The concept of genre can be satisfactorily explained only in com¬parison with the concepts of stratum and structure. Proceeding from this conviction we shall try here to establish a demarcation of these often used terms and at the same time prove their interdependence.
Table of Contents
Abstract
Stratum
Structure:
Genre:
ANNOTATIONS:
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay aims to clarify the relationship between the concepts of stratum, structure, and genre within the study of literary works, establishing a clear demarcation and interdependence between these terms. By synthesizing ontological strata-models from philosophers such as Nicolai Hartmann and Roman Ingarden, the text explores how literary forms are constructed and how meaning is conveyed through these layered structures.
- The ontological foundation of the "strata-model" in art and literature.
- The interaction of various strata as the basis for defining structure.
- The differentiation of genres based on structural resemblances and human attitudes.
- The synthesis of Hartmann’s and Ingarden’s models to categorize literary and pictorial art.
- The interplay between form, content, and the unconscious influences of the author.
Excerpt from the Book
Genre:
Structures, that qualify especially well as vehicles for expression of our standard experiences, are repeated with slight variations. We call them genres. The strata of the literary work of art solidify at the same time into the individual structure of the specific work and into the relatively constant structure of the genre, depending on one's point of view. Therefore genres can be defined as groupings of literature with resemblances in the structure of their strata that especially qualify them for expressing basic human attitudes (Grundhaltungen) and experiences (Grunderlebnisse). From their “only relative” constancy (which they have in common with other concepts in the humanities as opposed to those in the natural sciences) it follows, that they are not limiting but rather accentuating concepts (Idealbegriffe). Various genres are fixed structurally in varying degrees, e. g. the sonnet more so than the novel.
Their strata are held together by the same double dependency which also characterizes each single literary work: On the one hand each level can only exist on those under it; on the other hand its character is determined by higher ones.
Only literature of a grand scope (epic poem, novel, drama) develops all levels, and even those not in the same degree. But it seems, that in the single work as well as in a genre no intermediary level may be omitted totally, since the next higher one always has to rest on it. Even lyrical poetry, which does not contain action and conflicts and which goes directly from the sphere of the external (2) or of the representational (3) to the stratum of moods and emotions, the psychological (5), only seems to constitute an exception. In reality even here the level of actions or life in movement (4) is not omitted totally: The voice assumed by the poet (das "sprechende Ich") with which we identify as much as with the epic or dramatic figure, substitutes for the missing level; without it the literary work could not exist. For even if it often seems so, it is impossible, that things speak to us directly.
Summary of Chapters
Abstract: The introduction establishes that the concept of genre can only be understood through a comparative analysis with the concepts of stratum and structure.
Stratum: This section explores the ontological strata-model, specifically referencing the works of Nicolai Hartmann and Roman Ingarden, to explain how literary art is composed of hierarchical levels.
Structure:: This chapter defines structure as the dynamic interaction between these identified strata, arguing that formal analysis is inseparable from the study of these underlying layers.
Genre:: The final section discusses how genres function as groupings of literature defined by recurring structural resemblances, reflecting basic human attitudes and experiences.
ANNOTATIONS:: This section provides comprehensive bibliographical references and critical commentary on the philosophical sources used throughout the essay.
Keywords
Stratum, Structure, Genre, Nicolai Hartmann, Roman Ingarden, Ontology, Literary Analysis, Esthetics, Grundhaltungen, Fundamental Poetics, Categorical Dependency, Transparency, Zeitgeist, Literary Work of Art, Structuralism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this essay?
The essay explores the interrelation of three fundamental literary terms—stratum, structure, and genre—and attempts to provide a clear theoretical framework for how they interact in a literary work of art.
What is the core argument regarding "strata" in literature?
The author argues that a literary work is composed of stratified levels, similar to Nicolai Hartmann's ontological model, where each level depends on the existence and integrity of the levels below it.
How are "structure" and "strata" related in this context?
Structure is defined as the result of the interaction between these strata. Therefore, a proper structural analysis must essentially be an analysis of the underlying strata.
What methodology does the author employ?
The author uses an ontological and phenomenological approach, synthesizing models developed by philosophers like Nicolai Hartmann and Roman Ingarden to classify the components of art.
How does the author define "genres"?
Genres are defined as groupings of literature that share resemblances in their structural strata, making them particularly effective vehicles for expressing specific human attitudes and experiences.
What is meant by the "double dependency" of strata?
It describes the rule that each stratum relies on the layers beneath it for support, while its specific character and function are determined by the higher-level strata.
Why does the author claim that lyrical poetry is not an exception to the strata-model?
The author argues that even in lyrical poetry, the "level of actions" is present through the voice of the speaker ("das sprechende Ich"), which substitutes for the absence of explicit narrative action.
How does the author view the "intention of the author"?
The author rejects a strict dichotomy between the "intention of the author" and the "intention of the work," suggesting that both conscious and unconscious levels of the author's personality shape the work.
What is the significance of the "Transparency" concept?
Transparency refers to the phenomenon where the deeper, more abstract levels of a work shine through the concrete foreground, allowing the reader to perceive abstract concepts through tangible depictions.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Wolfgang Ruttkowski (Author), 2007, Stratum, structure, and genre: Interrelation of the terms, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/80959
