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<p>This article examines in what way and to what extent phenomenological philosophy has given rise to a new understanding of the modern novel and to a transformation of its narrative techniques. The starting point for this examination is the claim, made by Merleau-Ponty in “Metaphysics and the Novel”, according to which, in phenomenological philosophy, the task of philosophy is inextricably bound to that of literature. I examine this claim in two ways. First, I situate it historically with regard to the modern novel’s characteristic realism. Then, I show how the phenomenological attitude – formulated by Husserl as a methodological device in distinction with the natural attitude – transforms the novel’s narrative technics. Sartre’s first novel, La Nausée, constitutes an exemplary case to assess this transformation. Combining these two ways, I argue that the claim made by Merleau-Ponty is paradoxical: on the one hand, the intrinsic connection between phenomenological philosophy and literature promotes the cognitive value of the modern novel, but on the other hand, it breaks with the conventions of the novel form and initiates a fragmented writing.</p>
</abstract>

This article examines in what way and to what extent phenomenological philosophy has given rise to a new understanding of the modern novel and to a transformation of its narrative techniques. The starting point for this examination is the claim, made by Merleau-Ponty in “Metaphysics and the Novel”, according to which, in phenomenological philosophy, the task of philosophy is inextricably bound to that of literature. I examine this claim in two ways. First, I situate it historically with regard to the modern novel’s characteristic realism. Then, I show how the phenomenological attitude – formulated by Husserl as a methodological device in distinction with the natural attitude – transforms the novel’s narrative technics. Sartre’s first novel, La Nausée, constitutes an exemplary case to assess this transformation. Combining these two ways, I argue that the claim made by Merleau-Ponty is paradoxical: on the one hand, the intrinsic connection between phenomenological philosophy and literature promotes the cognitive value of the modern novel, but on the other hand, it breaks with the conventions of the novel form and initiates a fragmented writing.

Phenomenology and the Transformation of the Modern Novel

Phainomenon

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Phenomenology and the Transformation of the Modern Novel"}

This article examines in what way and to what extent phenomenological philosophy has given rise to a new understanding of the modern novel and to a...

Phenomenology and the Transformation of the Modern Novel

Published Online: May 17, 2021

Page range: 85 - 98

Received: Jul 20, 2021

Accepted: Sep 01, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/phainomenon-2021-0014

Keywords
Phenomenological attitude, existence, narrative techniques, realism, Sartre

© 2021 Arthur Cools, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Phenomenology and the Transformation of the Modern Novel

Published Online: May 17, 2021

Page range: 85 - 98

Received: Jul 20, 2021

Accepted: Sep 01, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/phainomenon-2021-0014

KeywordsPhenomenological attitude, existence, narrative techniques, realism, Sartre

© 2021 Arthur Cools, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Phenomenological attitude, existence, narrative techniques, realism, Sartre