文学术语词典精要.doc

Absurd Literature: A term applied to a number of works in drama and prose fiction which have in common the sense that Human condition is essentially absurd which can be represented in works of literature that are themselves absurd. After the 1940s,there was a widespread tendency,especially prominent in the existential philosophy of letters such as Sartre and Albert Camus to view a human being as isolated existent who is cast into alien universe which conceive no inherent truth,value or meaning to represent human life --in its fruitless search for purpose and meaning. Samuel Beckett in his Waiting for Godot project the irrational ,helpless,absurdity of life in dramatic form that reject realistic setting,logic reasoning or a coherent evolving plot. Alienation Effect In his Epic Theater, the German dramatist Brecht adapted the Russian Formalist concept of defamiliarization into what he called alienation effect. This effect Brecht said is to make the familiar aspect of present social reality seem strange so to prevent the emotional identification and involvement of the audience with the character and their actions into a play. His aim was to evoke a critical distance and attitude in the spectators,in order to arose them to take action against, rather than simply to accept the state of society and behavior represented on the stage. Canon of Literature The term Canon was used in literary application to signify the list of secular works accepted by experts as genuinely written by a particular author. The factors in the process of canon formation are complex and disputed. However, it seems clear,that the process involve , among other conditions ,concurrence of critics,scholars and authors with diverse viewpoints and sensibilities,the persistent influence,the frequent reference to an author or work within the discourse of a cultural community,and the widespread assignment of an author or text in school and college curricula. Such factors are mutually interacted and need to