Kinds of Literature. An Introduction to the Theory of Genres and Modes

369 Pages·1982·9.607 MB·English

by  Fowler, Alastair

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In this important book, the first general ' ... an essential work of literary theory.'
study of genre theory, Alastair Fowler Arthur Pollard, British Book News
investigates the meaning of genres and how
' ... a steady dividend of unhackneyed
modern literature relates to the traditional
learning and unexpected points of view ... a
categories. for some time now it has been
willingness to continue the discussion among
taken for granted that the old order of
living writers where all is still fluid and
historical kinds has irrevocably gone; in the
uncertain ... these definitions and
main critics have preferred to talk about
distinctions lead us to see supposedly
genres-or 'modes' -in a broad, unhistorical
familiar stretches of literary history in a fresh
way. This seldom makes for better reading of
light ... a generous familiarity with literature
literature; and, dealing with a very small
of all ages and a lively regard for its variety.'
repertoire of modes, it has tended to narrow
Graham Hough, London Review of Books
the literary canon.
' ... logically argued and solidly based on
Kinds of Literature springs from the
the evidence of literature itself ... his own
conviction that it is time to recover a sense
readings of literature throughout the book
of the variety of literary forms. To this end,
illuminate the texts in ways which ... wholly
and grounding his study in a wealth of
justify his approach through genre.'
examples, Professor fowler reconstructs
Maurice Evans, Times Higher Education
genre theory and opens it to historical
Supplement
considerations. He takes into account
variation over the years and across national ' ... balanced, intelligent, and useful ... a
borders, and traces the actual mechanisms welcome delight.' Susanne Woods, Spenser
of literary change. News fetter
ISBN 0-19-812857-6
Oxford
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Kinds of Literature

Kinds of Literature
An Introductiont o the
Theoryo f Genresa nd Modes
ALASTAIR FOWLER
CLARENDON PRESS • OXFORD
Oxford UniversityP ress,G reat ClarendonS treet,O "':forodx z 6DP
Oxford New York
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Oxfordi s a tradem ark efO xford UniversityP ress
© 1982 by Alastair Fow!er
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BritishL ibrary Cataloguinign PublicationD ata
FowlerA, fastair
Kinds efL iterature
1. Literaryfo rm
l Titfe
801 '.9 PN45.5
ISBN 0-19-812857-6
Printedi n GreatB ritain by
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Ipswich,S uffolk
Preface
For quite some time now, it has been taken for granted that the old order
of historical kinds has irrevocably gone. If we are to have genres, they
must be arrived at de novo rather than ab ovo. And in ehe main, critics
have preferred to talk about genres--or "modes"-in a very broad, un
historical way. Such theory is sometimes interesting. But it seldom seems
eo make for better reading of literature. And since it deals wich a very
small repertoire of modes, it has tended to narrow the literary canon.
This book springs from the conviction that it is time to enlarge the
critical repertory: to recover a sense of the variety of literary forms. lt in
quires whether genre in the traditional sense may not still have a place in
literature. How do genres function? How are they formed? What is ehe
relation of "fixed genre" to mode? My aim has not been to build systems
of genres ( there are all too many of those already), but to discuss prob
lems and issues that arise when literary groupings are considered in terms
of genre. In particular, I have tried to follow out some of the implica
tions of treating genres not as permanent classes but as families subject to
change. I have tried always to keep diachronic considerations in mind.
Not that literature cannot sometimes transcend external history. But eo
do so it must accept its own history.
The book will seem too audacious to some, to others pedestrian. Wich
few exceptions, for example, it deals specifically wich English literature. I
am aware of ehe comparatists' objections to genre studies on a national
basis, and agree wich ehern. But I have had to weigh against this the great
differences between ehe orders of genres in different literatures. Some
kinds, indeed, occur exclusively in one, without equivalent elsewhere.
Many are international, however, and the decision to concentrate on a
single literature was primarily a choice of scale. But although I have fo
cused on English literature and the ideas that bear on it, I have intra-
VI PREFACE
duced other literatures where it seemed helpful to do so. Considering the
relevant sources, models, analogues, formative traditions, and theoretical
influences inevitably involves a genre critic in some comparative work.
Allowing for such involvements, we may think that English literature
would not be a disablingly inadequate sample to take, if one knew how
to take it. The generic nature of literature may besuch that one extensive
literature may stand as an exemplar of literature itself. If I am thought
wrang in this, the book may be mentally retitled Kinds of English Litera
ture. In any event, this is not a history of criticism. If it were, it would
have to find far more space for Continental theorists: for Brunetiere and
Lukacs, for Russian formalists, for Hans Robert Jauss, perhaps even for
structuralists.
As many have noticed, discussions of genre easily become chimerical.
This is partly at least because of the paucity of examples of practicable
length. I have tried, therefore, to illustrate as much as possible, if only
from short forms. Such examples are not, I hope, atypical: others from
langer kinds could have been given. Many of the 'examples come from
the Renaissance and the eighteenth century. But the disproportion may
be allowed, since in those periods genre criticism was especially energetic
and illuminating.
In dealing with so many different periods in a book of this character,
some compromise in treatment of orthography was unavoidable. Nor
mally, the spelling has been modernized but not the punctuation. Occa
sionally, however, original spelling has been retained where it is signifi
cant; then the whole quotation is treated in the same way.
Earlier versions of parts of Chapters 5 and 6 were read as lectures, par
ticularly a Churchill lecture at Bristol University and a David Nichol
Smith Seminar at the Humanities Research Centre, Canberra---opportu
nities for which I am grateful. Chapter 12 appeared in a somewhat differ
ent form in New Literary History 11 (1979); I wish to thank the editor
and publisher for permission to reprint parts of it here. Acknowledg
ments are due to Martin Brian and O'Keeffe, Edouard Champion, Yale
University Press, the National Council of Teachers of English, and
Gerald Duckworth for permission to reprint the epigraph and the dia
grams on pages 240, 244, 245, and 247, respectively.
In forming the ideas and writing the book, I incurred more debts than
can be acknowledged. Most of my colleagues and many of my students at
Oxford, Edinburgh, and elsewhere contributed. But I particularly wish
to thank E. D. Hirsch, Jr., Ralph Cohen, and the late Wallace Robson for
PREFACE Vll
their patience and kindness in arguing me out of at least some errors.
Paul Barolsky, Ian Donaldson, Sam Goldberg, John Hardy, Jack
Levenson, Alastair Minnis, and James Turner all gave generous assistance
on particular points.
In a more practical sense, completion of the book would not have been
possible without periods of study leave at the Institute for Advanced
Study, Princeton, and the Humanities Research Centre at the Australian
National University, Canberra. There and at Edinburgh, parts of the
manuscript were typed by Betty Horton, Sandy Lafferty, Julie Barton,
Pearl Moyseyenko, Sheila Strathdee, and Jill Strobridge with much skill
and care. Special thanks are due to the late Peter Mclntyre, who prepared
the index. The debt to my wife, who read proof and tolerated the vexa
tions of authorship, belongs to a large genre that can only be mentioned
here.
University of Edinburgh A.F.
To E. D. HirschJ, r.