
Literary Meaning
From Phenomenology to Destruction
William Ray(Author)
Wiley (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 29. April 1984
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-0-631-13458-9 (ISBN)
Description
This book is both a guide to, and interpretation of, the course of modern literary theory. Exploring the various theories of reading which have informed post-war literary criticism, it shows that for all the fervour of current debate about new movements in criticism, all these different approaches share at root a common notion of literary meaning.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Hoboken
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 215 mm
Width: 141 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
312 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-631-13458-9 (9780631134589)
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
Person
William Ray is Associate Professor of French at Reed College, Oregon.
Content
Introduction The Quest for Literary Meaning: A Historical Overview
Phenomenology and the "Intentionality" of Meaning
Deconstruction and the Challenge to Stable Interpretation
Part I: Foundations of Phenomenology
Chapter 1: Edmund Husserl and the "Transcendental Ego"
The concept of "Noema" and "Noesis"
The "Epoche" or Bracketing Method
Applying Phenomenology to Literary Texts
Chapter 2: Maurice Merleau-Ponty and the Body Subject
Embodiment and Perception
The "Flesh" and Intercorporeality
Implications for Literary Experience
Part II: Deconstruction and the Critique of Meaning
Chapter 3: Jacques Derrida and the "Logocentrism" Critique
The "Trace" and "Differance"
The "Supplement" and the Play of Language
Deconstruction of Binary Oppositions
Chapter 4: Key Concepts in Deconstruction
Undecidability
Aporia
The "Textual" and the "Contextual"
Part III: Applying Deconstruction to Literature
Chapter 5: Deconstructing Narrative Structure
Unreliable Narrators
The "Open Ending"
The Role of Ambiguity
Chapter 6: Deconstructing Character and Identity
The "Split Subject"
The "Other" in Literature
Gender and Identity Politics in Deconstruction
Chapter 7: Deconstructing Genre Conventions
The "Subversion" of Genre
The "Hybrid" Text
The Limits of Genre Classification
Conclusion
The Legacy of Deconstruction in Literary Criticism
Beyond Deconstruction: New Directions in Interpretation
The Ongoing Debate about Meaning and Interpretation
Phenomenology and the "Intentionality" of Meaning
Deconstruction and the Challenge to Stable Interpretation
Part I: Foundations of Phenomenology
Chapter 1: Edmund Husserl and the "Transcendental Ego"
The concept of "Noema" and "Noesis"
The "Epoche" or Bracketing Method
Applying Phenomenology to Literary Texts
Chapter 2: Maurice Merleau-Ponty and the Body Subject
Embodiment and Perception
The "Flesh" and Intercorporeality
Implications for Literary Experience
Part II: Deconstruction and the Critique of Meaning
Chapter 3: Jacques Derrida and the "Logocentrism" Critique
The "Trace" and "Differance"
The "Supplement" and the Play of Language
Deconstruction of Binary Oppositions
Chapter 4: Key Concepts in Deconstruction
Undecidability
Aporia
The "Textual" and the "Contextual"
Part III: Applying Deconstruction to Literature
Chapter 5: Deconstructing Narrative Structure
Unreliable Narrators
The "Open Ending"
The Role of Ambiguity
Chapter 6: Deconstructing Character and Identity
The "Split Subject"
The "Other" in Literature
Gender and Identity Politics in Deconstruction
Chapter 7: Deconstructing Genre Conventions
The "Subversion" of Genre
The "Hybrid" Text
The Limits of Genre Classification
Conclusion
The Legacy of Deconstruction in Literary Criticism
Beyond Deconstruction: New Directions in Interpretation
The Ongoing Debate about Meaning and Interpretation