Event overview
Goldsmiths Literature Seminar Series
A strong tradition of narrative analysis, typified by Gerard Genette’s Narrative Discourse (1980), adopts a structuralist approach to identify distinct elements of literary narratives. More recent scholarship, such as Andrew Gibson’s Towards a Postmodern Theory of Narrative (1996), details intersections between postmodern philosophy and narratology. This talk will outline the differences between Genette and Gibson’s approaches to narrative, and highlight how the application of broader philosophical models allows varied, nuanced literary study.
Two examples will be offered to highlight the results of a philosophical approach to narrative. Firstly, the extent to which Foucault’s theory of discourse can illuminate the use of flashbacks in contemporary texts. Secondly, the ways in which the philosophy Jean Baudrillard can be used to understand the use of first-person narratives, particularly relating this narrative technique with the consequences of capitalism.
Philosophical analysis of narrative constitutes an innovative method of narratological analysis allowing a rich understanding of literary works, and providing a clear relationship between literature and varied postmodern, contemporary experiences.
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 2018 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm |
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