By carefully comparing observations made by specialists in Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and Western literature concerning problems of literary values, canon-formation, and the concept of literature itself, the author tries to answer some of the most pertinent questions in comparative aesthetics and ethnopoetics, specifically:
Are literatures of radically different cultures comparable regarding literary values?- Do “universal” literary values exist?- Do literary values remain the same within the development of one culture?- Does the fact that certain works of literature have been valued over centuries indicate that “eternal values” exist?-
Is the concept of literature the same in radically different cultures?- Does it remain the same within the development of one culture?- Are the basic genres (the lyric, epic, and dramatic) comparable?- Are certain analogous phenomena in Indian and Western literature indicative of basic similarities between these literatures?-
Is at least the theory deduced from these literatures similar?- Is a unified theory of literature desirable?- Are literary canons established mainly according to perceived aesthetic values in the selected works?-
If the answer to all of the questions above is NO, wherein lie the basic differences between Eastern and Western literatures?-
(In: Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics, Sambalpur University, Orissa/India, XXIV, 1-2, 2001, 89-125)
Table of Contents
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
Research Objectives and Themes
The work aims to investigate the comparability of literary values, canon formation, and the concept of literature itself across radically different cultures, specifically questioning whether Western aesthetic standards and theories possess universal validity. It seeks to determine if a unified theory of literature is desirable or even possible given the profound differences between Eastern and Western literary traditions.
- Comparative analysis of literary values in Eastern and Western cultures.
- Examination of canon formation mechanisms as constructs rather than aesthetic universals.
- Critique of applying Western critical vocabulary to non-Western literary systems.
- The impact of cultural history and social embedding on the development of literary genres.
- The role of "unity" and "realism" as culturally specific aesthetic preferences.
Excerpt from the Book
The concept of literature in different cultures
Not only do variants in its sub-groups cause the concept “literature” to fluctuate, so also do the different meanings it receives from its social embedding. There are various stages of the latter to be observed which Rudolf Arnheim describes well: “In early societies, performers and art makers are so closely integrated in the community that their motivational objectives coincide with those of the group. At first, there may be no distinction between those who supply the arts and those who consume them. Performances of dances and other ceremonies are shared by all for a common purpose, and craft work is contributed by everyone. Even when the arts become specialities reserved for certain individuals, there is in early societies no noticeable distinction between the objectives of the artists and those of the community. Only in ages of individualism such as that of the Renaissance in the Western world do artists cease to be employed artisans like bricklayers or shoemakers and develop their own aesthetic values , which must try to cope with those of monarchal and ecclesiastical princes using their services. [...] In the nineteenth century, the artist, detached from the give-and-take of well functioning social relations, is typified by isolated loners pursuing their own standard and taste, which more often than not are not shared by the public.”- The situation first described might have been part of the fascination that, for example, the island of Bali exerted on anthropologists and especially artists.
Summary of Chapters
I: Introduction to the methodological challenge of applying Western critical vocabulary to non-Western literature and the necessity of distinguishing between two perspectives on literary evaluation.
II: Exploration of how the concept of literature varies across cultures and the social embedding of literary practices from early communal societies to the age of individualism.
III: Discussion of analogous tendencies found in Eastern cultures, specifically comparing Indian rasa theory with Western concepts of catharsis and psychological impact.
IV: Emphasis on the characteristic differences between East and West, noting the dominant role of theology in Oriental art versus Western naturalism.
V: Examination of Chinese drama and the skepticism regarding the comparison between Chinese Ming-dynasty novels and European Baroque literature.
VI: Analysis of Japanese aesthetic theory, highlighting unique mood-qualities like sabi and wabi, and the difficulty of transferring these concepts to Western aesthetic frameworks.
VII: Discussion of epic genres and the distinction between novelistic masterworks in Japan and their Western counterparts regarding plot structure and closure.
VIII: Assessment of the criterion of "unity" in Western literature and its divergence from the theatrical experiences found in Japanese Kabuki.
IX: Synthesis of profound differences in the importance of unity, realism, and plot structure, arguing against evaluative comparisons of diverse national literatures.
X: Comparative study of canon-formation, identifying Western canons as histories of changing generations, whereas Asian canons are characterized by continuity and religious roots.
XI: Differentiation between "literary" and "cultural" texts, suggesting that the autonomy of art is a specific development within the Western Enlightenment.
XII: Concluding reflections that reject the existence of universal literary values and advocate for respecting the cultural determinants of literature.
Keywords
Comparative Literature, Literary Values, Canon Formation, Ethnopoetics, Aesthetic Universals, Eastern Aesthetics, Western Aesthetics, Cultural Relativism, Literary Theory, World Literature, Stylization, Realism, Genre Theory, Canonization, Literary Criticism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work focuses on the comparative study of literary values and canons between Eastern and Western cultures, specifically examining whether Western aesthetic theories can be universally applied.
What are the central thematic areas?
Central themes include the cross-cultural definition of literature, the historical construction of literary canons, the role of social embedding in art, and the divergence of Eastern and Western aesthetic norms.
What is the core research question?
The research asks whether literatures from radically different cultures are comparable regarding values, and whether a unified theory of literature is desirable given the fundamental differences in their development.
Which scientific method is employed?
The author uses a comparative aesthetic approach, drawing on ethnopoetics and historical critique to analyze how different cultures establish and transmit cultural values.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the concept of literature, the role of aesthetics in Indian, Chinese, and Japanese traditions, the structural differences in epic and dramatic genres, and the formation of canons.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Comparative Literature, Literary Values, Canon Formation, Ethnopoetics, Aesthetic Universals, and Cultural Relativism.
How does the work interpret the concept of 'World Literature'?
The work suggests that 'World Literature' as coined by Goethe is primarily a European-centered concept that should not be expanded to include all global traditions without recognizing the vast contextual differences.
What is the significance of the "open ending" in Japanese novels?
The author highlights the loose plot structure and open endings of Japanese literature as an anticipation of modern tendencies, which contrasts with the Western emphasis on climactic unity and closure.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Wolfgang Ruttkowski (Author), 2001, “East and West” and the Concept of Literature, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/7732
