The Classic Short Story, 1870-1925 : Theory of a Genre

The ability to construct a nuanced narrative or complex character in the constrained form of the short story has sometimes been seen as the ultimate test of an author's creativity. Yet during the time when the short story was at its most popular - the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries - even the greatest writers followed strict generic conventions that were far from subtle. This expanded and updated translation of Florence Goyet's influential La Nouvelle, 1870-1925: Description d'un genre à son apogée (Paris, 1993) is the only study to focus exclusively on this classic period across different continents. Ranging through French, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese writing - particularly the stories of Guy de Maupassant, Henry James, Giovanni Verga, Anton Chekhov and Akutagawa Ryūnosuke - Goyet shows that these authors were able to create brilliant and successful short stories using the very simple 'tools of brevity' of that period. In this challenging and far-reaching study, Goyet looks at classic short stories in the context in which they were read at the time: cheap newspapers and higher-end periodicals. She demonstrates that, despite the apparent intention of these stories to question bourgeois ideals, they mostly affirmed the prejudices of their readers. In doing so, her book forces us to re-think our preconceptions about this 'forgotten' genre. Table of Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 1. Paroxystic Characterisation......Page 22 Extremes in the fantastic short story......Page 33 2. Antithetic Structure......Page 36 Secondary tensions......Page 44 Editing antithetic tension: Maupassant and James......Page 47 3. Ending with a Twist......Page 52 The “twist-in-the-tail” and antithetic tension......Page 54 The “Twist-in-the-tail” and retroreading......Page 56 “Open” texts and tension......Page 61 4. The Tools of Brevity......Page 64 Preconstructed material......Page 65 Character types......Page 68 Recurring characters and empty characters......Page 73 Tight focus......Page 75 Permanence of types......Page 78 Hypotyposis and schematisation......Page 82 Short stories, sensational news items and serials......Page 84 The short story: privileged object of narratology......Page 86 6. Exoticism in the Classic Short Story......Page 92 The role of the press......Page 93 Exotic subjects......Page 95 The constraints of the newspapers......Page 101 Exceptions to the rule......Page 107 7. Short Stories and the Travelogue......Page 110 Praise of nature, criticism of culture......Page 111 From vision to judgement: guidelines for description......Page 119 8. A Foreign World......Page 126 An explicit distance......Page 128 The use of types: subversion or immersion?......Page 133 “Deceptive representations” of reality......Page 136 The great man......Page 140 “We are simply the case”: James and abstract entities......Page 141 Reading at face value: the double distance......Page 143 9. Dialogue and Character Discreditation......Page 146 Direct and indirect speech: Verga’s novel versus short stories......Page 149 Dialect and distancing......Page 152 Foreign terms......Page 156 10. The Narrator, the Reflector and the Reader......Page 162 Unreliable narrators and reflectors......Page 165 Reliable narrators and reflectors......Page 168 The short story with a dilemma......Page 174 Readers’ emotional response to the classic short story......Page 181 12. Conclusion to Part III: Are Dostoevsky’s Short Stories Polyphonic?......Page 192 Epilogue: Beyond the Classic Short Story......Page 196 Lengthy stories: the long Yvette after the brief Yveline......Page 197 Fantastic tales: the deconstruction of the self......Page 199 Authors at a crossroads......Page 200 Bibliography......Page 206 Index......Page 216 The Ability To Construct A Nuanced Narrative Or Complex Character In The Constrained Form Of The Short Story Has Sometimes Been Seen As The Ultimate Test Of An Author's Creativity. Yet During The Time When The Short Story Was At Its Most Popular-the Late Nineteenth And Early Twentieth Centuries-even The Greatest Writers Followed Strict Generic Conventions That Were Far From Subtle. This Expanded And Updated Translation Of Florence Goyet's Influential La Nouvelle, 1870-1925: Description D'un Genre À Son Apogée (paris, 1993) Is The Only Study To Focus Exclusively On This Classic Period Across Different Continents. Ranging Through French, English, Italian, Russian And Japanese Writing-particularly The Stories Of Guy De Maupassant, Henry James, Giovanni Verga, Anton Chekhov And Akutagàwa Ryünosuke-goyet Shows That These Authors Were Able Tocreate Brilliant And Successful Short Stories Using The Very Simple 'tools Of Brevity' Of That Period. Ln This Challenging And Far-reaching Study, Goyet Looks At Classic Short Stories In The Context In Which They Were Read At The Time: Cheap Newspapers And Higher End Periodicills. She Demonstrates That, Despite The Apparent Intention Of These Stories To Question Bourgeois Ideals, They Mostly Affirmed The Prejudices Of Their Readers. Ln Doing So, Her Book Forces Us To Re-think Our Preconceptions About This 'forgotten' Genre. Part !: Structure --part Ii: Media --part Iii: Reader, Character And Author. Florence Goyet. Description Based Upon Print Version Of Record And E-publication (viewed On June 26, 2019). Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Also Available In Print Form. Mode Of Access: Internet Via The World Wide Web. Translation From The French Of La Nouvelle, 1870-1925: Description D'un Genre À Son Apogée. The ability to construct a nuanced narrative or complex character in the constrained form of the short story has sometimes been seen as the ultimate test of an author's creativity. Yet during the time when the short story was at its most popular-the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries-even the greatest writers followed strict generic conventions that were far from subtle. This expanded and updated translation of Florence Goyet's influential La Nouvelle, 1870-1925: Description d'un genre à son apogée (Paris, 1993) is the only study to focus exclusively on this classic period across different continents. Ranging through French, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese writing-particularly the stories of Guy de Maupassant, Henry James, Giovanni Verga, Anton Chekhov and Akutagàwa Ryünosuke-Goyet shows that these authors were able tocreate brilliant and successful short stories using the very simple 'tools of brevity' of that period. ln this challenging and far-reaching study, Goyet looks at classic short stories in the context in which they were read at the time: cheap newspapers and higher-end periodicills. She demonstrates that, despite the apparent intention of these stories to question bourgeois ideals, they mostly affirmed the prejudices of their readers. ln doing so, her book forces us to re-think our preconceptions about this 'forgotten' genre. To my parents, Janine and Roger Bressand-Saureil "The ability to construct a nuanced narrative or complex character in the constrained form of the short story has sometimes been seen as the ultimate test of an author's creativity. Yet during the time when the short story was at its most popular--the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries--even the greatest writers followed strict generic conventions that were far from subtle. This expanded and updated translation of Florence Goyet's influential La Nouvelle, 1870-1925: Description d'un genre à son apogée (Paris, 1993) is the only study to focus exclusively on this classic period across different continents. Ranging through French, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese writing--particularly the stories of Guy de Maupassant, Henry James, Giovanni Verga, Anton Chekhov and Akutagawa Ryunosuke--Goyet shows that these authors were able to create brilliant and successful short stories using the very simple 'tools of brevity' of that period. In this challenging and far-reaching study, Goyet looks at classic short stories in the context in which they were read at the time: cheap newspapers and higher-end periodicals. She demonstrates that, despite the apparent intention of these stories to question bourgeois ideals, they mostly affirmed the prejudices of their readers. In doing so, her book forces us to re-think our preconceptions about this 'forgotten' genre."--Publisher's website "The ability to construct a nuanced narrative or complex character in the constrained form of the short story has sometimes been seen as the ultimate test of an author's creativity. Yet during the time when the short story was at its most popular-the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries-even the greatest writers followed strict generic conventions that were far from subtle. This expanded and updated translation of Florence Goyet's influential La Nouvelle, 1870-1925: Description d'un genre à son apogée (Paris, 1993) is the only study to focus exclusively on this classic period across different continents. Ranging through French, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese writing-particularly the stories of Guy de Maupassant, Henry James, Giovanni Verga, Anton Chekhov and Akutagawa Ryunosuke-Goyet shows that these authors were able to create brilliant and successful short stories using the very simple 'tools of brevity' of that period. In this challenging and far-reaching study, Goyet looks at classic short stories in the context in which they were read at the time: cheap newspapers and higher-end periodicals. She demonstrates that, despite the apparent intention of these stories to question bourgeois ideals, they mostly affirmed the prejudices of their readers. In doing so, her book forces us to re-think our preconceptions about this 'forgotten' genre."--Résumé de l'éditeur The ability to construct a nuanced narrative or complex character in the constrained form of the short story has sometimes been seen as the ultimate test of an author's creativity. Yet during the time when the short story was at its most popular - the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries - even the greatest writers followed strict generic conventions that were far from subtle. This expanded and updated translation of Florence Goyet's influential La Nouvelle, 1870-1925: Description d'un genre ̉son apogě (Paris, 1993) is the only study to focus exclusively on this classic period across different continents. Ranging through French, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese writing - particularly the stories of Guy de Maupassant, Henry James, Giovanni Verga, Anton Chekhov and Akutagawa Ry?nosuke - Goyet shows that these authors were able to create brilliant and successful short stories using the very simple 'tools of brevity' of that period. In this challenging and far-reaching study, Goyet looks at classic short stories in the context in which they were read at the time: cheap newspapers and higher-end periodicals. She demonstrates that, despite the apparent intention of these stories to question bourgeois ideals, they mostly affirmed the prejudices of their readers. In doing so, her book forces us to re-think our preconceptions about this 'forgotten' genre