What is World Literature? PDF

CHAPTER 1 What is World Literature Dr. Mustapha OUTLINE recording 5: important (essay) I. What is Literature? II. Genres of Literature III. What is World Literature? IV. Critical Reflections on World Literature V. Canon and canoniza...

CHAPTER 1 What is World Literature Dr. Mustapha OUTLINE recording 5: important (essay) I. What is Literature? II. Genres of Literature III. What is World Literature? IV. Critical Reflections on World Literature V. Canon and canonization VI. The cruciality of literary translation in Worldling literatures VII. Terminology What is Literature? One classical way to define literature as everything in print. Another way is to limit it to ‘great books’, (Belle lettres) books which whatever their subject, are ‘notable for literary form or expression’. Here, the criterion is either aesthetic worth alone or aesthetic worth in combination with general intellectual distinction. The term ‘literature’ seems best if we limit it to the art of literature, that is, to imaginative literature such as poetry, novel (fiction), plays (drama). Language is the material of literature as stone or bronze is of sculpture, paints of pictures, or sounds of music. The literary language is connotative (indirect, figurative, metaphorical, ambiguous…) while the scientific language is denotative (direct: one-to-one correspondence between sign and referent). There are many functions for literature to perform: it can be for pleasure, can convey a knowledge, can teach morals and ethics, and can even be sort of philosophy. John Paul Sartre & The Reason of Writing The act of writing is an act of revealing one’s own freedom and existence in the world. Literature invokes a positionality of commitment; writing is an act of commitment to the political cause. The motives of artistic creation is certainly the need of feeling that we are essential in relation to the world. Literature is a revealer of human existence. Writers do not write for themselves, there is no art except for and by others. Sartre distinguishes the art of writing prose from other forms of art such as poetry, painting, or a musical composition. He is against ‘aesthetic purism’ and advocate instead that the art of writing intend is to reflect and engage with the world around. what do u think? 1. explain. 2. then write your opinion with examples or evidences. Types & Genres of Literature The word ‘Genre’ derives from the French language meaning kind or type. As a literary device, genre refers to a form, class, or type of literary work. The primary genres in literature are poetry, drama/play, essay, short story, novel or novella. Sometimes, the term genre is used quite often to denote literary sub-classifications or specific types of literature such as comedy, tragedy, epic poetry, thriller, science fiction, romance. Common genre: Fiction: It could be categorized into further sub-categories such as short stories, novels, skits, postmodern fiction, modern fiction, formal fiction, and so on. Drama/play: It could be categorized into tragedy, comedy, romantic comedy, absurd theatre, modern play, and so on. Poetry: It could be categorized into further sub-categories such as epic, lyrical poetry, odes, sonnets, quatrains, free verse poems. What is World Literature? The concept Weltliteratur (world literature) was introduced back in 1827 by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832), a German author, scientist, statesman, and theorist. He is widely considered to be the most canonic and influential writer in the history of German literature. The term arose in a particular atmosphere, both in Germany and Europe, characterized by the emergence of nascent nationalist sentiments in the nineteenth century. Goethe imagined a kind of cosmopolitan literature that can transcend the national and linguistic boundaries, literature that can be read and appreciated by a wide range of readers, not only in Europe but outside of it as well. For Goethe, the notion of a purely national literature had become obsolete; “the epoch of world literature,” he famously wrote, “is at hand, and everyone must strive to hasten its approach.” Critical Reflections On Goethe’s Concept The analytical thrust of the different approaches stands on the following questions: - Which world? - Whose world? - One world or many worlds? - How does it perform or is it performed? - What are the factors interfering in the production of the world? - At what level –linguistically, aesthetically, poetically, politically- does the world become worldly? - Who has the power or privilege to decide on whether a work of literature is world literature or not? David Damrosch & the idea of Circulation The American literary theorist and Professor at Harvard University David Damrosch has been known for his approach of World Literature that is based on the idea of “circulation”. p5 A work enters world literature by a “double process: first, by being read as literature; second, by circulating out into a broader world beyond its linguistic and cultural point of origin”. What Is World Literature? (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2003), p6. That means that the work of literature must have the ability to cross the borders, to be translated into different languages, and to circulate beyond its homeland. world literature is writing that gains in translation, or simply saying it is literature in translation. This means that translation is crucial in the formation of world literature because it helps literature to circulate worldwide and be read in different languages. world literature is not a set canon of texts but a mode of reading; a form of detached engagement with worlds beyond our own place and time.” Key Concepts in Damrosch’s Approach Circulation: when works of literature are translated, reviewed, and appreciated in different languages and cultures, it then moves from one country into another and from one culture into another one making new homes abroad. Mode of reading: Refers to the way different readers are perceiving the work of literature; the more it is read as aesthetically unique the more it gains worldwide recognition. Canon: Works or figures that have an exceptional established privilege making it well-written piece of writing, and keep sustain such position through time and history. Crossing borders: a figurative expression that means the transfer of literature from one language/culture into another one through translation. Pascal Casanova & the World Republic of Letters The construction of this republic, she argues, is closely related to the political space of the nation that helps to build in turn. Thus, Casanova analyzes the historical transformation of French literature to its imperial position where Paris has become its capital due to the French’s domination as an imperial nation in the late eighteenth and through nineteenth century Casanova, Pascale. The world Republic of letters (Harvard: Harvard university press, 2004), p85. Keywords in Casanova’s Approach World republic of letters: This is another name of ‘World Literature’ that gives much more reference to the political power that brings literature into its world status. Imperial history: The history of a nation that was an empire before through which it gains a continuing power of dominance in the world. Cultural Capitals: Capitals like Paris, London, and New York are not only simple economic capitals, but they are also cultural capitals where literature and authors bring about international fame and celebrity. Invisible community: Casanova refers to those hidden powers (translators, reviewers, publishers, circles and pressure groups) who can approve or disapprove literature and its circulation worldwide.  Emily Apter & Untranslatability Apter's primary argument against World Literature is that it relies on a ‘translatability assumption’, by which she means a tendency toward ‘reflexive endorsement of cultural equivalence and substitutability; or toward the celebration of nationally and ethnically branded “differences. Apter argues for rethinking theories of ‘World Literature’ that focuses mainly on translatability and readability and ignores the politics of the “Untranslatable”—the realm of those words that are continually retranslated, mistranslated, transferred from language to language, or especially resistant to substitution. She revisits the presumptions of equivalence and substitutability and activates instead the power of ‘check-points’, ‘crossing difficulties’ and ‘private zones’. Keywords in Apter’s Approach Untranslatability: the impossibility or difficulty to Singularity: Apter refers to the translate. For Apter, world sovereignty of the local Private Zone: refers to the literature can be achieved thinks language being translated; this special part of every language to the possibilities of is against the idea that that cannot be translated, acculturation happened at the everything can be translated transmitted, and transferred. moment of untranslatability. without any constraints. (case study of Kafka)  Franco Moretti & Distant Reading The Italian literary historian approaches ‘World Literature’ as planetary system; an interconnected system of stakeholders who contribute (wittingly or unwittingly) in canonizing authors, genres and styles of literature around the globe. For Him, World literature is one and unequal: suggesting that all the canonized works of literature achieved a ranking of world literature thanks to the unified global system. This latter is normally unequal since only dominated literatures of the imperial and Western world are represented exclusively while other local and national literatures are ignored. Moretti proposes a model of literature involves what he called ‘distance reading,’ where scholars study literature from different cultures and languages to arrive at conclusions about literary phenomena. Distant reading will help in understanding the circulation of themes, devices, and genres of world literature on a global scale since one cannot read everything (close reading). Distant Reading & World Literature “Distant reading: where distance, let me repeat it, is a condition of knowledge: it allows you to focus on units that are much smaller or much larger than the text: devices, themes, tropes—or genres and systems. And if, between the very small and the very large, the text itself disappears, well, it is one of those cases when one can justifiably say, Less is more. If we want to understand the system in its entirety, we must accept losing something”. Remark: Moretti’s projection of World Literature stands on larger scale of representing literatures of the world by doing ‘distant reading’: tracing only the themes, styles, genres of different literatures without giving much importance to the text itself but to its connection with the external world. Close Reading Distant Reading Nuanced and particular analyze of a text Zooming out the text by connecting it with within itself by looking at: language, style, other texts and contexts be it cultural, social, themes, characters, dialogue, climax… economic, political… Zhang Longxi & Non-Western World Literature The Chinese literary theorist and critic ZHANG Longxi engages in the debate of World Literature from non-Western and non-European perspective by calling for an enlargement of the scale of World Literature to cover a variety of other literatures from the peripheries. He argues that today’s World Literature must go beyond Eurocentrism and expand the canon to include great works from non-European, the East, Africa and other worlds that will make a great contribution in expanding the canon of world literature. Longxi builds a cross-cultural approach (inclusive) of World Literature that stands on the premises that all literatures of the world are worth discovery, and has its own aesthetic and pleasure that we need to discover and learn from. However, He does not have any critiques towards the concept ‘canon’; in fact, he calls for preservation of all canons (against decanonization) and suggests only more liberal representation of world literatures beyond the Western standards. Canon & the Question of Standards The word canon comes from the Greek kanon, which means “a straight rod,” “a ruler,” and thus “a standard,”. It refers to the best books of literature as exemplars, as “a standard” of what is considered valuable in a literary or cultural tradition. Canons are the best and most exemplary works of different literary traditions, works that have stood the test of time and proven to be valuable for generations of readers under very different social, political, and cultural conditions. Canons get their prestige fame because of their well-crafted style, language, stories, aesthetic (value judgement) or because some powerful circles (scholars, universities, elites, institutions) have endorsed it as “great works” in a particular era, context, culture, or place. Therefore, canon can get its canonicity through two different channels: either internally (the uniqueness of text in itself: style, language, tone…) or externally through the connection of that text with its surrounding contexts. Questioning the viability of canons How do canons reach their canonical status? Who have the power to designate such canons? How a particular work may appeal to readers in very different social, political, cultural, and historical conditions beyond its national origin? How can specific work of literature get a lasting value judgment as ‘World literature’ through ages and times? How do canons affect the emerging books and authors who strive to have a place in the market as great writers? Can literary canons be decanonized if proven that they lost their unique aesthetic pleasure? The Centrality of Literary Translation in World Literature Literary translation refers to the rendering of original literatures in other languages whereby translators are expected to preserve and recreate the aesthetic intentions and effects that may be preserved in the source text. (Delabastita 2011: 69). According to the definition, artistic and creative value of the original text is much more important than the themes since literary text is not an abstract, therefore ideas and themes cannot be the core attention of literary translators. What do translators translate exactly? Authors’ voice Tone of the language Style of the text Edith Grossman ”Translators need to develop a keen sense of style in both languages, honing and expanding our critical awareness of the emotional impact of words, the social aura that surrounds them, the setting and mood that informs them, the atmosphere they create. We struggle to sharpen and elaborate our perception of the connotations and implications behind basic denotative meaning in a process not dissimilar to the efforts writers make to increase their familiarity with and competence in a given literary idiom.” Boosting World Literature Through Translation Kafka is a German speaking novelist, Jewish of Prague who has been canonized through the successive and accumulated translations and interpretations of his works. His language is characterized by being a fragmented, anxious, alienated, metaphoric and represent the status of alienated minor communities of 20th century Europe. Being also Multilingual and untranslatable reinforces a broad range of interpretations and translations seeking to untangle and recodify what rests behind Kafka’s language. Translators play important rule in canonizing Kafka since everyone provide a new version of Kafka saying ‘this one is perfect and interprets well Kafka’s words’. The Aesthetic Pleasure! Aesthetic pleasure in literature refers to the emotional and sensational experience of readers and practitioners who typically pursued and enjoyed works of literature for their own sake. They are experiences in which it appears that something is beautiful, and that such experiences are identical to experiences of aesthetic pleasure. To call something aesthetically pleasing means that you consider it beautiful and satisfying, something that fulfills all of your needs and qualities for beauty in one object.  Examples of World Literature The Best Russian Novels - War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy The best books on Translation - Don Quixote by Cervantes (translated by Samuel Putnam) The Best Russian Novels - Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev Terminology World literature (Weltliteratur) Literary genre National literature Circulation Mode of reading Crossing borders Imperial history Cultural capitals Invisible community Translatability/untranslatability Singularity Private zone Canon Aesthetic pleasure