Postmodernism manifests itself in many fields of cultural endeavor architecture. She is also author of a politics of postmodernism, a theory of parody, and ironys edge. Pdf the ironic response to nostalgia in the postmodern. The theory and politics of irony and has recently done interdisciplinary work with michael hutcheon on opera and medicine opera. Valdes abstract linda hutcheon says that this article is a dialogue that was initially provoked by some ruminations on her part over why she had resolutely insisted that the postmodern was more ironic than nostalgic. Fredric jamesons and linda hutcheons competing accounts of the. Modernist residue in jamesons pastiche and hutcheons parody. Postmodernism and the place of nostalgia in ingeborg bachmann. But when the centre starts to give way to the margins, when totalizing universalization begins to selfdeconstruct, then the complexity of the contradictions within conventions begins to be apparent. The first explores the wellsprings of the debates in the relationship between the postmodern and the enterprise it both continues and contravenes. Linda hutcheon develops a theory of adaptation through a range of media, from film and opera, to video games, pop music and theme parks, analysing the breadth, scope and creative. At the risk of succumbing to new historicist fashion, i should nonetheless like to beginwith a personal anecdote. Historians, like novelists, are said to be interested not in recounting the facts, but in recounting that they are recounting them.
Looking at both mass media and high art forms, she challenges the seeming transparency and apparent apolitical innocence of our visual images and verbal stories, asserting that these construct rather than reflect or express our experience of. The canadian postmodern linda hutcheon oxford university. Where jameson perceived irony as trivializing historical representation, i continue to see it as offering a critical edge to ward off precisely the debilitating nostalgia. Reconsiderations of the idea of nostalgia in contemporary. Postmodern and irony nostalgia irony free 30day trial. Linda hutcheon is professor of english and comparative literature at the university of toronto. What this means is that postmodern art acknowledges and accepts the challenge of tradition. For some, the irony of postmodern historiographic texts was what saved them from falling into a kind of sanitizing nostalgia to which some versions of antiquarian historicism certainly can fall prey. Dec 16, 2003 linda hutcheon is professor of english and comparative literature at the university of toronto. Linda hutcheon neither a defense nor a denunciation of the postmodern, it continues hutcheons previous projects in studying formal selfconsciousness in art, but adds to this both a historical and ideological dimension. Postmodern aspects of contemporary dance when trying to subsume the postmodern features of contemporary dance, linda hutcheon quotes sally banes.
I confess to suffering from an utter lack of nostalgia. Google scholar jameson, fredric 1983 postmodernism and consumer society, in foster, hal ed. Linda hutcheon the politics of postmodernism london. Research institute for postmodern studies, beijing university, p. Discusses some of canadas most famous authors of recent years, including audrey thomas, michael ondaatje, robert kroetsch, margaret atwood, timothy findley, jack hodgins, aritha van herk, leonard cohen, susan swan, clark. Linda hutcheon 8 high park gardens, toronto, ontario, m6r 1s9. What follows 1 is a dialogue between colleagues that was initially provoked by. Hutcheon provides a place for reflection within the postmodern that does not deny affect.
Postmodernism and the place of nostalgia in ingeborg. Feminism and postmodernism 29 sciousunconscious allows a very postmodernthat is, contradictoryantitotalizing kind of totalization. She also examines what, in her terms, is the terrific punch of nostalgic irony. A theory of adaptation explores the continuous development of creative adaptation, and argues that the practice of adapting is central to the storytelling imagination. Linda hutcheon, described the main pitfalls of nostalgic discourse in her paradigmatic article irony, nostalgia, and the postmodern.
It continues the project of linda hutcheon s narcissistic narrative and a theory of parody in studying formal selfconsciousness in art, but adds to this both an historical and an ideological dimension. Introduction to fredric jameson, module on pastiche. I had resolutely insisted that the postmodern was more ironic than nostalgic. Linda hutcheon, one of the most respected and renown of canadas theorists, has long been known to dismiss this proclivity with an easy shrug of the shoulders. It continues the project of linda hutcheons narcissistic narrative and a theory of parody in studying formal selfconsciousness in art, but adds to this both an historical and an ideological dimension. Here philosophers, social and political commentators, as well as cultural and literary analysts present controversial background essays on the complex history of these readings are.
The edge of irony, says linda hutcheon, is always a social and political edge. Irony, nostalgia and the postmodern linda hutcheon. Feminism and postmodernism 29 sciousunconscious allows a very postmodern that is, contradictoryantitotalizing kind of totalization. A member of the department of english and of the centre for comparative literature, professor hutcheon is one of the best known and highly renowned canadian scholars in the humanities today. Linda hutcheon limiting the postmodern essay sample. Postmodernism is a phenomenon whose mode is resolutely contradictory as well as unavoidably political. Linda hutcheons theory of nostalgia and parody prezi. Jan 01, 1989 continuing the project begun in the poetics of postmodernism, linda hutcheon focuses on the politics of representation. Critics such as linda hutcheon and svetlana boym have recently recon ceptualized the role of nostalgia in postmodernism so that irony, nostalgia, and affect no longer remain at odds with one another. The canadian postmodern a study of contemporary canadian fiction edited by linda hutcheon. What follows 1 is a dialogue between colleagues that was initially provoked by some ruminations on my part. It aims to examine this in relation to lyotards 1979 report on knowledge and investigate. At the risk of succumbing to new historicist fashion, i should nonetheless like to begin with a personal anecdote.
Hutcheon sees in the relation between irony and nostalgia postmodernitys complex relationship with modernity. Linda hutcheon, born august 24, 1947 is a canadian academic working in the fields of literary theory and criticism, opera, and canadian studies. Her extensive writings, both on postmodernity and feminism, provide lucid and succinct analyses of the most slippery of topics parody, irony, aesthetics and do not stop there. In 2000 she was elected the 117th president of the. Download citation irony, nostalgia, and the postmodern. For some, the irony of postmodern historiographic texts was what saved them from falling into a kind of sanitizing nostalgia to which some versions. Looking at both mass media and high art forms, she challenges the seeming transparency and apparent apolitical innocence of our visual images and verbal stories, asserting that these construct rather than reflect or express our experience of the world. Whereas hutcheon sees much to value in postmodern literatures stance of parodic selfreflexivity, seeing an implicit political critique and historical awareness in such parodic works, jameson characterizes. Fredric jamesons concept of pastiche is usefully contrasted to linda hutcheon s understanding of postmodern parody. Historiographic metafiction is one kind of postmodern novel which rejects projecting present beliefs and standards onto the past and asserts the specificity and particularity of the individual past event. Fredric jamesons concept of pastiche is usefully contrasted to linda hutcheons understanding of postmodern parody.
Irony s edge is a fascinating, compulsively readable study of the myriad forms and the effects of irony. Linda hutcheon, in her brilliant writing irony, nostalgia, and the postmodern12. This paper attempts an analysis of the current postmodern condition and its effect on our contemporary media fragmentation and consequential knowledge base. In irony s edge, linda hutcheon examines the nature of this scene. Ida cordelia beam distinguished visiting lectureship, university of iowa with michael hutcheon, october. The politics of postmodernism linda hutcheon 1989 studies. Methods for the study of literature as cultural memory, studies in comparative literature 30 2000. Here philosophers, social and political commentators. Conclusion our contemporary culture is indeed nostalgic. It is an act of looking sentimentality to bygone things while generalizing or omitting many aspects of existence. Linda hutcheon is professor of english and comparative literature at the university of toronto, canada.
Oct 24, 2014 linda hutcheon, born august 24, 1947 is a canadian academic working in the fields of literary theory and criticism, opera, and canadian studies. What follows is a dialogue between colleagues that was initially provoked by some ruminations on my part over why, in all the work i had done on postmodernism over the years, 2 i had resolutely insisted that the postmodern was more ironic than nostalgic. I should like you to pretend you are me and imagine your response to the following situation. Typically, such films also break down the cultural divide between high. What follows1 is a dialogue between colleagues that was initially provoked by some ruminations on my part over why, in all the work i had done on postm odernism over the years, 2 i had resolutely insisted that the postmodern. What follows is a dialogue between colleagues that was initially provoked by some ruminations on my part over why, in all the work i had done. Irony, nostalgia, and the postmodern, by linda hutcheon. Linda hutcheon limiting the postmodern essay example. Relevant quotations from especially regarding historical metafiction. Neovictorian novel sarah waterss new metarealism new doublecoding ann heilmann and mark. Ironys edge is a fascinating, compulsively readable study of the myriad forms and the effects of irony. Indiana university, bloomington with michael hutcheon, november 2004.
Linda hutcheon says that this article is a dialogue that was initially provoked by some ruminations on her part over why she had resolutely insisted that the postmodern was more ironic than nostalgic. Discusses some of canadas most famous authors of recent years, including audrey thomas, michael ondaatje, robert kroetsch, margaret atwood, timothy findley, jack hodgins, aritha van herk, leonard cohen, susan swan, clark blaise, george bowering. Modelled on postmodern architecture, postmodernism is the name given here to. Linda hu tcheon is the first critic to call attention to the tensional duality operating in nostalgia, irony and parody and to recognize this hybrid form as a quintessentially postmodern creation.
A poetics of postmodernism is neither a defense nor a denunciation of the postmodern. Continuing the project begun in the poetics of postmodernism, linda hutcheon focuses on the politics of representation. Postmodernist film is a classification for works that articulate the themes and ideas of postmodernism through the medium of cinema. Postmodernist film attempts to subvert the mainstream conventions of narrative structure and characterization, and tests the audiences suspension of disbelief. Hutcheon discusses the link between postmodernism and modernism. By doing so she intends to prove that the postmodern as a cultural phenomenon attempts to negotiate the space between. Toronto english library introduction to linda hutcheon, module on postmodernity i. In ironys edge, linda hutcheon examines the nature of.
My resistance to dealing with the nostalgic was in part personal. Postmodernism manifests itself in many fields of cultural endeavor architecture, literature, photography, film, painting, video, dance, music. She is also author of a politics of postmodernism, a theory of parody, and ironys edge 2. Methods for the study of literature as cultural memory, studies in comparative literature 30. Linda hutcheon limiting the postmodern essay sample limiting the postmodern. She has published extensively on postmodernism, parody and irony including ironys edge. She is a university professor emeritus in the department of english and of the centre for comparative literature at the university of toronto, where she has taught since 1988. Feminism and postmodernism university of toronto tspace. What follows 1 is a dialogue between colleagues that was initially provoked by some ruminations on my part over why, in all the work i had done on postmodernism over the years, 2 i had resolutely insisted that the postmodern was more ironic than nostalgic. In 2000 she was elected the 117th president of the modern. Whereas hutcheon sees much to value in postmodern literatures stance of parodic selfreflexivity, seeing an implicit political critique and historical awareness in such parodic works. The alternative of relational thinking 1992 ade bulletin linda hutcheon, irony, nostalgia, and the postmodern utel.