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Mikhail Bakhtin: Creation of a Prosaics book pdf
If you are interested in literary theory, cultural studies, or philosophy, you may have heard of Mikhail Bakhtin, one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. But do you know what his main ideas are, how they evolved over time, and how they have been received and interpreted by others? In this article, we will explore these questions by reviewing one of the most comprehensive and authoritative books on Bakhtin's thought: Mikhail Bakhtin: Creation of a Prosaics by Gary Saul Morson and Caryl Emerson. We will also provide you with a link to download the book pdf for free.
Mikhail Bakhtin: Creation of a Prosaics book pdf
Introduction
Who was Mikhail Bakhtin?
Mikhail Bakhtin (1895-1975) was a Russian philosopher, literary critic, and cultural theorist. He was born in Orel, Russia, to a wealthy family of intellectuals. He studied at various universities in Russia and Germany, where he was influenced by neo-Kantianism, phenomenology, and existentialism. He also participated in several intellectual circles that discussed literature, art, religion, and politics. He wrote his first major work, Towards a Philosophy of the Act, in 1919-1921, but it was not published until 1986.
Bakhtin's career was marked by both continuity and change. He developed some of his foundational ideas in the early revolutionary years, such as dialogue, polyphony, carnival, and outsideness. However, he also experienced dramatic shifts in his thinking due to historical events, personal circumstances, and intellectual encounters. He revised his earlier works, returned to abandoned insights, and explored new topics that were not directly related to his previous concerns. He also faced many challenges and difficulties in his life, such as censorship, persecution, exile, illness, poverty, and isolation.
Bakhtin's works were not widely known or appreciated during his lifetime. He published only a few books and articles under his own name or under pseudonyms. His manuscripts were often lost or destroyed. His ideas were often misunderstood or misinterpreted by his contemporaries and critics. He did not belong to any established school or movement of thought. He did not have many followers or disciples. He died in Moscow in 1975.
What is the book about?
Mikhail Bakhtin: Creation of a Prosaics is a book by Gary Saul Morson and Caryl Emerson, two of the leading Bakhtin scholars in the world. It was first published in 1990 by Stanford University Press. It is a comprehensive and authoritative study of Bakhtin's thought, covering his entire intellectual career, his key terms and concepts, and his reception and influence. It is also a critical and creative engagement with Bakhtin's ideas, exploring their implications and applications for various fields and disciplines.
The book consists of three parts. The first part, \"The Creation of a Prosaics,\" introduces Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity, which is the central theme of the book. It explains how Bakhtin rethought the idea of unity in art and culture, how his own thought developed in a nonmonologic way, and how his concept of nonmonologic unity can be applied to other thinkers and fields. The second part, \"The Terms,\" examines Bakhtin's key terms and concepts, such as dialogue, polyphony, carnival, and outsideness. It analyzes their meanings, origins, developments, and uses in Bakhtin's works and beyond. The third part, \"The Reception,\" traces Bakhtin's reception and influence in Russia and the West. It discusses how Bakhtin's works were published, translated, reviewed, criticized, appropriated, and reevaluated by various scholars and movements.
Why is the book important?
Mikhail Bakhtin: Creation of a Prosaics is important for several reasons. First, it is one of the most comprehensive and authoritative books on Bakhtin's thought. It covers all aspects of his intellectual career, from his early works to his late works, from his major concepts to his minor details, from his original texts to his secondary sources. It provides a clear and accurate exposition of Bakhtin's ideas, as well as a critical and creative evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses. It also offers a rich and nuanced context for understanding Bakhtin's thought, situating it within its historical, cultural, and intellectual background.
Second, it is one of the most engaging and inspiring books on Bakhtin's thought. It does not merely present Bakhtin's ideas as static or fixed entities, but as dynamic and evolving processes. It does not merely repeat Bakhtin's ideas as dogmas or doctrines, but as dialogues or questions. It does not merely apply Bakhtin's ideas to existing problems or topics, but as challenges or provocations. It invites the reader to participate in Bakhtin's thought, to dialogue with him, to learn from him, and to create with him.
Third, it is one of the most relevant and useful books on Bakhtin's thought. It shows how Bakhtin's ideas can be applied to various fields and disciplines, such as literature, art, culture, philosophy, psychology, sociology, education, politics, ethics, and more. It demonstrates how Bakhtin's ideas can help us understand ourselves and others better, to communicate more effectively and respectfully, to appreciate diversity and difference more fully, to create more original and meaningful works of art and culture.
Main body
Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity
How Bakhtin rethought the idea of unity in art and culture
One of the main themes of Bakhtin's thought is the idea of unity in art and culture. Unity is usually understood as conformity to an underlying structure or an overarching scheme. For example, a work of art may be unified by following a certain genre or style; a culture may be unified by adhering to a certain ideology or tradition; a person may be unified by obeying a certain authority or norm. However, Bakhtin believed that this idea of unity contradicts the possibility of true creativity. For if everything conforms to a preexisting pattern, then genuine development is reduced to mere discovery, to a mere uncovering of something that, in a strong sense, is already there. And yet Bakhtin accepted that some concept of unity was essential. Without it, the world ceases to make sense and creativity again disappears, this time replaced by the purely aleatory. There would again be no possibility of anything meaningfully new.
Bakhtin attempted to rethink the concept of unity in order to allow for the possibility of genuine creativity. The goal, in his words, was a \"nonmonologic unity,\" in which real change (or \"surprisingness\") is an essential component of the creative process. Nonmonologic unity is not based on conformity or uniformity, but on diversity and difference. It is not imposed by an external authority or norm, but generated by an internal dialogue or interaction. It is not fixed or final, but open-ended or provisional. It is not closed or exclusive, but open or inclusive. It is not a static or fixed entity, but a dynamic or evolving process.
How Bakhtin's own thought developed in a nonmonologic way
Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity was not only a theoretical idea, but also a practical method. Bakhtin applied this method to his own thought, which developed in a nonmonologic way throughout his career. Bakhtin did not follow a linear or logical progression of ideas, but rather a dialogic or dialectical one. He did not adhere to a single or consistent perspective, but rather a plural or contradictory one. He did not seek to achieve a final or definitive conclusion, but rather a provisional or tentative one.
Bakhtin's thought was shaped by various factors, such as historical events, personal circumstances, intellectual encounters, and creative impulses. He was influenced by different philosophical traditions, such as neo-Kantianism, phenomenology, existentialism, Marxism, and Russian religious philosophy. He was also inspired by different literary genres and forms, such as the novel, the essay, the dialogue, and the carnival. He engaged with different authors and texts, such as Dostoevsky, Rabelais, Goethe, Tolstoy, and the Bible.
Bakhtin's thought was also marked by various changes and revisions. He often revised his earlier works, sometimes drastically changing their titles, contents, and arguments. He also returned to abandoned insights that he had developed in his early years, such as dialogue and carnival. He also explored new topics that were not directly related to his previous concerns, such as chronotope and authorship. He also left many of his works unfinished or unpublished.
How Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity can be applied to other thinkers and fields
Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity is not only useful for understanding his own thought, but also for understanding other thinkers and fields. Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity can help us appreciate the diversity and complexity of human thought and culture. It can help us avoid the pitfalls of monologism, such as dogmatism, reductionism, essentialism, and totalitarianism. It can help us foster the virtues of dialogism, such as openness, curiosity, creativity, and responsibility.
Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity can also help us apply his ideas to various fields and disciplines. For example, in literature and art, we can use Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity to analyze how different voices, styles, genres, and forms interact and create meaning in a given work. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity to create our own works that reflect our own voices, experiences, and perspectives in dialogue with others. In philosophy and psychology, we can use Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity to understand how different concepts, theories, and methods challenge and enrich each other in a given field. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity to develop our own concepts, theories, and methods that respond to our own questions, problems, and interests in dialogue with others. In culture and society, we can use Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity to examine how different values, beliefs, and practices coexist and conflict with each other in a given context. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of nonmonologic unity to participate in our own values, beliefs, and practices that express our own identities, communities, and goals in dialogue with others.
Bakhtin's key terms and concepts
Dialogue and polyphony
One of the most famous terms in Bakhtin's thought is dialogue. Dialogue is not only a form of communication between two or more people, but also a mode of thinking and being that involves multiple perspectives and voices. Dialogue is not only a verbal or linguistic phenomenon, but also a cultural and existential one that pervades all aspects of human life. Dialogue is not only a means to an end, but also an end in itself that values diversity and difference.
Bakhtin developed his concept of dialogue in relation to his analysis of the novel as a literary genre. Bakhtin argued that the novel is the most dialogic of all genres, because it incorporates and interacts with various languages, styles, genres, and forms that exist in a given culture. Bakhtin distinguished between two types of novels: monologic and polyphonic. Monologic novels are those that present a single or dominant perspective or voice that subordinates or silences other perspectives or voices. Polyphonic novels are those that present multiple or equal perspectives or voices that coexist and conflict with each other without being resolved or synthesized.
Bakhtin's concept of dialogue and polyphony can be applied to other forms of literature and art, as well as to other fields and disciplines. For example, in literature and art, we can use Bakhtin's concept of dialogue and polyphony to analyze how different characters, narrators, authors, and readers interact and create meaning in a given work. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of dialogue and polyphony to create our own works that reflect our own dialogic and polyphonic consciousness and experience. In philosophy and psychology, we can use Bakhtin's concept of dialogue and polyphony to understand how different ideas, arguments, and perspectives challenge and enrich each other in a given field. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of dialogue and polyphony to develop our own ideas, arguments, and perspectives that respond to our own dialogic and polyphonic questions and problems. In culture and society, we can use Bakhtin's concept of dialogue and polyphony to examine how different groups, identities, and values coexist and conflict with each other in a given context. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of dialogue and polyphony to participate in our own groups, identities, and values that express our own dialogic and polyphonic interests and goals.
Carnival and carnivalesque
Another famous term in Bakhtin's thought is carnival. Carnival is not only a historical or cultural phenomenon that involves festive celebrations, such as the medieval carnival or the modern Mardi Gras, but also a mode of thinking and being that involves laughter, parody, inversion, and renewal. Carnival is not only a temporal or spatial phenomenon that occurs at certain times or places, but also a universal and eternal one that pervades all aspects of human life. Carnival is not only a means of escape or resistance, but also a means of liberation and transformation.
Bakhtin developed his concept of carnival in relation to his analysis of the works of Rabelais, a 16th-century French writer who wrote satirical novels about the adventures of Gargantua and Pantagruel. Bakhtin argued that Rabelais' works are the most carnivalesque of all works, because they incorporate and celebrate various elements of carnival culture, such as grotesque realism, folk humor, popular laughter, bodily excesses, social inversions, utopian visions, and festive renewal. Bakhtin distinguished between two types of laughter: official and carnival laughter. Official laughter is that which is sanctioned and controlled by the dominant ideology or authority. It is a laughter of affirmation and conformity, of mockery and exclusion, of fear and repression. Carnival laughter is that which is spontaneous and subversive, of resistance and liberation, of joy and renewal. It is a laughter of negation and transformation, of mockery and inclusion, of fearlessness and freedom.
Bakhtin's concept of carnival and carnivalesque can be applied to other forms of literature and art, as well as to other fields and disciplines. For example, in literature and art, we can use Bakhtin's concept of carnival and carnivalesque to analyze how different works challenge and subvert the dominant norms and values of their society through humor, parody, inversion, and renewal. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of carnival and carnivalesque to create our own works that reflect our own carnival sense of the world and our own festive spirit. In philosophy and psychology, we can use Bakhtin's concept of carnival and carnivalesque to understand how different thinkers and movements question and critique the established systems and structures of thought through humor, parody, inversion, and renewal. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of carnival and carnivalesque to develop our own thinkers and movements that respond to our own carnival questions and problems. In culture and society, we can use Bakhtin's concept of carnival and carnivalesque to examine how different groups and events express and enact their alternative visions and values of life through humor, parody, inversion, and renewal. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of carnival and carnivalesque to participate in our own groups and events that express our own alternative visions and values of life.
Outsideness and answerability
Another important term in Bakhtin's thought is outsideness. Outsideness is not only a physical or social position that involves being outside or excluded from a certain group or system, but also a philosophical or ethical attitude that involves being aware or critical of one's own limitations or prejudices. Outsideness is not only a negative or passive condition that involves suffering or isolation, but also a positive or active one that involves learning or creativity. Outsideness is not only a means of survival or resistance, but also a means of responsibility or answerability.
Bakhtin developed his concept of outsideness in relation to his analysis of the works of Dostoevsky, a 19th-century Russian writer who wrote novels that explore the psychological and moral dilemmas of his characters. Bakhtin argued that Dostoevsky's works are the most dialogic of all works, because they present multiple or equal perspectives or voices that coexist and conflict with each other without being resolved or synthesized. Bakhtin argued that Dostoevsky's works achieve this dialogic effect by creating a position of outsideness for both the author and the reader. The author does not impose his own perspective or voice on the characters, but rather allows them to speak for themselves and to challenge each other and the author. The reader does not identify with a single perspective or voice, but rather witnesses and participates in the dialogue among the characters and the author.
Bakhtin's concept of outsideness and answerability can be applied to other forms of literature and art, as well as to other fields and disciplines. For example, in literature and art, we can use Bakhtin's concept of outsideness and answerability to analyze how different works create a position of outsideness for the author and the reader that enables a critical and creative dialogue among different perspectives and voices. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of outsideness and answerability to create our own works that reflect our own position of outsideness and our own responsibility for our words and actions. In philosophy and psychology, we can use Bakhtin's concept of outsideness and answerability to understand how different thinkers and movements adopt a position of outsideness that allows them to question and critique their own limitations and prejudices. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of outsideness and answerability to develop our own position of outsideness that enables us to learn from others and to be accountable for our own thoughts and feelings. In culture and society, we can use Bakhtin's concept of outsideness and answerability to examine how different groups and individuals express their position of outsideness that challenges and transforms the dominant norms and values of their society. We can also use Bakhtin's concept of outsideness and answerability to participate in our own position of outsideness that expresses our own alternative visions and values of life.
Bakhtin's reception and influence
How Bakhtin was received in Russia and the West
Bakhtin's reception and influence in Russia and the West have been complex and varied. Bakhtin faced many difficulties in publishing his works in Russia due to the political censorship and ideological pressure of the Soviet regime. Many of his manuscripts were lost or destroyed during his exile or evacuation. Some of his works were published under pseudonyms or attributed to his friends or colleagues. Some of his works were published only after his death or after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Bakhtin's works were not widely known or appreciated in Russia until the late 1960s, when a group of young scholars rediscovered his writings and organized a conferen