Mikhail Bakhtin: The Word in the World (Critics of the Twentieth Century)

Mikhail Bakhtin is one of the most influential theorists of philosophy as well as literary studies. His work on dialogue and discourse has changed the way in which we read texts – both literary and cultural – and his practice of philosophy in literary refraction and philological exploration has made him a pioneering figure in the twentieth-century convergence of the two disciplines. In this book, Graham Pechey offers a commentary on Bakhtin’s texts in all their complex and allusive ‘textuality’, keeping a sense throughout of the historical setting in which they were written and of his own interpretation of and response to them. Examining Bakhtin’s relationship to Russian Formalism and Soviet Marxism, Pechey focuses on two major interests: the influence of Eastern Orthodox Christianity upon his thinking; and Bakhtin’s use of literary criticism and hermeneutics as ways of ‘doing philosophy by other means’. In This Book Graham Pechey Offers A Commentary On Bakhtin's Texts In All Their Complex And Allusive 'textuality', Keeping A Sense Throughout Of The Historical Setting In Which They Were Written And Of His Own Interpretation Of And Response To Them. Examining Bakhtin's Relationship To Russian Formalism And Soviet Marxism, Pechey Focuses On Two Major Interests: The Influence Of Eastern Orthodox Christianity Upon His Thinking; And Bakhtin's Use Of Literary Criticism And Hermeneutics As Ways Of 'doing Philosophy By Other Means'.--jacket. Boundaries Versus Binaries -- Aesthetics And The Avant-garde -- Syntax And Its Subversion -- Chronotopicity And Conceptuality -- The Novel And Its Others -- Eternity And Modernity -- Philosophy And Theology -- 'first Philosophy' And The 'first' Bakhtin. Graham Pechey. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 209-229) And Index. BOOK COVER......Page 1 TITLE......Page 6 COPYRIGHT......Page 7 CONTENTS......Page 10 EDITOR’S FOREWORD......Page 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 15 ABBREVIATIONS......Page 18 INTRODUCTION: Not the last word......Page 20 1 BOUNDARIES VERSUS BINARIES......Page 32 2 AESTHETICS AND THE AVANT-GARDE......Page 52 3 SYNTAX AND ITS SUBVERSION......Page 75 4 CHRONOTOPICITY AND CONCEPTUALITY......Page 101 5 THE NOVEL AND ITS OTHERS......Page 124 6 ETERNITY AND MODERNITY......Page 146 7 PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY......Page 171 8 ‘FIRST PHILOSOPHY’ AND THE ‘FIRST’ BAKHTIN......Page 200 APPENDIX: On the naming of ‘free indirect discourse’......Page 227 NOTES......Page 228 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 242 INDEX......Page 249 Language & Literature BOOK COVER 1 TITLE 6 COPYRIGHT 7 CONTENTS 10 EDITOR’S FOREWORD 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 15 ABBREVIATIONS 18 INTRODUCTION: Not the last word 20 1 BOUNDARIES VERSUS BINARIES 32 2 AESTHETICS AND THE AVANT-GARDE 52 3 SYNTAX AND ITS SUBVERSION 75 4 CHRONOTOPICITY AND CONCEPTUALITY 101 5 THE NOVEL AND ITS OTHERS 124 6 ETERNITY AND MODERNITY 146 7 PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY 171 8 ‘FIRST PHILOSOPHY’ AND THE ‘FIRST’ BAKHTIN 200 APPENDIX: On the naming of ‘free indirect discourse’ 227 NOTES 228 BIBLIOGRAPHY 242 INDEX 249 Presenting a commentary on Bakhtin's texts, this book focuses on the influence of Eastern Orthodox Christianity upon his thinking and Bakhtin's use of literary criticism and hermeneutics as ways of 'doing philosophy by other means'.