Fictional Truth

"All literary genres are artifacts", writes Michael Riffaterre, "but none more blatantly so than fiction. Its very name declares its artificiality, and yet it must somehow be true to hold the interest of its readers, to tell them about experiences at once imaginary and relevant to their own lives. This paradox of truth in fiction is the problem for which I propose to seek a solution."
In "Fictional Truth" Riffaterre identifies and discusses the features that give fictional narratives their ring of truth. He offers a semiotic revision of traditional narratology, sets forth a new theory of intertextual overdetermination, and presents an analysis of the manifestation of narrative content through the operations of an intertextual unconscious. Throughout, Riffaterre tests theory against close readings of fiction by such authors as Austen, Balzac, Dickens, James, Meredith, Proust, and Trollope. An introduction and glossary of terms help make this an indispensable volume for the students as well as the specialist.

About the author

Michael Riffaterre is University Professor at Columbia University as well as Director and a Senior Fellow of the School of Criticism and Theory at Dartmouth College. He is author of Semiotics of Poetry and Text Production.

Product details

• Authors: Michael Riffaterre
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 26.02.1990
• EAN: 9780801839344
• ISBN: 978-0-8018-3934-4
• No. of pages: 160
• Series: Parallax: Re-Visions of Cultur; Parallax: Re-visions of Culture and Society; Parallax: Re-Visions of Cultur
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; USA, Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, HISTORY / United States / 19th Century, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, United States of America, USA, History of the Americas