A Study Of David Lodge’s Literary Criticism

Literary theory of the 20 th century is more flourishing than ever before,especially in the second half of the 20 th century,when it speeds up the development and change of many literary theoretical schools.Flourishing literary theories provides more options for critics,enabling them to judge and evaluate these theories? advantages and limitations.The distinguished British critic David Lodge engages in his literary criticism just under such circumstances.He has been influenced by several literary theories and critical trends during decades of literary criticism.In the 60 s of the 20 th century,he adopts New Criticism;in the 70 s,Roman Jakobson?s theory on metaphor and metonymy influences him;later on,Structuralism takes its priority;in the 80 s and 90 s,he studies Bakhtin?s poetics.He tests each trend from different perspective and tries to use them in his literary criticism.On the one hand,with his criticism developing,Lodge?s critical thoughts develop gradually,as well as perfecting and maturing little by little.On the other hand,he can carry out the critical practices more to his will.In reevaluating his formed literary thoughts continuously,Lodge absorbs the virtues of each period,and eventually forms a distinctive literary criticism path.The first stage of David Lodge?s literary criticism has an affinity with Anglo-American “New Criticism”.The Language of Fiction published in 1966 is his representative work.In the book,David Lodge seeks the root of New Criticism,whose characteristic is to pay attention to the textual analysis by close reading,pointing out that much priority is given to poetry?s language instead of fiction?s.Lodge shows his discontent to this phenomenon and states that there is no essential difference between the two,which are both formed by language.Lodge illuminates fiction?s media,methodology and principle theoretically,and combines them with his critical practice.In this way,he applies the theory which is formerly suitable to poetry well in the field of fiction.By going through this stage,David Lodge?s early critical thoughts and methods can be revealed accordingly.New Criticism throws light on David Lodge?s criticism,nevertheless unable to resolve all the uncertainties Lodge meets.Reading Jakobson makes Lodge treat the form of fiction from a new viewpoint.Under the enlightenment of Jakobson,he enriches the “Two Poles” theory of metaphor and metonymy,puts forward “Pendulum” theory,which gives a bird view of the literary trends occurring from the 20 s to the 50 s of the 20 th century,among which modernism and anti-modernism represent the two sharply different trends.By using the “Two Poles” theory,he analyses the works of modernists and anti-modernists,illuminating that the modernists tend to be metaphoric,whereas the anti-modernists tend to be metonymic.As a newly-sprung contemporary trend,postmodernist has too many idiosyncratic characteristics.Postmodernist works is a “rule-breaking art”,belonging to neither side of the “Two Poles”.It is in a state of “aphasic disturbances”.Evidently,Jakobson?s poetics has a positive influence on the development of Lodge?s literary criticism.Under the influence of European continental academics,Lodge begins to show interest in Structuralism.It nourishes the literary criticism which tends to be hard after New Criticism.Quite distinguished from the conservative critics,although Lodge has foreseen the possibility that Structuralism would be replaced by the following trend,he still actively engages in the poetics and makes it used in critical practice instead of doing nothing.Compared with the former periods,there is a sharp change in this period because Lodge selectively uses the notions and methods of Structuralism to the fiction analysis,whereas not controlled by it totally.He tries to work “with” Structuralism instead of under its control,which makes Structuralism a more “plastic” poetic thought to Lodge.With the influence of Structuralism,Lodge?s literary criticism takes a further step and develops.After Structuralism,Bakhtin?s poetics is spread to Britain.Although it is not until the 80 s of the 20 th century does Bakhtin?s poetics show its appearance in this new land,which is later than Europe over ten years,the “new” theory does show great charm and vitality under the heated debates and “dialogues”.Lodge plunges into Bakhtin?s dialogic theory,“carnivalesque” theory enthusiastically.He analyses various literary texts by using sharply different ways,such as James Joyce?s and D.H.Lawrence?s works.Compared with the former critical practice,the literary criticism with Bakhtin?s poetics is more distinct,which is a sound voice showing that Bakhtin is an insightful theorist.The “be-long-in-coming” poetic enriches and perfects Lodge?s critical thoughts to a deeper degree,making it develop towards full-fledged state.Undoubtedly,these poetics play a fundamental role in the development and perfection of David Lodge?s literary criticism.Nevertheless,Lodge?s literary criticism lacks no neat formation and independent thoughts.The Art of Fiction published in 1992 is written by more easily understood language,embodying that Lodge concerns about the common readers very much.It also makes readers have a broad understanding by introducing his litearary thoughts,his literary critical methods and the literary history involved.He no more uses obscure and uninteresting language to expound the art of fiction.The commonly used language and lively illumination make Lodge the image of a public critic.Additionally,Lodge searches into the relationship between literary criticism and literary creation.He makes an in-depth analysis between them in detailed historic scope,showing that they are in an interrelated and mutually supported state,which makes readers understand that Lodge?s targeted discussions root in his literary creation.So far,critic David Lodge can be called as an experienced scholar whose various published books provide much enlightenment and significance.“Closing reading” has its limitations,but as a critical method,it forms Lodge?s critical foundation.In the so many afterwards-thriving poetic trends,Lodge doesn?t resist blindly,instead,he judges and evaluates the theory at hand by using them.In retrospection and investigation,Lodge forms his characteristic literary thoughts and critical methods.By reviewing Lodge?s critical journey,not only can we grasp the tendency of the key western literary theories appeared in the second half of the 20 th century very well,we can also get familiar with the fact that how a critic engages in critical activities in the whirls of these literary trends.David Lodge shows the fibers which an excellent critic possesses: In the trend of alternation of one theory after another,he can take in new thoughts in good time with the changing of periods;he can enrich his literary thoughts by introspecting and surveying;thus he creates his unique critic course.Studying Lodge?s literary criticism will give an impetus to the construction of the current literary theory and criticism.Lodge?s critical course can also be a model for the person who is searching proper studying approaches and methodology notion.