
Literary Memory, Consciousness, and the Group Oulipo
Peter Consenstein(Author)
Rodopi (Publisher)
Published on 1. January 2002
Book
Paperback/Softback
252 pages
978-90-420-1438-1 (ISBN)
Description
The question of memory intrigues us more and more as industrialized societies move further and further away from the written word. In the past the role of memory was integral to literary history, precise mnemonics served as the support systems for erudition, and Mnemosyne was mother of the Muses. The group Oulipo, born in reaction to the Surrealists, proposes, invents, and applies novel literary constraints. Using memory, and best of all conscious memory, as a theoretical starting point, the implications of writing under constraint are analyzed. First, writing under constraint is viewed as a new mnemonics; second, the spiritual component of such a practice is shown to redefine a notion of inspiration; third, constraints and their relationship with games and society is highlighted; finally the manner in which they build a literary consciousness is studied through the lenspiece of contemporary neurobiological research. For the first time the work of the group Oulipo, and the member's emphasis on the function of literature, is placed in historical, cultural, and philosophical context.
More details
Series
220
Language
English
Place of publication
Leiden
Netherlands
Publishing group
Brill
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
358 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-420-1438-1 (9789042014381)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
Introduction
Chapter 1: Memory and Oulipian Constraints
Chapter 2: The Soul of Oulipo's Formalism
Chapter 3: Games, the Oulipian Sonnet, and the Court of Charles d'Orleans
Chapter 4: Consciousness, Constraints, and Cosmology
Conclusion
Chapter 1: Memory and Oulipian Constraints
Chapter 2: The Soul of Oulipo's Formalism
Chapter 3: Games, the Oulipian Sonnet, and the Court of Charles d'Orleans
Chapter 4: Consciousness, Constraints, and Cosmology
Conclusion