Postmodern Literary Theory

Postmodern literary theory: definition

Postmodernism, like many movements in literary theory, is an unorganised collection of ideas, principles, aesthetic values, and practices. Scholars still struggle to define postmodernism, primarily because postmodernism is undefinable by the very nature of its philosophy. Some argue that postmodernism refers to the ongoing social and cultural currents that carry specific characteristics starting in the 1960s, the period that followed modernism.

To understand postmodernism, we need to understand what it opposes: modernism.

The modernist sentiment is captured well by its motto, 'make it new' (suggested by the American poet Ezra Pound). The modernist era coincided with the age of industrialisation, capitalism, war, and colonialism. The writers of this era actively tried to make sense of the rapidly changing society through their writing. As a result, different narrative styles and philosophical standpoints emerged. For example, modernist fiction is known for its individualism, experimentation, and stream-of-consciousness style of narration.

Postmodernism is a critique of modernity and modernist values. The postmodern era began in the 1960s when French thinkers like Jacques Derrida, Jean-François Lyotard, Jean Baudrillard, and Michel Foucault rose to prominence. The term 'postmodern' came into popular use with the publication of The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge (1984) by the French philosopher Jean-François Lyotard.

Postmodern literary theory: practices

An interesting aspect of postmodernism is its interconnectedness with different theories of culture.

Let's have a look at some of the key figures of postmodernism and their ideas.

Grand narratives

The French philosopher Jean-François Lyotard offered a critical understanding of what he called the grand narratives (also known as metanarratives or master narratives) of modernism. Grand narratives are ideologies that explain and justify existing truths. Grand narratives (les grands récits) work in conjunction with local narratives (les petits récits) that complement them.

Lyotard argues that there is no longer room for such totalising narratives in the postmodern era. Since the idea of universal truth is debunked, everyone subscribes to their own beliefs, and there arises the potential for conflict.

Fig. 1 Postmodernism was concerned with finding meaning in a chaotic world.

Michel Foucault and discourse

The French philosopher and critic Michel Foucault's ideas on knowledge and power have been influential in postmodern literary criticism. Foucault is most famous for the concept of discourse.

Though Foucault is often given post-structuralist and postmodernist labels, he rejected them. His work on knowledge and power continues to shape many academic fields, including literary theory. His works include Madness and Civilization (1961), The Order of Things (1966), and Discipline and Punish (1975).

Jacques Derrida and deconstruction

The theory of deconstruction by Jacques Derrida is widely used in postmodern literary criticism. Some see deconstruction as a radical critique of Saussurean linguistics. It not only questions the foundations of structuralism but also takes the argument further by introducing the idea of différance. Derrida coined the term 'différance' to mean both 'difference and deferral of meaning'.

Another interesting aspect of Derrida's work is his breakdown of binary oppositions by challenging the implied hierarchy of the opposing pair, e.g., light/dark, man/woman. According to Derrida, these are not neutral opposites but equations of power where one is superior to its opposite.

Characteristics of postmodern literary theory

• Rejection of the presupposed ideas and norms relating to art and knowledge.
• Criticism of totalising narratives (grand or master narratives) and questioning the concept of a common objective reality or universal truths.
• Rejection of philosophical foundationalism that talks about the possibility of a solid basis on which we can build our knowledge systems.
• Breakdown of the boundaries between high-art and low-art by combining features of the two in works of art and literature.

• Rejection of the belief that words and concepts carry inherent meanings that represent a pre-existing reality.

• Postmodernity is portrayed as a crisis of individuality brought forth by late capitalism and high modernity.

• Use of intertextuality, pastiche and parody as narrative techniques.

• Fragmentary and convoluted and non-linear narratives in postmodern texts signal the disjoint postmodern subjectivity.

• Experimental use of metafiction and playfulness in narration to emphasise that life has no inherent meaning that we are capable of knowing.

Postmodern literary theory: examples

After the second world war, the philosophical preoccupations of postmodernism came to dominate works of literature that coincided with a sense of disillusionment with the promises of modernity. Postmodernist literature highlights the chaos and crises of identity in an uncertain world. It recognises the complex and constructive nature of reality and perception and knowledge. Postmodern writers employ a variety of techniques like fragmentation, deconstruction, playfulness, and questionable narrators to emphasise this view.

Samuel Beckett

One of the most well-known names in the Theatre of the Absurd tradition, Beckett's works are known for their bilingual, idiosyncratic, and tragicomic elements. Beckett was an Irish writer who wrote in French, and he often translated his works into English himself. Beckett's most famous works include Waiting for Godot (1953), Endgame (1957), and Happy Days (1961). Beckett's works carry a poignant realism coupled with a tragicomic play on existentialism.

Jorge Luis Borges

This Argentine writer is celebrated for his unconventional modes of storytelling. The recurrent themes in his works include labyrinths, mirrors, libraries, and so on. His works sometimes display self-reflexity and striking elements of metafiction. Famous works include A Universal History of Infamy (1935), El Aleph (1949), 'Borges and I' (1960), and Labyrinths (1962).

Thomas Pynchon

Gravity's Rainbow (1973) by Thomas Pynchon epitomises postmodern literature as it uses a fragmented and convoluted narrative structure to discuss different themes ranging from society and culture to science. The works of Thomas Pynchon display characteristics of postmodernism although he was critical of postmodernism.

Other examples

More examples of postmodernist fiction: One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967) by the Columbian novelist Gabriel García Márquez is a seminal work of magic realism. Italo Calvino's novel If on a winter's night a traveler (1979) is a metafiction that addresses the reader directly about the exercise of reading the book. Joseph Heller's Catch-22 (1961) uses literary devices such as paradox and farce to present a complicated narrative to the reader.

Postmodern literary theory: facts

The methodology of postmodernism is best described as going against the grain of modernist values and conventions. As opposed to modernism, which placed great importance on innovation and a positive outlook on modern life, postmodernism questions underlying assumptions of modernity and challenges presupposed knowledge and ideas. In literature, this is made visible through unreliable and circuitous narrations and deeply fragmented presentation of reality.

There was a resurgence of Gothic literature in the postmodern era, a genre that uses fearful and grotesque imagery to invoke intense reactions in readers. This is the postmodern Gothic, a manifestation of postmodern anxiety and uncertainty. Gothic-postmodernism is Gothic fiction with characteristics or undertones of postmodernism and captures the postmodern 'spirit of terror' that postmodern philosophers talk about. This genre uses fragments of realism and fantasy to achieve the interplay between fiction and reality.

The works of postmodernism in art, architecture, and music offer interesting comparisons to how it appears in literature. Many pop icons in these fields who we are familiar with are often associated with or influenced by postmodernism.