Estrangement and the Somatics of Literature
p a r a l l a x r e - v i s i o n s o f c u lt u r e and society Stephen G. Nichols, Gerald Prince, and Wendy Steiner series editors
Estrangement and the Somatics of Literature Tolstoy, Shklovsky, Brecht
Douglas Robinson
The Johns Hopkins University Press Baltimore
© 2008 The Johns Hopkins University Press All rights reserved. Published 2008 Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The Johns Hopkins University Press 2715 North Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21218-4363 www.press.jhu.edu Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Robinson, Douglas, 1954– Estrangement and the somatics of literature : Tolstoy, Shklovsky, Brecht / Douglas Robinson. p. cm. — (Parallax, re-visions of culture and society) Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn-13: 978-0-8018-8796-3 (hardcover : alk. paper) isbn-10: 0-8018-8796-8 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Alienation (Social psychology) in literature. 2. Tolstoy, Leo, graf, 1828–1910—Criticism and interpretation. 3. Shklovskii, Viktor Borisovich, 1893–1984—Criticism and interpretation. 4. Brecht, Bertolt, 1898–1956—Criticism and interpretation. 5. Criticism—Russia (Federation)— History. 6. Criticism—German—History. I. Title. pn56.a45r63 2008 809′.9333—dc22 2007033705 A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library. Special discounts are available for bulk purchases of this book. For more information, please contact Special Sales at 410-516-6936 or
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Contents
Acknowledgments Introduction
one
Zarazhenie: Tolstoy’s Infection Theory
1
Tolstoy’s Infection
The Disease 5 The Cure 13 Damasio’s Somatic Theory 19
2
Tolstoy’s Estrangement Estrangement Of/From 34 Tolstoy’s Depersonalization 41 Disinfecting the Infection Theory 62
two
vii ix
3
34
Ostranenie: Shklovsky’s Estrangement Theory
3
Shklovsky’s Modernist Poetics The Capacity to Flow 82 The Four Things 89 Re