Ritið : tímarit Hugvísindastofnunar - 01.05.2013, Page 39

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inni er spurt um einkenni og sögulega afmörkun módernismans, ekki síst með tilliti
til tímabila og afstöðu hans til samfélagsorðræðu og bókmenntahefðar, sérstaklega
raunsæislegrar tjáningar og frásagna.
Lykilorð: módernismi, raunsæi, frásagnarkreppa, bókmenntahefð, tímabil í bók-
menntasögu, rannsóknasaga
A B S T R A C T
Modernism and Narrative Crises
Among the defining features of modernist literature is the complication, if not
breakdown, of narratives; not necessarily of sequentiality as such, but of prevalent
narrative referenciality, including the various codes and contracts involving both
receivers and makers of literature. While it has often been assumed that such a
rupture is a sign of the aesthetic sovereignty of modernist works, it also results in a
crisis and in various attempts to locate the links between modernist expression and
the historical context: the modernity residing in and reflected by such works. As
“modernism” assumes greater significance as a concept about modern literature,
the history of modernism moves along an increasing number of tracks, involving
different cultures, countries and languages. Thus a new crisis emerges, different
from, yet related to, the one already mentioned. How can we tell the story/history
of modernism? What are its geographical and historical parameters and what is the
point of view at each narrative juncture? This essay inquires into the features and
historical demarcations of modernism, especially in relation to periodization and to
social discourse and literary tradition, in particular realist narratives and modes of
expression.
Keywords: modernism, realism, narrative crisis, literary tradition, periods in literary
history, history of research
FRÁSAGNARKREPPUR MÓDERNISMANS