Literature is hard to define. what makes a text literary and another non-literary? Why is it even important to have a theory in literature when there are as many readings as there are readers?
To answer this question you need to split in your mind into 2 things: one is Literature, creative writing, the artistic process.
The second one is the discipline that studies Literature, which we call Literature Criticism, Literature Studies or Literature Theory.
The second one studies the first one, they are not the same.
Every reader can and should have a unique way of reading Literature, every book, every poem and every view is valid and beautiful.
But being a proffessional in this area means that you need other things, you are not "reading" the text, you are producing knowledge with it, and that´s why we study theories and the history of the forms.
When we define literature as creative art or text, theory seems contradictory in sense of limiting the scope of appreciation to knowledge. We can use theories & perspectives which emphasize the flow of creative energy from the author/ the text or any medium to the readers. Every art/literature has the capacity to generate universally applicable knowledge & outcomes. In this aim theory assissts us.
Literature just as any science has its theories. Contradictions or paradoxes depend on how you perceive literature. This issue is not just in literature. Science in general get developed by contradictions. Each researcher choose the science angle that feed him best.
En fait, une "théorie de la littérature" est celle initiée par les formalistes russes bien datée et dont les concepts ont été utilisés pour une approche des textes littéraires en particulier mais elle fut vite dépassée par d'autres herméneutiques, celle du dialogisme et de l'intertextualité de M.Bakhtine et Julia Kristéva qui ambitionnent de définir les mécanismes du discours littéraire qui est plus conçu comme échange, transformation d'autres discours d'où la complexité du décodage et donc d'une lecture créative du texte ou de sa réécriture.
To have a theory of literature can be paradoxical because the Greek noun 'theoria' literarily means viewing, witnessing, contemplation, and this is what literature does, too. Yet that doesn't mean that the mechanisms of literature cannot be researched on, and this form of looking at literature is a theory, too.
Literature is a largely subjective enterprise. It is paradoxical to have a theory in Literature because theory brings in objectivity and reduces the level of subjectivity.
Face à des textes difficiles d'accès, un chercheur a besoin de théories dotées de concepts bien définis qui lui permettent de s'orienter pour une lecture des œuvres littéraires, quel que soit leur genre ( poésie, théâtre, roman, nouvelles). Certes, les théories ont leur limite et alors rien n’empêche le critique de faire appel à son intuition, à sa subjectivité pour une approche plus personnalisée. Ainsi, pour ne citer que lui, Bachelard, à partir d'une poétique des éléments, a réussi brillamment et avec quelle éloquence, à concevoir des écrits passionnants qui ne peuvent qu'inspirer le critique. C'est par là que le théorique peut être dépassé et enrichi.
I am thinking the person who says this is an adherent of "art for art's sake," which is, ironically, a theory itself, if we take theory to mean a systematic way of looking at things, (looking at literature in this case). If we take theory as a methodology of reading with predetermined parameters, priorities, and principles, then it is understandable why some would think applying theory on literature can be a form of distortion as it limits the act of interpretation, which is also a creative activity.
Literary theories are different from theories in natural science. Their motivation is more important than their value for a practice. They want to educate, assert authority, question something, etc.
All literature is rooted in theory, whether apparent or hidden. The paradox is that writers often want to write in such a way that the theory is entirely implicit or invisible, i.e. it presents itself as 'natural'.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Linguistics
- Composition Studies
- Publications