Subject: Re: de Sade and de Grad-school
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 13:24:54 -0600


Eric:

I haven't been active on the list as a participant, but I'm reading a lot of
narratology as well.  I haven't seen anything about Sadean models, so I'd
like to see what you are reading.

Right now I'm focusing on Monika Fludernik's model of Natural Narratology
which takes me in a somewhat different direction than what you are going.
Still, I'm quite interested as well.

Barbara Hampton
Vermont College




----- Original Message -----
From: <Scribe1865-AT-aol.com>
To: <modernism-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 12:41 PM
Subject: de Sade and de Grad-school


> Dear List:
>
> Lately I've been reading a lot of narratology, and it seems there are
quite a
> few papers that deal with narratives as a strategy for personal identity
and
> theories of personal agency. In many of these papers, there is an emphasis
on
> Sadean models and theoretical ponderings that have to do with torture and
S&M
> situations. This has been an academic fad for a while now -- seems you
can't
> open a lit grad course list without some mention of the old Marquis.
>
> My question: Does the use of the writings of de Sade mirror the experience
of
> literature and lit-theory grad students? Is S&M a hot topic because lit
grad
> students are in an S&M situation?
>
> In other words, all this prolixity about theorists of the body and power
> relations -- isn't it seized upon by grad students and aspiring professors
more
> because it reflects their academic experience? The hours of note-taking,
> pandering to one's thesis advisor, submitting to the inane theories and
politics of
> one's Maoist professor of the moment, one's self-sacrifice (and perhaps
hidden
> resentment) as undergrad friends get cushy law or MBA positions -- isn't
> graduate school in literature or lit-theory organized and rewarded as an
S&M
> experience? Doesn't this perhaps account for de Sade's popularity at least
as much
> as any theoretical importance in his work?
>
> Eric Yost
> NYC
>
>
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