Time in the Novel
August 2nd, 2010
Nina Lange: Time in the Novel: Theories, Concepts and Methods for the Analysis of the Representation of Time
Undoubtedly, time plays a central role in our everyday life, but it is also of crucial importance in literature, where it serves both as a topic, and, due to the work’s temporal structure, as a constitutive category. Because of its relevance, the analysis of the narrative representation of time will become a very familiar one for students of English and American literatures. Though we are all well-acquainted with the phenomenon of time from our own experience, it is not sufficient to rely on one’s own intuition for the purpose of academic work. Instead, what is called for here is a sound theoretical framework and precise categories. The goal of this lecture is therefore to present different theories, concepts and methods for the analysis of time in the novel, but at the same time to examine them critically and adapt them to the object of analysis. The applicability of the theories will be shown using examples of modernist novels written by familiar authors – such as Virginia Woolf – as well as by lesser-known novelists deserving of more interest.
Nina Lange studied English, Mathematics and Music for a teaching degree at the Universities of Giessen and Sheffield (U.K.). After having completed her state exam in October 2009, she joined the International PhD Programme (IPP) “Literary and Cultural Studies”and is currently working on her dissertation on the narrative representation of time in modernist literature. Since January 2010, she has been working as a research assistant at the Graduate Centre for the Study of Culture (GCSC).