Biwu Shang Livres

Engaging with contemporary narratology, this book delves into unnatural narrative theory, providing a thorough analysis of current scholarship. It addresses key issues and critical debates within the field, while also proposing future directions for research and development. This exploration not only enhances understanding of unnatural narratives but also contributes to ongoing discussions in literary theory.

This book makes an intensive study of James Phelan’s rhetorical theory of narrative. Apart from illustrating six basic principles in doing rhetorical theory of narrative, the author examines six major issues which are central to Phelan’s rhetorical poetics, namely, focalization, character narration, unreliable narration, narrative progression, narrative judgments, and narrative ethics. For each narratological concept, the author minutely conducts a genealogical study to make the review work complete. The book not only compares Phelan’s rhetorical narratology with classical narratology but also with other strands of postclassical narratology. A detailed bibliography makes this book a compendium of narrative theory which is of relevance for scholars and students of all literary disciplines.