A Tale of Two Theories

Abstract

abstract:This review essay of John Pier's edited volume Contemporary French and Francophone Narratology offers a critical synthesis of its contributions by some of the leading contemporary French narratologists by assessing their difference from Anglo-American trends in the field, especially postclassical narratology, and situating them within the broader historical evolution of narratology. It first sketches the rise to prominence of classical (French) narratology in the heyday of 1960s and early 1970s structuralism before retracing its decline in subsequent decades. It also lists the flagship volumes and dedicated series that have appeared since the birth of postclassical narratology as an indication of the revival of the field before engaging with the various articles gathered in the volume, emphasizing their uneasy relation to Anglo-American practices, and critically reviewing the strengths and relative weaknesses of the overall collection, especially in the more militant final essay.