It is extremely gratifying to see ethics and aesthetics re-introduced into the thorny subject of literary theory which for long has eschewed these important topics.
Ethics because it reinstates a moral dimension (can't we make out a case for literary theory being unethical?) to the study of literature, and aesthetics because the aesthetic experience can be seen as synonymous with the mystical experience (the psychological mechanisms are surely the same), returning to criticism neglected issues of reading pleasure and affect.
The new edition of A Very Short Introduction to Literary Theory from Oxford – the first edition of 1997 sold a very respectable 114,000 copies – is another masterly encapsulation of a notoriously vexed academic field by Jonathan Culler, professor of English and comparative literature at Cornell University.
New Attention to Literary and Artistic Form
Culler remarks upon the 'new aestheticism' or 'new formalism' which invites a renewed attention to literary and artistic form in the teeth of developments in theory in recent decades that have 'disabled or rendered reactionary' traditional approaches.
After all, how can there be art without aesthetic values or perspectives? This is not an elitist position, but one that looks to literature existentially as a means of expanding consciousness.
Rather than merely setting out summaries of different theoretical approaches, Culler investigates particular problems and ways taken to attempt to solve them, notably aspects of language, identity and meaning.
He handles the oft-repeated questions 'what is literature?', and 'does it matter?' with aplomb, and examines the huge impact of cultural studies, a major activity in the humanities since the 1990s.
An Understanding of Literary Theory
He includes new material on developments in critical theory, including the supposed 'death of theory' – announcement of the death is premature as theory is still very much alive and kicking and likely to be around for a good while yet – and on connections between the theory of narrative and cognitive science, trauma theory, and eco-criticism.
Of course, an understanding of literary theory is necessary for all students of literature, even if it is thought of at best as just a means of mental 'tyre-kicking'. Frequently, it's seen as a vehicle for socio-political posturing, and engendering suspicion about the political and psychological implications of cultural undertakings rather than regard for the great works of the literary canon.
In a mere 160 (small) pages, Culler provides the ideal introduction to literary theory for undergraduates or the interested literary reader who would like to get to grips with this abstruse area of study. But be warned. Culler says that if there is any general lesson to be learned from his account, it is that theory 'does not give rise to harmonious solutions'. That's his theory, anyway.
- Culler, Jonathan, A Very Short Introduction to Literary Theory. Oxford University Press, 2011, UK £7.99. ISBN 978-0-19-969134-0.
Geoff Ward - Geoff Ward, MA Lit., is a British journalist, media consultant, author and lecturer/tutor in literature and creative writing
