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Plot, literature, history : White and Ricoeur
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1992) Botha, Etienne; Gouws, Andries; Degenaar, J J; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Proceeding from a detailed exposition and analysis of the literary notion of a plot as found in the work of Aristotle, Russian Formalism, Frye and Kermode, several central features of plots are distinguished. This leads to a working definition of a literary plot as an abstraction from a narrative, laden with significance reflecting an overall unity, so that its elements and characters can be seen to be functions of it. This is followed by an investigation of the arguments by two proponents of the claim for the role of plots in historical writing. The theoretical work of Hayden White serves to advance the argument for a conception of history as a literary work, with specific reference to the role of plots and literary tropes in historical writing, while Ricoeur's case for plots in history is situated within the context of contending scientific and narrativist views on historical knowledge. The adequacy of these two theoretical positions are examined in the concluding chapter.