Hegel, Literature, and the Problem of Agency

A study of Hegel's appeal to literature in the Phenomenology of Spirit.

List of contents

Introduction; 1. 'Hegel's novel': the Phenomenology of the Spirit and the problem of philosophical narrative; 2. Tragedy and retrospectivity: Hegel's Antigone; 3. Comedy and theatricality: desire, Bildung and the sociality of agent's self-knowledge; 4. Forgiveness and the romantic novel: contesting the beautiful soul; 5. From the Phenomenology to the Philosophy of Right: Hegel's concept of the will and the possibility of modern ethical life.

Summary

Speight argues that behind Hegel's appeal to literature in the Phenomenology of Spirit lies a concern with understanding human agency in the modern world. Hegel looked to three literary genres - tragedy, comedy, and the Romantic novel - as offering privileged access to three moments of human agency: retrospectivity, theatricality, and forgiveness.

Product details

• Authors: Allen Speight
• Assisted by: Robert B. Pippin (Editor)
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 25.11.2010
• EAN: 9780521791847
• ISBN: 978-0-521-79184-7
• No. of pages: 168
• Dimensions: 157 mm x 235 mm x 14 mm
• Weight: 403 g
• Series: Modern European Philosophy (Ha
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works