"The author uncovers the deep Aristotelian roots of Conrad's sensibility and writing. Conrad was educated in Poland and studied Aristotle as part of the Catholic tradition that saw Aristotle and Aquinas as the two seminal philosophers. Most other Englishthinkers, including the novelists, were influenced by the long-standing English Platonist. Tradition. Hannis will show not only the Aristotelian influence on Conrad but also show how his subtle Aristotelianism found its way into the work of writers who were influenced by him: including Virginia Woolf and James Joyce."--
The Discerning Narrator sheds new light on Joseph Conrads controversial critique of modernity and modernization by reading his work through an Aristotelian lens. The book proposes that we need Aristotle a key figure in Conrads education to recognize the profound significance of Conrads artistic vision.
Offering Aristotelian analyses of Conrads letters, essays, and four works of fiction, Alexia Hannis illuminates the philosophical roots and literary implications of Conrads critique of modernity. Hannis turns to Aristotles ethical formulations to trace what she calls "the discerning narrator" in Conrads oeuvre: a compassionate yet sceptical guide to appraising character and conduct. The book engages with past and current Conrad scholarship while drawing from Aristotles Poetics, Politics, and Nicomachean Ethics, as well as classical scholars to offer original philosophical analyses of major and understudied Conrads works.
Drawing on Aristotle, Hannis provides a fresh context for making sense of Conrads self-differentiation from modernity. As a result, The Discerning Narrator provides an affirmation of literatures invitation to wonder about the possibilities inherent in human nature, including the potential for painful depravity, heroic excellence, and ordinary human happiness.
The Discerning Narrator sheds new light on Joseph Conrad’s controversial critique of modernity and modernization by reading his work through an Aristotelian lens. The book proposes that we need Aristotle – a key figure in Conrad’s education – to recognize the profound significance of Conrad’s artistic vision.
Offering Aristotelian analyses of Conrad’s letters, essays, and four works of fiction, Alexia Hannis illuminates the philosophical roots and literary implications of Conrad’s critique of modernity. Hannis turns to Aristotle’s ethical formulations to trace what she calls "the discerning narrator" in Conrad’s oeuvre: a compassionate yet sceptical guide to appraising character and conduct. The book engages with past and current Conrad scholarship while drawing from Aristotle’s Poetics, Politics, and Nicomachean Ethics, as well as classical scholars to offer original philosophical analyses of major and understudied Conrad’s works.
Drawing on Aristotle, Hannis provides a fresh context for making sense of Conrad’s self-differentiation from modernity. As a result, The Discerning Narrator provides an affirmation of literature’s invitation to wonder about the possibilities inherent in human nature, including the potential for painful depravity, heroic excellence, and ordinary human happiness.
This book examines the letters, essays, and fiction of Joseph Conrad through an Aristotelian lens.
