A Companion to the Philosophy of Literature 1st Edition by Garry Hagberg, Walter Jost ISBN 1405141700 9781405141703

Part I: Literary Theories and Philosophies

1. Literary Aesthetics

   • Aesthetic Experience and the Imagination
   • The Relationship between Art and Beauty
   • Art for Art’s Sake

2. Narrative Theory

   • The Structure of Narrative and Meaning
   • Time, Plot, and Perspective
   • Theories of Narrative Voice

3. Hermeneutics

   • Interpretation and Meaning in Literature
   • The Role of the Reader in Literary Understanding
   • Historical and Cultural Contexts in Interpretation

4. Formalism and Structuralism

   • The Study of Literary Form and Structure
   • Linguistics and Literature: Structuralist Approaches
   • Theories of Signs and Meaning

Part II: Core Concepts in the Philosophy of Literature

5. The Nature of Literary Fiction

   • Fiction and Truth
   • The Metaphysics of Literary Worlds
   • Fictional Entities and the Problem of Reference

6. Literature and Ethics

   • Literature and Moral Imagination
   • Literature’s Role in Ethical Development
   • The Relationship between Narrative and Ethics

7. Emotion, Affect, and Literature

   • The Role of Emotion in Reading Literature
   • Literary Works and Affective Responses
   • Emotion, Sympathy, and Empathy in Narratives

8. Literature and Truth

   • The Relation of Literature to Facts and Reality
   • Philosophical Realism and the Truth of Fiction
   • Literature as a Vehicle for Truth

Part III: Literary Genres and Their Philosophical Implications

9. Poetry and Philosophy

   • The Philosophical Nature of Poetic Language
   • Poetry as a Mode of Knowledge and Expression
   • The Role of the Poet in Philosophical Discourse

10. Drama and Philosophy

    • The Philosophy of Tragedy and Comedy
    • Theater as a Philosophical Medium
    • Character and Action in Dramatic Works

11. The Novel and Philosophy

    • The Novel as a Narrative Form
    • The Evolution of the Novel and Philosophical Themes
    • The Novel’s Representation of Society and Identity

Part IV: Contemporary Debates in the Philosophy of Literature

12. The Postmodern Turn

    • Postmodernism and Its Impact on Literature
    • Literature and the Crisis of Meaning
    • The Decline of Authorial Intent

13. Literary Ethics and Political Philosophy

    • Literature’s Role in Political Critique
    • The Political Power of Stories and Narratives
    • Literature and Ideology

14. The Future of the Philosophy of Literature

    • Emerging Trends and Philosophical Approaches
    • Technology and Literature: The Digital Age
    • The Relationship Between Philosophy and Literary Studies