Neo Hybridity.docx

Md Zahangir Alam (MA 201426) Dr. Md. Emdadul Huq Professor English Discipline Khulna University, Khulna Literary Theory (5105) 24 March, 2019 A Critical Analysis on the Epistemological Debate on the Function of Language in Literature Drawing on Theories from Mimesis to Poststructuralism Language is a medium of expressing the inner feelings, thoughts and ideas of human mind. Through language one can communicate and also understand others. On the other hand, literature is the representation of human life. It basically reflects those thoughts and ideas. But there is an epistemological debate on the function of language in literature based on different theories. Theorists have put different remarks and critical thoughts indicating the fact how language works in literature. From the theory of Mimesis to Poststructuralism, it is critically shown by the theorists. Theory refers to a system of ideas which intends to explain something. It is a vital, exciting and a complex field. Actually, It is not a new concept rather it is as old as literature itself. Theory is a sharp tool that one can use anywhere to dissect any kind of idea. For this, it is considered as the idea of "We murder to dissect". History of literary theory and criticism is as old as literature itself. Great writers and authors used to put forward the changing perception of literature. The reason behind it is that it has taken different crossroads and turning points down to the ages. They treated it more as an aid to the study of literature and culture than an end in itself or the vice versa. Literature flourishes with the emergence of Greek civilization in 7th century. Bewolf is considered as the first piece of literature which was poetic in nature. At that time, there was no means of writing anything; and Bewolf comes down to ages orally It started with the Homeric Literature. Homer represents the age of ancient Greek civilization. At that time the idea of 'Heroic Paradox' was presented through the literature. Actually it means by dying, one can become eternal and immortal. Aristotle, Plato and Socrates formulated different forms of writing based on Homaric Tradition. In order to discuss the epistemological debate on the function of language in literature, it has to be noticed first. Universe Artist> Literary work < Audience

This picture shows that the literary work is at the centre of the triangle.

Plato and Aristotle develope the Mimetic theory. It refers to the fact that literature reflects life and it holds up a mirror to nature. It emphasizes the relationship between the work and universe. Actually it is an imitation of an already printed idea. Now it creates a scope to ask question whether language can represent the reality or not. According to Hegel amd Kant, one's existence can only be certified by one's presence. Existence depends on the presence of a super existence. Plato did not believe that poetic language really presents the actual reality rather it os the copy of the original. It cannot represent the reality. Plato says in Republic that the basis of knowledge is reason and intuition that alone can apprehend truth and reality not experience. In fact, our whole polity has been constructed as a process of dramatization or mimetic of perfect life. However, according to Plato, ‘mimesis’ has a different function that is mentioned in Republic. It refers to misrepresentation. He says that reality and truth can only be understood through reason. The artist works with inspiration and imagination: the two faculties don’t give us the true image of reality. Plato argues that there is also a difference between the knowledge of the poet and the knowledge of the craftsman. He thinks that man makes things and makes images. Following the original copy, the craftsman tries to make a copy. The poet follows the image of copy and produces only an image of reality. He also says to understand the image, one needs to know the reality. Aristotle, another philosopher, argues that poetry does not passively immitate; but creats a view, organic whole, presenting a new kind of truth. It is both pleasurable and connected with learning. Language can represent the truth. He states that men learn through imitation as all human activities are mimetic. Aristotle develops a consistent theory of art upon the concept of imitation. He says that all human actions are imitation. Then he focuses on poetry and other areas like history and philosophy. Lastly, he describes how the poet and the concept of imitation is taken and practiced by playwrights. Horace, Roman lyric poet, states that the primary function of poetry is to combine "pleasurable and usefulness". Horace clearly dictates that these two ideas rule the poetry. He says, poetry is like “painting” in which the poet plays the role of a craftsman. According to St. Augustine, human language is a divinely ordained reflection of the logos. He thinks that identification is much important. Through language we can identify. Actually, language gives us objective truth. It also gives us the meaning. So meaning is first. Like Plato, Aristotle and Horace, Augustine does not believe in poetic language. He thinks that it is like deceptive. The idea and meaning go hand in hand. But in the age of Renaissance and Neoclassicism, it is seen that the age displays a renewed interest in Greek and Latin classics. In fact, they had special interest in the classics. There is no difference between Homer and nature. This age also hold the same belief that poetic language is so much powerful. In the Romantic age, it is thought that knowledge is subjective. The logic behind this statement is that

everyone is ddifferent in his or her understanding. The main focus of a poet is on the artist and his power of imagination. Marxism as a practical theory is almost dead. Its main focus is on the discrimination of social classes based on the theory of " modes of production", wealthy and poor, city residents and the ghetto dwellers, the first world and the third world, whites and blacks and so on. Through language, these things are presented in literature by the marxists . They take literature as a tool of expressing existing ideology of a certain society. For example, in "Stranger in the Village", James Baldwin, renowned American writer, portrays his experiences that he receives from the village people of Switzerland only because he is black. By this, Baldwin actually mentions the ideology of the white people as they consider black as the color of mourning. Psychoanalysis denotes the concept of the unconscious, analysis of dream and idea of "Oedipus Complex" which are discussed by Sigmund Freud. "Anxiety of Influence" is an example of psycho poetics by Harold Bloom. According to Bloom, each major poet has suffered a devastating anxiety but that has productive influence. Another example is the ecriture feminine which is a radical, disruptive mode of feminine writing which opposed the patriarchal discourse with its rigid grammar and boundaries. Formalism is the study of text without taking into account of any outside influence. Notion of culture or societal influence, authorship and content are rejected by the formalists and mainly focus on the mode, genre, discourse and forms. It focuses on the work itself and deemphasize other three connections : audience, universe, artist. Defamiliriazation is a concept introduced by the formalists that rejects the conventional or traditional style of writing something rather they present it in a different way. Different elements of language are analyzed by the formalists. Structuralism is a field of semiology that studies sign systems, codes and conventions of all kinds. It analyzes literature as a sign system and brings literature together with language. Ferdinand de Saussure is the main proponent of structuralism. Actually, structuralism believes in the existence of reality. Language can be understood as a system because it gives a perception of reality. The fact is that it rejects the view that literature as a means of communication between author and the reader. This is quite opposite to 19th century theories which were mimetic and expressive. But in poststructuralism, there is no reality or truth. It can be understood through constructions. Poststructuralists believe that language does not just reflect or record the world rather it shapes it. In contrast, Structuralists think that the world is shaped by the language. In fact, poststructuralism is a cultural movement more than an intellectual movement. So to conclude, it can be said that there is really an epistemological debate based on the function of language in literature. Theories from Mimesis to poststructuralism have shown the difference how the critics have used language or in what way language represents the literature. Some believe that language can represent the reality or it brings the true essence of reality. Some are not agreed with that. They believe that language only misrepresents. Marxists presents the ideology of a certain society.

Structuralism does not give importance on the real work but it mainly focuses on the structure of language. How one produce the art work. In contrast, poststructuralism believes in the philosophical atmosphere of an art work.