The Literary in Theory

by Jonathan D. Culler

Has theory neglected literature? Often literary and cultural theory, which goes by the nickname "Theory," has seemed to be the theory of everything except theory of language, of sexuality, of history, of the body, of the psyche, of meaning (or meaninglessness), of politics, but not theory of literature. In this timely and wide-ranging book, Jonathan Culler, whose lucid analyses of structuralism, semiotics, and deconstruction have been prized by generations of readers, explores the place of the literary in theory. If theory has sometimes neglected literature, the literary has, Culler argues, retained a crucial if misunderstood role. Culler's account of the fortunes of the literary in theory, of the resistance to theory, and of key theoretical concepts―text, sign, interpretation, performative, and omniscience―provides valuable insight into today's theoretical debates; and his analysis of various disciplinary practices explores the possibilities of theory for the present and the future.

Genres: Theory, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism, School

292 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2006

About the author

Culler's Structuralist Poetics: Structuralism, Linguistics and the Study of Literature won the James Russell Lowell Prize from the Modern Language Association of America in 1976 for an outstanding book of criticism. Structuralist Poetics was one of the first introductions to the French structuralist movement available in English.

Culler’s contribution to the Very Short Introductions series, Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction, received praise for its innovative technique of organization. Instead of chapters to schools and their methods, the book's eight chapters address issues and problems of literary theory.

In The Literary in Theory (2007) Culler discusses the notion of Theory and literary history’s role in the larger realm of literary and cultural theory. He defines Theory as an interdisciplinary body of work including structuralist linguistics, anthropology, Marxism, semiotics, psychoanalysis, and literary criticism.

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Culler endeavors to defend theory and show how it has not--as some of have recently argued--abandoned literature. In doing so he revisits the prime theoretical debates since the 1960's: "the text," "the sign" and semiotics, performativity, and interpretation. In that regard this book (published in 2007) is a good take on the current state (battlegrounds) of literary theory. His discussions on performativity and interpretation seem particularly relevant, however, it is the chapter on Omniscience--where he argues against it "[he's] reached the conclusion that it is not a useful concept for the study of narration" (184)--that I found the most insightful and suggestive. Those more concerned with academic disciplines and the shaping of literary and cultural studies at universities will find much to masticate in his final three chapters, which take up writing criticism, doing cultural studies, and comparative literature.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good critical literary theory nuggets hidden is waffling paragraphs and copious footnotes. Bit much for me. Bring on the Derrida!

[Christina “6 word reviewer” Lake]

Too precious to be truly insightful.