Postmodernism in Literature: Key Characteristics and Authors

Postmodernism in Literature

Defining Postmodernism

Postmodernism is widely discussed in contemporary culture. Umberto Eco suggests that it represents an acceptance of the new and striking elements of modern society. Postmodernism is intricately linked to modernism, as outlined below:

• It can be seen as a continuation or expansion of modernist techniques.
• It also represents a break from modernism, rejecting the elitism often associated with it.
• Postmodern elements can be identified in earlier texts, suggesting that postmodernism offers a new way of rereading history and literature.

Brian McHale, in his book Postmodernist Fiction (1987, page 5), states: "postmodernism follows from modernism, in some sense, more than it follows after modernism."

Key Features of Postmodern Literature

• Metafiction

  This technique, where the text draws attention to its own fictional nature, can be traced back to works like Homer's Odyssey, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Cervantes' Don Quixote, Sterne's Tristram Shandy, and Fielding's Tom Jones. It remains prominent in the works of Joyce, Beckett, Flann O'Brien, and Lawrence Durrell.

• Disrupted Time and Chronology

  Postmodern works often break traditional linear timelines. Examples include William Golding's Pincher Martin (1956), which explores a character's life within his death, and Lawrence Durrell's The Alexandria Quartet, which presents multiple perspectives on the same events. Peter Ackroyd's Hawksmoor (1995) alternates chapters between the 18th century and the present, while Bryan Stanley Johnson's Albert Angelo (1964) and The Unfortunates (1964) use unconventional formats like holes in pages and loose-leaf sheets.

• History as a Textualized Event

  History is treated as a narrative, as seen in Jeanette Winterson's Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (1985).

• Myth, Fantasy, Fabulation, and Magic Realism

  These elements are prominent in the works of Angela Carter, Emma Tennant, Jeanette Winterson, and Salman Rushdie. They often rework accepted understandings of "reality" into visionary forms.

• Experimentation with Language, Narrative, and Typography

  Postmodern writers often push the boundaries of traditional storytelling techniques.

• Pastiche and Parody

  Pastiche imitates other literary works, while parody celebrates rather than mocks its source material.

• Stream of Consciousness

  This technique is adapted to reflect malfunctioning or fragmented consciousness.

Notable Postmodern Authors and Works

John Fowles

• The Magus (1966, revised in 1977): Influenced by Borges, this novel blends Victorian style with an omniscient narrator.
• Metafiction: The author intrudes in chapter 13 to discuss writing tactics.
• Frame-breaking strategies: References to literary theory, denials of authorial responsibility, and multiple endings.
• Daniel Martin (1977): A bildungsroman featuring first and third-person voices, a variety of literary techniques, multiple narratives, and flashbacks.
• Mantissa (1982): Explores the nature of creativity.

Peter Ackroyd

Ackroyd's works delve into Britain's, particularly London's, multifaceted and discontinuous past.

• London (2001): A non-fiction work that blurs the lines between historical fact and present-day fiction, employing pastiche and parody.
• Hawksmoor (1984): Features two historical layers: 17th-century London and the present day. It connects events beyond linear sequences, cause and effect, through a series of similarities and differences.
• Chatterton (1987): Centers around the figure of Thomas Chatterton.

Doris Lessing and Iris Murdoch

• Doris Lessing: The Golden Notebook (1962).
• Iris Murdoch: Under the Net (1964), which explores the limitations of language in capturing reality; The Unicorn (1963), a Gothic pastiche.
• These authors often employ double narratives, narration within narration, and innovate in content rather than form.