Mythology in the modern novel : a study of prefigurative techniques / by John J. White.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

White, John J., 1940- author.

Series:

Princeton legacy library.

Princeton Legacy Library

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Fiction--20th century--History and criticism.

Fiction.

Mythology in literature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (278 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, 1971.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

J. J. White reexamines the use of myth in fiction in order to bring a new terminological precision into the field. While concentrating on the German novel (Mann, Broch, and Nossack), he discusses the work of Alberto Moravia, John Bowen, Michel Butor, and Macdonald Harris as well, in order to show the modern predilection for myth in whatever national literature. Throughout his discussion, Mr. White delineates carefully his specific subject: the novel in which mythological motifs are used to prefigure events and character-Joyce's Ulysses is, of course, the archetypal novel in this tradition.Setting forth his terms, and making clear his use of them, Mr. White then analyzes the wide appeal of the mythological novel for both twentieth-century novelists and critics: he distinguishes four ways in which modern novelists use myth and surveys the range of critical literature on the subject. His concluding chapters are discussions of specific texts in which he differentiates between novels which have a unilinear parallel between myth and plot, novels of "juxtaposition" in which chapters retelling myth parallel modern action, and novels of fusion in which the action of the modern account synthesizes more than one mythic prefiguration of mythological motif.Originally published in 1972.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter One. Myth and the Modern Novel

Chapter Two. Terms and Distinctions

Chapter Three. Approaches to the Mythological Novel

Chapter Four.The Unilinear Pattern of Development

Chapter Five. Distorted Motif-Structures

Select Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 08. Jul 2019)

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9780691620152

0691620156

9780691646985

0691646988

9781400871780

1400871786

OCLC:

902958253