Reception Theory

WB Yeats and Shakespearean Character

by Jonathan Allison

Der involvierte Leser. Immersive Lektürepraktiken in der spätmittelalterlichen Mystik-Rezeption, in: Immersion im Mittelalter, hg. von Hartmut Bleumer (Zeitschrift für Literaturwissenschaft und Linguistik 167, 2012) (in Druckvorbereitung)

by Balázs J. Nemes

The article approaches the immersive potential of Mechthild von Magdeburg's “Fließendes Licht“, dispensing the reader... more The article approaches the immersive potential of Mechthild von Magdeburg's “Fließendes Licht“, dispensing the reader from his role as a spectator and turning him into a participant, something which has frequently been claimed by the new German medieval studies. This particular kind of recipient is, certainly, an ideal-typical reader, a literary construct with the function to display the strategies of persuasion in “Fließendes Licht“ and the special literacy or the functional inclusion of the text. It should be all the more interesting to have a look at a specific historical recipient as this allows making the text's calculated aesthetic impacts plausible or outlining them with regard to the history of receptions. The instructions by Heinrich von Nördlingen from the first half of the 14th century, addressed to Margareta Ebner and the Dominican nuns of Maria Medingen near Dillingen, which told them how to incorporate and read „Fließendes Licht“ will be the centre of my analysis. This particular example and the recourse to circulating thoughts about the phenomenology of immersion shall show which requirements have to be fulfilled in a special religious context of reception to obtain the effect of immersion. Heinrich's directives are perfectly suitable for this line of questioning as they create the model of an involved reader, amounting to the requirement to get into the diegesis of the text and to identify with the literary figure.

Im Beitrag geht es um das in der neueren germanistisch-mediävistischen Forschung vielfach behauptete immersive Potential des „Fließenden Lichts“ Mechthilds von Magdeburg, den Leser seiner Rolle als Beobachter (spectator) zu entbinden und ihn zu einem Teilnehmer (participant) der textuell entworfenen virtuellen Realität zu machen. Freilich handelt es sich bei diesem Typ vom Rezipienten um einen idealtypischen Leser, ein literaturwissenschaftliches Figurenkonstrukt also, dessen Funktion darin besteht, die im „Fließenden Licht“ verfolgten Persuasionsstrategien und damit die besondere Literarizität bzw. funktionale Einbindung des Textes sichtbar zu machen. Umso interessanter dürfte es sein, den Blick auf einen konkreten historischen Rezipienten zu lenken, ermöglicht er doch, die von der Forschung beobachteten kalkuliert wirkungsästhetischen Effekte des Textes zu plausibilisieren bzw. rezeptionsgeschichtlich zu perspektivieren. Im Mittelpunkt meiner Untersuchung stehen die an Margareta Ebner und die Dominikanerinnen von Maria Medingen bei Dillingen gerichteten Anweisungen von Heinrich von Nördlingen aus der Mitte des 14. Jahrhunderts, wie sie das „Fließende Licht“ aufnehmen und lesen sollen. An diesem Fallbeispiel und im Rückgriff auf die kursierenden Überlegungen zur Phänomenologie der Immersion gilt es zu zeigen, welche Voraussetzungen speziell in einem religiösen Rezeptionskontext erfüllt werden müssen, damit es überhaupt zum Effekt der Immersion kommt. Heinrichs Direktiven eignen sich für diese Fragestellung insofern bestens, als sie das Modell des involvierten Lesers entwerfen, laufen sie doch auf die Forderung hinaus, sich in die Diegese des Textes zu begeben und sich mit der Textfigur zu identifizieren

Aproximación a la interpretación publicitaria desde la estética de la recepción

by Victor Hernandez-Santaolalla

Published in J.L. Crespo Fajardo (coord.), Arte y cultura digital. Planteamientos para una nueva era, Sevilla, Eumed.net, 2012, pp. 21-27.

Definida por primera vez por Hans Robert Jauss en la conferencia inaugural de la Universidad de Constanza el 13 de... more Definida por primera vez por Hans Robert Jauss en la conferencia inaugural de la Universidad de Constanza el 13 de abril de 1967, la teoría o estética de la recepción pretendía una revolución en la concepción de la relación autor-receptor de la obra literaria, que sería trasladada, posteriormente, al resto de manifestaciones artísticas. En esta línea, y relacionada con la teoría de los efectos de la comunicación de masas y, en concreto, de la comunicación persuasiva, el presente trabajo propone un análisis de la publicidad desde los presupuestos básicos de dicha Teoría de la Recepción, entendiendo que es el público de los anuncios el que realmente configura su sentido final.

La influencia de Thomas Malory y la figura de Merlín en la obra periódica de Álvaro Cunqueiro: Un caso de estudio

by Ruben Jarazo-Alvarez

Journal "Oceánide"

Amongst the characters in the legends of the Matter of Britain, Merlin is undoubtedly the most mysterious. For years,... more Amongst the characters in the legends of the Matter of Britain, Merlin is undoubtedly the most mysterious. For years, Merlin has taken various names, faces and functions. It has been known as a Counsellor, prophet, magician and priest. Merlin is as complex as his true nature or origins. Quite possibly, his beginnings are accounted in those druidic cultures that populated the current Great Britain, when Merlin was forged as a symbol of universal knowledge, a deity who takes many forms. Álvaro Cunqueiro, being aware of all these traditions, provides a new interpretation of the myth beyond its contribution to the short novel in Merlin and Company (1955) through his short stories published in the press over several decades of journalistic profession. A brief index of articles published in the press about Merlin accompanies this article.

Muerte, peste, hambre y miedo en una version gallega de "Romeo y Julieta"

by Ruben Jarazo-Alvarez

"Journal of the Spanish Society for the Study of Popular Culture Garoza"

North-Western Spanish scholars have been focused on Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" different adaptations and... more North-Western Spanish scholars have been focused on Shakespeare’s "Hamlet" different adaptations and translations during several decades, especially after the publication and following performance of "O Incerto Señor Don Hamlet, Príncipe de Dinamarca" (1958) by Álvaro Cunqueiro. However, few critics have analysed the concise adaptation "Función de Romeo e Xulieta, Famosos Namorados" published in "The Chroniles of the Subchantor" (1956) by Cunqueiro. In this article, we will try to decipher some of the main Shakesperian characteristics in the Galician adaptation.

Twentieth-Century Burns Scholar: J. DeLancey Ferguson.

by Corey E. Andrews

The Burns Chronicle (Winter 2011): 9-12.

This essay presents a critical appreciation of the work of J. DeLancey Ferguson, a noted Burns critic of the twentieth... more This essay presents a critical appreciation of the work of J. DeLancey Ferguson, a noted Burns critic of the twentieth century.

Non al denaro, non all'amore né al cielo. Ricezione e selezione del pubblico in Guglielmo IX e l'Arcipoeta

by Matteo Pace

Published in 'UC Berkeley Comparative Literature Undergraduate Journal', 2 (2011), pp. 4-15.

A well-known statement of Pio Rajna branded William IX’s oeuvre a schizofrenic and halved poetry, in which the... more A well-known statement of Pio Rajna branded William IX’s oeuvre a schizofrenic and halved poetry, in which the enhancement (and maybe founding) of the courtesy values coexists with the unbridled pursuit of pleasure and sex. In fact, the puns and parodies of his poems shift the reception axis between the author and his public with consequences I have compared with the selective reception in the Archpoet’s poetry.

Una celebre definizione di Pio Rajna del 1928 ha bollato la poesia di Guglielmo IX come poesia schizofrenica, divisa a metà, dove convivono sia l’esaltazione (e probabilmente fondazione) delle virtù cortesi e del vassallaggio d’amore, sia l’inseguimento sfrenato, elogiato senza mezzi termini, del piacere e del sesso. In effetti, i giochi verbali e i meccanismi parodici della poesia guglielmina spostano continuamente l’asse della ricezione che congiunge l’autore con il suo pubblico (ideale o effettivo), con effetti che si sono studiati con la selezione ricettiva presente nella poesia dell’Arcipoeta.

As Greek as it gets: British attempts to recreate the Parthenon

by Marc Fehlmann

Rethinking History, XI, 3, 2007

Men of Feeling: Harley, Sindall, Zeluco, and Robert Burns.

by Corey E. Andrews

The Eighteenth-Century Novel 8 (2011): 187-226.

Accounts of Robert Burns's reading are well-documented in his correspondence, where he frequently attests to his... more Accounts of Robert Burns's reading are well-documented in his correspondence, where he frequently attests to his enjoyment of three books in particular: John Moore's Zeluco and Henry Mackenzie's The Man of Feeling and The Man of the World. These three Scottish novels recount the lives of vividly-imagined men whose actions affect those around them in dramatic fashion. Zeluco lies, deceives, and ultimately murders his lovers and family; the “Man of the World” Sindall behaves similarly, threatening the well-being of an innocent, virtuous family. At the other end of the spectrum, Harley (the lead of The Man of Feeling) weeps and emotes in vignette-like encounters with various scenes of suffering. Each of these characters holds clues to the exceedingly popular model of masculinity represented by the writing and reputation of Robert Burns. This essay examines the templates of masculinity embodied by Zeluco, Sindall, and Harley, in order to determine how and why they commanded such an influence on Burns's imagination. The characters' relation to late eighteenth-century ideals of politeness is also examined, in addition to the novels’ engagement with sentimental discourse. The essay offers an analysis of the combined influences of these three "men of feeling" on Burns, his writing, and his posthumous reputation.

Translating Grotius’ De jure belli ac pacis: Courtin vs Barbeyrac

by Meri Päivärinne

This paper explores the notion of translation norms with a descriptive case study of two early French translations of... more This paper explores the notion of translation norms with a descriptive case study of two early French translations of Hugo Grotius’ legal treatise De jure belli ac pacis: Antoine de Courtin’s (1687), and Jean Barbeyrac’s (1724). Historically, academic translations at least in Europe have tended to follow two traditions that emerge from different views of translation and represent two extremes of the spectrum of discursive choices. I call the first straight translation, which sees translation as simple transmission of knowledge to new languages, and the second commentary translation, which explicitly engages translators in the academic discussion itself, creating new knowledge. As the article shows, the eighteenth-century French discussion of academic translation was rich in theoretical formulations that articulate the era’s translation norms. Consequently, the analysis of Courtin’s and Barbeyrac’s paratexts contributes to the modern critical debate about norms and agency in translation.

Keywords: translation norms; Hugo Grotius; Antoine de Courtin; Jean Barbeyrac; translators’ agency; paratext

La cicatriz europea. Recepción borgeana de la cultura japonesa

by Matías Chiappe

http://www.bn.gov.ar/jornadas-internacionales-iborges-lectori

El presente trabajo se propone abordar los diferentes momentos en que Borges hizo referencia a la cultura japonesa.... more El presente trabajo se propone abordar los diferentes momentos en que Borges hizo referencia a la cultura japonesa. Dicha actividad ha sido vasta por parte del argentino: desde aplicaciones temáticas y formales hasta usos poéticos, desde citas filosóficas y religiosas hasta reelaboración conceptual, desde trabajos críticos y antológicos hasta compilaciones fotográficas. Sobre todo, se intentará evaluar un problema fundamental en la recepción de dicha cultura: la mediación por parte de la cultura europea que fue puerta de acceso necesaria para Borges.

Palabras clave: BORGES; JAPÓN; EUROPA; RECEPCIÓN.

Enhancing the Agency of the Listener: Introducing Reception Theory In a Lecture

by Karen Smyth

"Burnsiana": The Collections of John Dawson Ross

by Corey E. Andrews

The Burns Chronicle (Summer 2011): 15-19.

This essay provides a brief account of the Burnsiana collections of John Dawson Ross, with particular attention to the... more This essay provides a brief account of the Burnsiana collections of John Dawson Ross, with particular attention to the popular cultural reception of Burns throughout the nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries.

The mediation of response: a critical approach to individual and group reading practices

by Daniel Allington

Allington, Daniel and Swann, Joan (2011). The mediation of response: a critical approach to individual and group reading practices. In: Crone, Rosalind and Towheed, Shafquat eds. The History of Reading, Vol. 3: Methods, Strategies, Tactics. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 80–96.

This chapter argues for the need to study the processes by which reading experiences enter the historical record. As... more This chapter argues for the need to study the processes by which reading experiences enter the historical record. As we see from the example of Lord Byron's Don Juan and Jonathan Rose's The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes (a history of reading which barely mentions that immensely popular poetic work), suppression of reference to a text in autobiographical (and other) sources can lead to under-representation of that text by historians who read those sources uncritically. Through ethnographic study of a contemporary reading group, this chapter explores the complex processes that link together silent reading, private discussion, and written account with regard to a single text (the English-language translation of Irene Nemirovsky's Fire in the Blood). It is argued that these processes effectively produce the reading experience, and that they form a more interesting object of study than the hypothetically unmediated reader response that might naively be assumed to underlie them.

If you are unable to access the book in which this chapter appears, you can ask me for a copy by following this link:

http://oro.open.ac.uk/cgi/request_doc?docid=32808

"Genres for the Prosecution: Pornography and the Gothic." PMLA 114 (1999): 1043-54.

by Michael Gamer

Beyond Christianity, the Bible, and the Text: Urgent Tasks and New Orientations for Reception History

by Deane Galbraith

Co-authored with Eric Repphun, James E. Harding, and Will Sweetman

The first editorial for Relegere: Studies in Religion and Reception. The first editorial for Relegere: Studies in Religion and Reception.

Cinematic Receptions of Antiquity: the Current State of Play

by Joanna Paul

Classical Receptions Journal 2(1), 2010

Venders, Purchasers, Admirers: Burnsian "Men of Action" from the Nineteenth to the Twenty-First Century.

by Corey E. Andrews

Scottish Literary Review 2.1 (Spring/Summer 2010): 97-115.

The article discusses the promotion of poet Robert Burns as a national icon for Scotland after his death in 1796. It... more The article discusses the promotion of poet Robert Burns as a national icon for Scotland after his death in 1796. It cites Burns' popular appeal to Scots of all classes, with special attention to his cultural value in nineteenth-century Scotland. As the nineteenth-century glorification of Burns waned, interest in his political views (and potential value) grew among many Scottish groups. In particular, the significance of politics assumed a primary role in critical and popular cultural analyses of the poet. Particularly in the new climate of devolution following the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, Burns represented different, often competing iconic meanings as various groups have sought to harness the power of his reputation to promote their interests. Nowhere has this process been more evident than in Burns’s relationship to politics; his endorsement or denunciation of radical politics in particular has continued to be a major bone of contention in discussions of his reputation. The article indicates the claim of ownership of Burns by the Scottish people continues to be a major feature of Scotland's relationship to Burns. It suggests that Burns' place in the literary field will be better understood and appreciated by recognizing the process by which he became a national icon.

The Genius of Scotland: Robert Burns and His Critics, 1796-1828.

by Corey E. Andrews

International Journal of Scottish Literature 6 (Spring/Summer 2010): 1-16.

This article focuses on the critical reception of Robert Burns from 1796 to 1828. It explores how the concept of... more This article focuses on the critical reception of Robert Burns from 1796 to 1828. It explores how the concept of genius influenced the perception of Burns as it was represented by critics and editors throughout the time period. Testimony of Burns’s ‘genius’ in the early nineteenth century was entirely in line with critical responses to the poet’s works beginning in 1786. This essay provides a survey of these responses, revealing a consistent pattern of critical reception of Burns and his body of work. The primary critical approach to Burns’s work involved the application of ‘genius’ theory; the continuum of critical responses demonstrates the fluid nature of this concept throughout the late eighteenth and mid nineteenth centuries. However, attention to the poet’s reception history also shows that while the concept underwent significant moderation as an aesthetic category, its association with moral failings was almost uniformly expressed by Burns’s critics. The ties between genius and biography, particularly in Burns’s case, became increasingly knotted as later commentators attempted to understand the poet’s life and works. This essay demonstrates that the process of myth-building and moralizing surrounding Burns continued unabated through the nineteenth century, particularly as critics assayed the poet’s nationalist iconicity while attempting to diminish the relevance of moral failings wrought by his ‘genius’. Burns’s fame still highlights this tension between his undeniable poetic gifts and his messy personal life, between his poetic aspirations and his complicated desires.

"Work" Poems: Assessing the Georgic Mode of Eighteenth-Century Working-Class Poetry.

by Corey E. Andrews

In Experiments in Genre in Eighteenth-Century Literature, edited by Sandro Jung (Ghent, Belgium: Academia Scientific, 2011), 105-133.

Eighteenth-century Britain saw the emergence of a new poetic genre, the “work” poem which took various forms of labor... more Eighteenth-century Britain saw the emergence of a new poetic genre, the “work” poem which took various forms of labor as its subject and was often written by laborers themselves. Several of these working class poets found their lives transformed due to the success of their verse (Stephen Duck most famously), but most faded into literary obscurity. However, a substantial body of “work” poems was produced by a diverse group of poets throughout the century, each manifesting divergent concerns and attitudes about the experience of work. This chapter assesses the formal connections uniting this poetic genre, particularly the frequent use of such literary devices as ironic distancing, litotes, and mock-georgic description. Instead of solely classifying “work” poems on the basis of their subject matter, this chapter demonstrates that such poetry (indeed the genre itself) lends itself to sophisticated literary techniques often associated with other poetic genres. In this fashion the full measure of eighteenth-century working class poetry can be evaluated more fairly, particularly by analyzing the formation of a new genre designed expressly by the poets themselves. The chapter ultimately seeks to demonstrate the connectedness, rather than the alienation, of working class poetry to the eighteenth-century British poetic tradition.