TAS – Bergen June 25 2007 Performance in the text and the text as performance

TAS – Bergen June 25 2007Performance in the text and the text as performance Svend Erik Larsen Aarhus University

Program_______________________________________________ 1. Text and performance: Basic problems 2. Dinesen: Natives and verse 3. Conceptual summary 4. Kafka: Ein Hungerskünstler 5. Re-opening of problems and concepts

Basic problems _______________________________________________ An asymmetrical relation: 1) Text as performance: universal theoretical and philosophical problem relevant to all manifestations of language and other media 2) Performance in the text: particulartextual problem (theme, plot, characters, metaphors etc.)

Basic problems _______________________________________________ 3) Relation between ’as’ and ’in: 3a) mutuallyindependent features of 1 and 2 (with no interpretational, methodological or semantic interrelations) (standard approach) 3b) unilaterally connection from 1 to 2 (the universal performativity of the text translates into particular types of themes, plots, characters, metaphors etc.) (universel conditions for textual specifications) 3c) unilaterally connection from 2 to 1 (the particularity of themes, plots, characters, metaphors etc. translates into specific textual performativities ) (textual determination of universal forms) 3d) reciprocal relation between 1 and 2 (mutuallyspecifying negotiaton)

Dinesen ______________________________________________ The performance in the text: • A singular performative event in the field • A changing power relation through the performance • A first person narrator The text as performance: • The narrator performing the text for the readers • The change of power performed as contradiction and indeterminancy of meaning Turning point: Invitation to rime – an automatic performance

Conceptual summary ________________________________________________ • Performances are symbolic acts • in a material medium shaping, • from the point of view of the here-and-now of the act, • interhuman relations, • human-environment relations, • sign-object relations, and • involving more than one space (geographical, discursive or otherwise)

Kafka ______________________________________________ The performance in the text: • A commercialized, repeated but personal performative event • The event is typified and depersonalized in circus • A transpersonal observing narrator The text as performance: • The narrator performs the position of observers and other recipients • The narrator performs the Hungerkünstler in the image of Christ Turning point: Invitation to forgive – an active performance

Re-opening ___________________________________________ • Forgiveness is a symbolic act • in language and/or gestures shaping, • from the point of view of the here-and-now of forgiving, • interhuman relations in terms of power, ethics and emotions, • human-environment relations in reversing the collective order of guilt and punishment, • sign-object relations changing the meaning of the manifestions of honor and shame, strength and weakness, guilt and remorse, and • involving more than one space.

Re-opening______________________________________________ The asymmetrical relation results in a mutually specifying relationship that forces all texts to negotiate in specific ways the relation between universal performative conditions and particular textual features: • The performative nature of language conditions diverse specifications: All texts have a performative dimension in one or several of its textual levels, action or plot being just one of them • The particular performative events in the text impose a historical frame on the universal conditions: The performative conditions are universal on historical conditions (cf. Human rights)

TAS – Bergen June 25 2007 Performance in the text and the text as performance