Postmodernism

Postmodernism

Postmodernism, like modernism, follows most of Postmodernism, like modernism, follows most of these same ideas, rejecting boundaries between high these same ideas, rejecting boundaries between high and low forms of art, rejecting rigid genre and low forms of art, rejecting rigid genre distinctions, emphasizing pastiche, parody, distinctions, emphasizing pastiche, parody, bricolage, irony, and playfulness. Postmodern art bricolage, irony, and playfulness. Postmodern art (and thought) favors reflexivity and self-(and thought) favors reflexivity and self-consciousness, fragmentation and discontinuity consciousness, fragmentation and discontinuity (especially in narrative structures), ambiguity, (especially in narrative structures), ambiguity, simultaneity, and an emphasis on the destructured, simultaneity, and an emphasis on the destructured, decentered, dehumanized subject.decentered, dehumanized subject.

Modernism, for example, tends to present a Modernism, for example, tends to present a fragmented view of human subjectivity and fragmented view of human subjectivity and history (think of history (think of The WastelandThe Wasteland, for , for instance, or of Woolf's instance, or of Woolf's To the LighthouseTo the Lighthouse), ), but presents that fragmentation as but presents that fragmentation as something tragic, something to be lamented something tragic, something to be lamented and mourned as a loss. and mourned as a loss.

Difference

Many modernist works try to uphold the idea that Many modernist works try to uphold the idea that works of art can provide the unity, coherence, and works of art can provide the unity, coherence, and meaning which has been lost in most of modern life; meaning which has been lost in most of modern life; art will do what other human institutions fail to do. art will do what other human institutions fail to do. PostmodernismPostmodernism, in contrast, doesn't lament the idea , in contrast, doesn't lament the idea of fragmentation, provisionality, or incoherence, but of fragmentation, provisionality, or incoherence, but rather celebrates that. The world is meaningless? rather celebrates that. The world is meaningless? Let's not pretend that art can make meaning then, Let's not pretend that art can make meaning then, let's just play with nonsense.let's just play with nonsense.

Frederic Jameson:

modernism and postmodernism are cultural modernism and postmodernism are cultural formations which accompany particular formations which accompany particular stages of capitalism. stages of capitalism.

Three primary phases of capitalism which Three primary phases of capitalism which dictate particular cultural practices dictate particular cultural practices (including what kind of art and literature is (including what kind of art and literature is produced). produced).

3 primary phases of capitalism 1. 1. market capitalism market capitalism associated with particular technological associated with particular technological

developments, namely, the steam-driven developments, namely, the steam-driven motor, and with a particular kind of motor, and with a particular kind of aesthetics, namely, realismaesthetics, namely, realism

occurred from the eighteenth through the occurred from the eighteenth through the late nineteenth centuries in Western Europe, late nineteenth centuries in Western Europe, England, and the United States (and all their England, and the United States (and all their spheres of influence) spheres of influence)

2. 2. monopoly capitalismmonopoly capitalism associated with electric and internal associated with electric and internal

combustion motors, and with modernismcombustion motors, and with modernism occurred from the late nineteenth century occurred from the late nineteenth century

until the mid-twentieth century (about until the mid-twentieth century (about WWII); this phase, WWII); this phase,

The third, the phase we're in now, is The third, the phase we're in now, is multinational or consumer capitalism (with multinational or consumer capitalism (with the emphasis placed on marketing, selling, the emphasis placed on marketing, selling, and consuming commodities, not on and consuming commodities, not on producing them), associated with nuclear producing them), associated with nuclear and electronic technologies, and correlated and electronic technologies, and correlated with postmodernism.with postmodernism.

Postmodernity & modernity

Like Jameson's characterization of postmodernism in Like Jameson's characterization of postmodernism in terms of modes of production and technologies, the terms of modes of production and technologies, the second facet, or definition, of postmodernism comes second facet, or definition, of postmodernism comes more from history and sociology than from literature more from history and sociology than from literature or art history. This approach defines postmodernism or art history. This approach defines postmodernism as the name of an entire social formation, or set of as the name of an entire social formation, or set of social/historical attitudes; more precisely,this social/historical attitudes; more precisely,this approach contrasts "postmodernity" with approach contrasts "postmodernity" with "modernity," rather than "postmodernism" with "modernity," rather than "postmodernism" with "modernism.""modernism."

The Difference

""Modernism"Modernism" generally refers to the broad generally refers to the broad aesthetic movements of the twentieth century; aesthetic movements of the twentieth century; "modernity""modernity" refers to a set of philosophical, refers to a set of philosophical, political, and ethical ideas which provide the political, and ethical ideas which provide the basis for the aesthetic aspect of modernism. basis for the aesthetic aspect of modernism.

"Modernity" is older than "modernism;" the "Modernity" is older than "modernism;" the label "modern," first articulated in nineteenth-label "modern," first articulated in nineteenth-century sociology, was meant to distinguish the century sociology, was meant to distinguish the present era from the previous one, which was present era from the previous one, which was labeled "antiquity." labeled "antiquity."

'Postmodernism' is a broad range of

1.1. responses to modernism, especially refusals of responses to modernism, especially refusals of some of its totalizing premises and effects, and some of its totalizing premises and effects, and of its implicit or explicit distinction between of its implicit or explicit distinction between 'high' culture and commonly lived life, 'high' culture and commonly lived life,

2.2. responses to such things as a world lived under responses to such things as a world lived under nuclear threat and threat to the geosphere, to a nuclear threat and threat to the geosphere, to a world of faster communication, mass mediated world of faster communication, mass mediated reality, greater diversity of cultures and mores reality, greater diversity of cultures and mores and a consequent pluralism, and a consequent pluralism,

3. 3. acknowledgments of and in some senses acknowledgments of and in some senses struggles against a world in which, under struggles against a world in which, under a spreading technological capitalism, all a spreading technological capitalism, all things are commodified and fetishized things are commodified and fetishized (made the object of desire), and in which (made the object of desire), and in which genuine experience has been replaced by genuine experience has been replaced by simulation and spectacle,simulation and spectacle,

4. 4. resultant senses of fragmentation, of resultant senses of fragmentation, of discontinuity, of reality as a pastiche discontinuity, of reality as a pastiche rather than as a weave, rather than as a weave,

5. reconceptualizations of society, history 5. reconceptualizations of society, history and the self as cultural constructs, hence and the self as cultural constructs, hence as rhetorical constructs.as rhetorical constructs.

a reaction to, refusal and diffusion of, the elements of a reaction to, refusal and diffusion of, the elements of modernist thought which are totalizing: which suggest modernist thought which are totalizing: which suggest a master narrative or master code, i.e. an explanatory a master narrative or master code, i.e. an explanatory cohesion of experience; the result may be cohesion of experience; the result may be

1.1. a sense of discontinuity, of the world as a field of a sense of discontinuity, of the world as a field of contesting explanations none of which can claim any contesting explanations none of which can claim any authority, authority,

2.2. parodies of all sorts of meta-narrative and master-parodies of all sorts of meta-narrative and master-code elements, including genre and literary form, code elements, including genre and literary form,

3.3. the challenging of borders and limits, including those the challenging of borders and limits, including those of decency, of decency,

4.4. the exploration of the marginalized aspects of life and the exploration of the marginalized aspects of life and marginalized elements of society.marginalized elements of society.

Breaking down grand narratives

The 'problem' with grand narratives is that they The 'problem' with grand narratives is that they bring all of experience under one explanatory and bring all of experience under one explanatory and one implicitly or explicitly regulative order, and one implicitly or explicitly regulative order, and hence are potentially (some would say, inevitably) hence are potentially (some would say, inevitably) totalitarian and repressivetotalitarian and repressive

Is living without grand narratives an act of courage Is living without grand narratives an act of courage and freedom in the face of inevitable doubt and and freedom in the face of inevitable doubt and instability, or merely an opening of oneself to the instability, or merely an opening of oneself to the worst forces of the libido and an abandonment of worst forces of the libido and an abandonment of necessary principles?necessary principles?

the writing of reflexive or meta-the writing of reflexive or meta-fiction: fiction which is in the first fiction: fiction which is in the first instance aware of itself as fiction and instance aware of itself as fiction and which may dramatize the false or which may dramatize the false or constructed nature of fiction, on the constructed nature of fiction, on the one hand, or the inevitable fictionality one hand, or the inevitable fictionality of all experience, on the other.of all experience, on the other.

a reaction to, refusal of, the totalizing of a reaction to, refusal of, the totalizing of modernist modernist formform -- of the dominance in -- of the dominance in modernism of form and of the idea of the modernism of form and of the idea of the aesthetic, which concept created a 'special aesthetic, which concept created a 'special world' for art, cut off from the variety and world' for art, cut off from the variety and everydayness of life (a negative judgment on everydayness of life (a negative judgment on this 'refusal' is that postmodernism simply this 'refusal' is that postmodernism simply aestheticizes everything, see the next point) aestheticizes everything, see the next point)

an attempt to integrate art and life -- the an attempt to integrate art and life -- the inclusion of popular forms, popular culture, inclusion of popular forms, popular culture, everyday reality; Bakhtin's notion of everyday reality; Bakhtin's notion of ''carnivalcarnival', of joyous, anti-authoritarian, ', of joyous, anti-authoritarian, riotous, carnal and liberatory celebration, riotous, carnal and liberatory celebration, makes sense in this context and adds a makes sense in this context and adds a sense of energy and freedom to some post sense of energy and freedom to some post modern work modern work

the notion of carnival is taken to the limit in the idea of the notion of carnival is taken to the limit in the idea of transgression, the idea that to live and think beyond the transgression, the idea that to live and think beyond the structures of capitalist ideology and of totalizing structures of capitalist ideology and of totalizing concepts concepts

Violate what appear to be standards of sense and Violate what appear to be standards of sense and decency, the methods of social and imaginative controldecency, the methods of social and imaginative control

A more benign conception than transgression is the A more benign conception than transgression is the concept of the concept of the paralogicalparalogical: a revelation of the non-: a revelation of the non-rational immediacy of life (considered thus to be rational immediacy of life (considered thus to be implicitly revolutionary, liberating)implicitly revolutionary, liberating)

as with ideas such as carnival and transgression, the as with ideas such as carnival and transgression, the paralogical gives access to the energy of the world, and paralogical gives access to the energy of the world, and allows us to experience outside of the strictures of the allows us to experience outside of the strictures of the grand narrativesgrand narratives

the use of paradox, of undercutting, of radical the use of paradox, of undercutting, of radical shifts, in order to undercut any legitimization of shifts, in order to undercut any legitimization of reality, subject, ontological ground reality, subject, ontological ground

a crossing or dissolving of borders -- between a crossing or dissolving of borders -- between fiction and non-fiction, between literary genres, fiction and non-fiction, between literary genres, between high and low culture between high and low culture

a sense that the world is a world made up of a sense that the world is a world made up of rhetoric -- of language and cultural constructs rhetoric -- of language and cultural constructs and images and symbols, none of which have and images and symbols, none of which have any necessary validityany necessary validity

achieved through the notion of carnival, of the turning achieved through the notion of carnival, of the turning upside-down of everything, and through the use of upside-down of everything, and through the use of parody, play, black humour and witparody, play, black humour and wit; ;

this refusal and these methods of undercutting this refusal and these methods of undercutting seriousness are associated as well with fragmentation, as seriousness are associated as well with fragmentation, as traditional notions of narrative coherence are challengedtraditional notions of narrative coherence are challenged

The 'problem' with seriousness is that it has no room for The 'problem' with seriousness is that it has no room for the disruptions necessary to expose the oppressions and the disruptions necessary to expose the oppressions and repressions of master narratives, in fact seriousness tends repressions of master narratives, in fact seriousness tends almost inevitably to reinforce them and hence the almost inevitably to reinforce them and hence the ideologies they supportideologies they support

a crossing or dissolving of borders -- a crossing or dissolving of borders -- between fiction and non-fiction, between between fiction and non-fiction, between literary genres, between high and low literary genres, between high and low culture culture

a sense that the world is a world made up a sense that the world is a world made up of rhetoric -- of language and cultural of rhetoric -- of language and cultural constructs and images and symbols, none of constructs and images and symbols, none of which have any necessary validity which have any necessary validity

a move away from perspectivism, from the located, a move away from perspectivism, from the located, unified 'subject' and the associated grounding of the unified 'subject' and the associated grounding of the authority of experience in the sovereign subject and its authority of experience in the sovereign subject and its processes of perception and reflectionprocesses of perception and reflection

a fragmentation of the self (the unified, located subject), a fragmentation of the self (the unified, located subject), or a disappearance or flatness -- the self, or subject, is no or a disappearance or flatness -- the self, or subject, is no longer a 'psychological' reality but henceforth a cultural longer a 'psychological' reality but henceforth a cultural construction, located rhetorically (in terms of the kinds construction, located rhetorically (in terms of the kinds of language used, the subject matter, the situation), of language used, the subject matter, the situation), differently configured in different situations differently configured in different situations

A greater emphasis on the body, on the human as incarnate, as physical beings in a physical world.

This is tied to postmodernism's distrust of rationalism This is tied to postmodernism's distrust of rationalism and of the ideology of the Enlightenment. This and of the ideology of the Enlightenment. This emphasis on the physicality of our being leads in emphasis on the physicality of our being leads in several directions, including several directions, including

1.1. an emphasis on chance and contingency as an emphasis on chance and contingency as fundamental conditions of our being and fundamental conditions of our being and

2.2. a positing of aesthetics rather than rationalism as a positing of aesthetics rather than rationalism as guide to truth, hence ultimately as the ground for guide to truth, hence ultimately as the ground for ethics.ethics.

a rethinking of modernism's break with history. There are (at least) two directions in which this rethinking may go:

1. a greater awareness of history as a narrative, that is, a 1. a greater awareness of history as a narrative, that is, a human construct; history is accessible to us, but only as human construct; history is accessible to us, but only as text -- its documents are texts, its institutions are social text -- its documents are texts, its institutions are social texts. This does not mean that history did not happen; it texts. This does not mean that history did not happen; it means that what we know as history is known to us only means that what we know as history is known to us only through what is configured for our understandings by through what is configured for our understandings by language, by narratives with their own shaping forces, by language, by narratives with their own shaping forces, by figures of speech. figures of speech.

2 an insistence of the incarnate and the contingent, human 2 an insistence of the incarnate and the contingent, human life as located, specific, grounded in the body and in life as located, specific, grounded in the body and in circumstance. circumstance.

Postmodern literature

Postmodernism is a fact of everyday life. Postmodernism is a fact of everyday life. We live in a world of uncertainty, of lapses We live in a world of uncertainty, of lapses in--if not absence of--authority, of in--if not absence of--authority, of fragmentation, of visual and auditory fragmentation, of visual and auditory overload, of the blurring of lines between overload, of the blurring of lines between mass culture and elite culture.mass culture and elite culture. Such features Such features have found their way into contemporary have found their way into contemporary literature and particularly into the literature literature and particularly into the literature labeled "postmodern." labeled "postmodern."

The postmodern camp is inhabited by such The postmodern camp is inhabited by such writers as William Burroughs, Robert writers as William Burroughs, Robert Coover, John Barth, Thomas Pynchon, Coover, John Barth, Thomas Pynchon, Donald Barthelme, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and Donald Barthelme, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and E. L. Doctorow and African American E. L. Doctorow and African American writer Ishmael Reed.writer Ishmael Reed.

Features

a nonlinear plot, with jumps both in space a nonlinear plot, with jumps both in space and in time, and confuses the identity of and in time, and confuses the identity of ostensible author and the "I". Is the "I" the ostensible author and the "I". Is the "I" the author? Another character? Planting the author? Another character? Planting the seeds of uncertainty in the reader regarding seeds of uncertainty in the reader regarding the identity of authors and their relationship the identity of authors and their relationship to the text is one of the hallmarks of to the text is one of the hallmarks of postmodernism. By extension, it prompts us postmodernism. By extension, it prompts us to ask where "fiction" ends and "reality" to ask where "fiction" ends and "reality" begins. begins.

postmodernism makes us question the postmodernism makes us question the organization of the text itselforganization of the text itself

blurring of the admittedly artificial line between blurring of the admittedly artificial line between historical narrative and fictional narrativehistorical narrative and fictional narrative

the problem of "author-ity" characterizes the text the problem of "author-ity" characterizes the text both fiction and history are reconstructions and both fiction and history are reconstructions and

that historical "objectivity" is impossible that historical "objectivity" is impossible

Postmodern fiction is challenging, pulling Postmodern fiction is challenging, pulling the rug out from under readers, juggling the rug out from under readers, juggling narrators, obscuring authorial voice, narrators, obscuring authorial voice, fragmenting plot lines so that the old plot fragmenting plot lines so that the old plot diagram takes on bizarre geometric patterns diagram takes on bizarre geometric patterns and calls attention to its own fictionality, and calls attention to its own fictionality, the result of which is known as metafiction. the result of which is known as metafiction.

Metafiction http://www.eng.fju.edu.tw/Literary_Criticism/postmodernism/metafiction.htm

Metafiction is a term given to fictional writing Metafiction is a term given to fictional writing which self-consciously and systematically which self-consciously and systematically draws attention to its status as an artifactdraws attention to its status as an artifact in in order to pose questions about order to pose questions about the relationship the relationship between fiction and realitybetween fiction and reality.  In providing a .  In providing a critique of their own methods of construction, critique of their own methods of construction, such writings not only examine the fundamental such writings not only examine the fundamental structures of narrative fiction, they also explore structures of narrative fiction, they also explore the possible the possible fictionality of the world outsidefictionality of the world outside the literary fictional text. the literary fictional text.  ( (Waugh 2)Waugh 2)

Spectrum: Spectrum:  Metafiction is thus an elastic term which Metafiction is thus an elastic term which cover a wide range of fictions.  There are those novels at cover a wide range of fictions.  There are those novels at one end of the spectrum which take    fictionality as a  one end of the spectrum which take    fictionality as a  theme to be explored . .. whose formal self-theme to be explored . .. whose formal self-consciousness is limited.  At the center of this spectrum consciousness is limited.  At the center of this spectrum are those texts that manifest the symptoms of formal and are those texts that manifest the symptoms of formal and ontological insecurity but allow their deconstructions to be ontological insecurity but allow their deconstructions to be finally recontextualized or 'naturalized' and given a total  finally recontextualized or 'naturalized' and given a total  interpretation . . .Finally, at the furthest extreme that, in interpretation . . .Finally, at the furthest extreme that, in rejecting realism more thoroughly, posit the world as a rejecting realism more thoroughly, posit the world as a fabrication of competing semiotic systems which never fabrication of competing semiotic systems which never correspond to material conditions, ...(correspond to material conditions, ...(WaughWaugh 18-19) 18-19)

Metafictional techniques

Metafictional techniques include everything Metafictional techniques include everything from the Dear-Reader convention to authors from the Dear-Reader convention to authors confessing to the reader that they are tired confessing to the reader that they are tired of a particular scene/character and want to of a particular scene/character and want to move on. Ex. Virginia Woolf's move on. Ex. Virginia Woolf's OrlandoOrlando

the authorial voice interrupts the narrative the authorial voice interrupts the narrative to observe that in situation X, the to observe that in situation X, the biographer usually does Y.biographer usually does Y.

John FowlesJohn Fowles' ' The French Lieutenant's The French Lieutenant's WomanWoman (1969) can be excerpted to illustrate (1969) can be excerpted to illustrate Fowles' using and subverting the Fowles' using and subverting the conventions of Victorian fiction and relying conventions of Victorian fiction and relying on a favorite postmodern strategy: the on a favorite postmodern strategy: the inclusion of alternative endings. inclusion of alternative endings.

Plot becomes fragmentary, characters are Plot becomes fragmentary, characters are eccentric, tone inconsistent, and language eccentric, tone inconsistent, and language frenetic, spiced with seemingly endless frenetic, spiced with seemingly endless allusions to mass culture. allusions to mass culture.

Las MeninasLas Meninas Brown, Jonathan.  Brown, Jonathan.  Velaquez: Painter Velaquez: Painter and Coutierand Coutier.  New Haven: Yale UP, 1986. .  New Haven: Yale UP, 1986.

"Recent studies of Las Meninas, inspired by the ideas "Recent studies of Las Meninas, inspired by the ideas of Michel Foucault, have paid considerable attention to of Michel Foucault, have paid considerable attention to the seemingly novel relationship between the scene on the seemingly novel relationship between the scene on the canvas and  the spectator.  These ideas tacitly the canvas and  the spectator.  These ideas tacitly assume that the picture was meant to be seen by the assume that the picture was meant to be seen by the public-at-large., as if it were hanging in an important public-at-large., as if it were hanging in an important museum, as it is today.  ...However. the original museum, as it is today.  ...However. the original placement indicates that this is not the case.  In 1666, placement indicates that this is not the case.  In 1666, the year after the death of Philip IV, Las Meninas was the year after the death of Philip IV, Las Meninas was inventoried in a room known as ...the office in the inventoried in a room known as ...the office in the summer quarters, ...a room destined for the personal summer quarters, ...a room destined for the personal use of the king." (Brown 259). use of the king." (Brown 259).