伊格尔顿对“文学是什么”的重审——从《二十世纪西方文学理论》到《文学事件》

Eagleton’s reexamination of "what literature is" : From Literature Theory: An Introduction to The Event of Literature

伊格尔顿的《文学事件》调整了《二十世纪西方文学理论》探讨"文学是什么"的认知方式,发展了后者言及而未展开的观点。《二十世纪西方文学理论》一一解构了历来对于文学的种种定义,认为文学是一个没有本质和固定所指、仅具功能性的范畴。《文学事件》反思了从实在论与唯名论路径界定"文学"的局限性,指出不能对文学做出一劳永逸的定义并不意味文学的本质完全是主观、随机、任意或神秘莫测的。伊格尔顿通过梳理不同的批评理论发现,把文学和非文学强制区分开来的往往是某种物质环境或者社会情境,而非单一的某种语言形式特征。伊格尔顿从文学的功能性和体制性入手,将文学界定为一种策略性的道德实践,并认为批评理论需要窥探和破解文学虚构语法中隐含的道德价值。

Eagleton’s The Event of Literature adjusts cognitive way about "what literature is" in Literature Theory: An Introduction, and develops the view mentioned in the latter but unfolded. Literature Theory: An Introduction deconstructs the various definitions of literature, considers literature as a category without any essential reference. The Event of Literature reflects on the limitations of defining "literature" from the path of realism and nominalism, and points out that the inability to define literature once and for all does not mean that the essence of literature is entirely subjective, random, arbitrary, or mysterious. Eagleton starts from the functional and institutional aspects of literature, and defines literature as a strategic moral practice. Critical theory needs to peek and crack the hidden moral value of literary fictional grammar.