| Titre | Deux ou trois choses que j'attends d'elle | |
|---|---|---|
| Auteur | Philippe Roger | |
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Revue | Revue française d'études américaines |
| Numéro | no 130, 4ème trimestre 2011 Que peut la littérature ? | |
| Rubrique / Thématique | Dossier : Que peut la littérature ? |
|
| Page | 10-18 | |
| Résumé anglais |
That it is possible (and maybe even necessary) to ask what literature can do is a sign of the times — of the “modern times” that have witnessed the birth of literature in the current sense of the term. However, for a whole century, modern literature itself chose to answer this question in the negative by claiming impossibility and powerlessness as its distinguishing features. An early indication that a new leaf was about to be turned came in 1978, when Roland Barthes gave a talk entitled “Longtemps je me suis couché de bonne heure”: not only did he perceive the true extent of literature's power, but he tried to define its “mission.” While the question he raised may then have seemed incongruous, it has now attracted the attention of many, including people who are not literary scholars. The point of this article is to examine the validity of several possible answers: literature can instruct its readers; it can proclaim human rights not mentioned in the various Declarations; it can help “me” become “another” and shield “me” from evil even in the depths of hell. Thus, literature can do a great deal for us, and the time may have come to ask what we can do for literature. Source : Éditeur (via Cairn.info) |
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| Article en ligne | http://www.cairn.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=RFEA_130_0010 |
