles Altieri | 19 |
literature invention and performance Derek Attridge | 48 |
Copyright | |
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actions activity aesthetic allow already answer argue become Burroughs claims concept concerns consider construction continue course creative criticism cultural death death drive defined definition democracy Derrida determine develop discipline distance distinction effect emotions essay ethical event example existence experience expression fact feel fiction force freedom Freud function give human hypertext Ibid idea imagination important institution invention kind knowledge language least less limited literary literature matter means modes moral narrative nature never Notes notion novel Nussbaum object offer once particular performance perhaps philosophy play pleasure political position possible practice precisely present principle production question reader reading reason refers relation repetition represent response rhetorical Sartre seems sense simply singularity social speak specific studies theory things thought tion understand voice writing