The Triple Connotations of Eagleton's

Abstract

Abstract:

Is there any connection between Terry Eagleton's The Event of Literature and the philosophy of event? If any, why does he discuss "event" in the final chapter of this book? Why is it confined in only one chapter? To answer these questions, one needs to clarify the concepts he uses. His Structure/Event is based on Claude Levi-Strauss's mythology, Paul Ricoeur's hermeneutics, Anthony Giddens's "Structuration", and Wolfgang Iser's "Strategy". Nevertheless, Eagleton's "eventness" differs from Alain Badiou's "event", and is actually closer to Derek Attridge's literary ethics. As literature and art have to bring out actual effect, they are for Eagleton open for self-criticism, for the future, and for possibilities. Thus, aesthetic practices should be taken as moral practices on a higher level. This understanding is in accordance with Eagleton's identity as a Marxist. To comprehend the meaning of this book's title, it might be helpful to introduce the ideas "significances of occurrence" and "consequence of literature".

Key words: Terry Eagleton, The Event of Literature, the philosophy of event, Structuralism, literary ethics

Yin Zhike. The Triple Connotations of Eagleton's "Event" in The Event of Literature[J]. Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art, 2016, 36(6): 81-90.

References

Attridge,Derek.The Singularity of Literature.London and New York:Routledge,2004.
Badiou,Alain.Being and Event.Trans.Oliver Feltham.New York:Continuum,2005.
Burke,Kenneth.A Grammar of Motives.Berkeley,Los Angeles and London:University of California Press,1969.
列维斯特劳斯·克劳德:《野性的思维》,李幼蒸译。北京:商务印书馆,1987年。[Claude,Lévi-Strauss.The Savage Mind.Trans.Li Youzheng.Beijing:The Commercial Press,1987.]
Eagleton,Terry.The Event of Literature.New Haven and London:Yale University Press,2012.
高宣扬:“论巴迪欧的事件哲学”,《新疆师范大学学报》4(2014):1 11。[Gao,Xuanyang.“On Alain Badiou’s Philosophy of Event.”Journal of Xinjiang Normal University4(2014):1 11.]
安东尼·吉登斯:《社会的构成》,李康等译。北京:三联书店,1998年。[Giddens,Anthony.The Constitution of Society.Trans.Li Kang.Beijing:SDX Joint Publishing Company,1998.]
Iser,Wolfgang.The Act of Reading:A Theory of Aesthetic Response.London and Henley:Routledge&KeganPaul,1978.
蓝江:“回归柏拉图:事件、主体和真理---阿兰·巴迪欧哲学简论”,《南京大学学报》3(2009):14 21。[Lan,Jiang.“Return to Plato:Event,Subject and TruthAlain Badiou’s Philosophy.”Journal of Nanjing University3(2009):14 21.]
马大康:“论作为事件的文学作品”,《社会科学》11(2012):170 76。[Ma,Dakang.“On Literary Works as Events.”Social Science11(2012):170 76.]
保罗·利科:《解释的冲突》,莫伟民译。北京:商务印书馆,2008年。[Ricoeur,Paul.Le Conflit Des Interpretations.Trans.Mo Weimin.Beijing:The Commercial Press,2008.]
(1)李幼蒸先生将法语signe译为“记号”,是介于具体形象与抽象概念之间的中介物。
(2)参见吉登斯:《社会的构成》,李康等译(上海:三联书店,1998年),第89 91页。以及李红专:“当代西方社会理论的实践论转向---吉登斯结构化理论的深度审视”,《哲学动态》11(2004):7 13;“试论吉登斯结构化理论”,《社会科学战线》4(2005):274 77,等。
(3)这里的语料库原文是repertoire,它被朱刚译为“保留内容”(1999年、2009年)或“内容存储”(1998年),而霍桂桓等在《审美过程研究》中则译为“剧目”(1988年)。伊瑟尔在《阅读行动》当中认为,repertoire包括文本内所包含的前代作品、典故,以及社会、历史意义上的惯例传统,以及文化背景。repertoire的英文涵义:可供表演的歌曲或者阅读剧目;某人或者某群体具备的一系列的技巧、天赋、特殊才能。本文倾向于认为,repertoire就像是一种随时可以展示出来的能力,但这种能力不是先验的。

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The Triple Connotations of Eagleton's "Event" in The Event of Literature

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