Literatuur, Cultuur, Theorie Reeks

Focusing on the evolution of hermeneutics, this English edition of Peter Szondi's lectures offers a clear analysis of German Enlightenment theorists. Szondi's insights into the "material theory" of interpretation provide a valuable perspective for understanding literary criticism. Translated by Martha Woodmansee and featuring a foreword by Joel Weinsheimer, this work makes Szondi's significant contributions accessible to an English-speaking audience, highlighting his status as a prominent postwar literary critic.

Focusing on the interplay between art and politics, the book reexamines the avant-garde through the lens of postmodern theories. Richard Murphy critiques classic formulations and engages with key theorists like Jameson and Lyotard, while also incorporating insights from Marcuse, Adorno, and Benjamin. Through detailed analyses of various films and literary works, this interdisciplinary exploration offers valuable perspectives for those interested in modernist movements and the complexities of postmodernity.

Exploring the philosophical concept of 'possible worlds,' this book delves into its application in addressing theoretical issues related to fictionality and narrativity. It examines how different narrative structures and fictional scenarios can be understood through the lens of alternative realities, offering insights into the nature of storytelling and the relationship between fiction and reality. The text invites readers to reconsider the boundaries of narrative and the implications of imagining multiple worlds within literature.

Paratexts are those liminal devices and conventions, both within and outside the book, that mediate between book, author and reader: titles, forewords and publishers' jacket copy form part of a book's private and public history. In this first English translation of Paratexts, Gérard Genette offers a global view of these liminal mediations and their relation to the reading public. With precision, clarity and through wide reference, he shows how paratexts interact with general questions of literature as a cultural institution. Richard Macksey's foreword situates Genette in contemporary literary theory.