Flaubert’s Parrot, Julian Barnes’s most acclaimed novel worldwide, poses and playfully elaborates on questions about traditional(ist) understandings of history and conventional concepts of truth, which are also frequently asked by postmodern theorists and philosophers. How can we know the past? Can we ever do so on objective grounds? Are we not bound to (socio-culturally determined) modes of representation that prevent us from thinking or writing about anything but representation? Does the past even exist outside of our systems of signification or is it merely the product of these systems?
In postmodern thought these kinds of questions are raised in the context of an increasing scepticism towards realist or modernist ontology and epistemology. Philosophers and writers such as Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault and later Hayden White and Keith Jenkins testify to the assumption that “history now appears to be just one more foundationless, positioned expression in a world of foundationless, positioned expressions” (Jenkins 1997: 6), stressing that there is an inescapable relativity in every representation (or rather re-interpretation) of historical entities (cf. White 1997: 392).
However, in this paper I will hope to show that, despite it being “a very hard [and indeterminate] act to follow” (Barth 1980: 66), history is not dead in Barnes’s novel and neither is the pursuit of (its) meaning. In fact, both remain subjects of a longing for truth and authenticity that is repeatedly re-invented, played with, undermined and reinstalled, rather than deconstructed, in the course of FP’s narrative.
I intend to divide my paper into two sections, each of them further divided into several sub-parts. In section one I will at first provide a short compendium of postmodern philosophical-theoretical assumptions on history and historiography and their relation to the (de)construction of representation, truth and knowledge and thereafter show how these assumptions are critically acclaimed by traditional(ist) historians. With this theoretical background at hand, in section two I will proceed to the actual analysis of FP with regard to its appropriation of or divergence from postmodern thoughts and (literary) presuppositions. In so doing I will hope to show that, although inspired by postmodern theories, Barnes does not dwell in eternal indeterminacy or ‘historic nihilism’ but attempts to actively engage with history and the difficulties involved in the process of its pursuit.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- INTRODUCTION
- THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ON POSTMODERN CONCEPTS OF HISTORY
- Postmodern Theories of History - (De)Constructing Representation, Knowledge and Truth...
- Postmodern Concepts of History under Criticism: Postmodernists vs. Traditionalist Historians.
- ANALYSIS - STRUGGLING WITH FLAUBERT'S PARROT (1984)
- Postmodern Theories of History in Flaubert's Parrot (1984)
- "How do we seize the past?" - The Indeterminacy of (Historical) Knowledge.
- "What happened to the truth is not recorded" - Unattainable Truth(s) and Multiple Perspectives
- "The right words don't exist" - The Inadequacy of (Linguistic) Representation.
- Flaubert's Parrot - Beyond the Postmodern Crisis of History?...
- Pre-Postmodern Notions of History and Narrative
- Braithwaite's Post-Postmodern Pursuit(s) of History.
- CONCLUSION
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The main objective of this paper is to analyze how Julian Barnes's novel, *Flaubert's Parrot*, engages with postmodern concepts of history and truth. The paper aims to demonstrate that although the novel is influenced by postmodern theories, it does not embrace complete historical indeterminacy or nihilism. Instead, Barnes attempts to actively grapple with the difficulties of understanding history, ultimately suggesting that the pursuit of truth and meaning in the past remains valuable. Key themes explored in the paper include:- The postmodern critique of traditional historical methods and the search for objective truth.
- The role of language and representation in shaping our understanding of the past.
- The subjective nature of historical interpretation and the multiplicity of perspectives.
- The tension between the desire for historical certainty and the acceptance of indeterminacy.
- The personal significance of pursuing historical knowledge and meaning.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The paper is divided into two sections:- **Theoretical Considerations on Postmodern Concepts of History:** This section explores postmodern theories of history and their impact on the field of historiography. It examines the postmodern critique of objectivity and truth, highlighting the concept of language as a constitutive force in knowledge production. The section also addresses the criticisms levied against postmodernist approaches by traditionalist historians.
- **Analysis - Struggling With Flaubert's Parrot (1984):** This section delves into the analysis of *Flaubert's Parrot*, examining its appropriation of postmodern ideas and its engagement with themes of history and truth. The paper explores how the novel portrays the challenges of historical research and the limitations of language in representing the past. It also examines the narrator's pursuit of Flaubert's life and works, highlighting the personal significance of historical inquiry.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of the text include postmodernism, history, historiography, truth, representation, knowledge, subjectivity, objectivity, indeterminacy, Flaubert's Parrot, Julian Barnes, Geoffrey Braithwaite, narrative, and the pursuit of meaning. These keywords encapsulate the core concepts and themes explored in the paper, encompassing both philosophical and literary perspectives on history.- Quote paper
- Tessa Tumbrägel (Author), 2011, Struggling With the Postmodern Crisis of History in Julian Barnes's Flaubert's Parrot (1984), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/187712
