Vibrant Matter, Actants and the Limits of Human Agency in Saramago’s The Stone Raft

Catherine Macmillan

Makale detayları

Vibrant Matter, Actants and the Limits of Human Agency in Saramago’s The Stone Raft

Yazarlar:

Catherine Macmillan

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Sanat ve Edebiyat

Dergi:

Litera: Dil Edebiyat ve Kültür Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.33 Issue 1, pp.125-143

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

4/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001293088

pISSN:

2602-2117

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 This paper focuses on José Saramagos novel The Stone Raft, set during an imaginary geoillogical event, the separation of the Iberian Peninsula from the European mainland. This event brings together a group of human and non-human protagonists, who seem to have mysterious connections with this event. The novel follows the group, which arguably forms a mini-community, as they travel around the former peninsula. It also explores the political disruptions which this event, directly and indirectly, provokes at various levels from the local to the international, including, for instance, closer relations between Portugal and Spain the souring of relations between the Iberian countries and Europe, widespread protests in Europe and the occupation of hotels by slum-dwellers across the Peninsula. In this context, the novel is explored from the perspective of Jane Bennetts vital materialism, as put forward in her 2010 book Vibrant Matter. For Bennett, humans tend to overestimate their agency, while viewing matter as simply inert. In her view, however, material things may be important actants, particularly when they act as part of a humannon-human assemblage. Saramagos narrator, like Bennett herself, constantly questions the human tendency to over-attribute agency and responsibility for events to humans alone, suggesting that matter, and humannon-human assemblages, may also be important actants.

 This paper focuses on José Saramagos novel The Stone Raft, set during an imaginary geoillogical event, the separation of the Iberian Peninsula from the European mainland. This event brings together a group of human and non-human protagonists, who seem to have mysterious connections with this event. The novel follows the group, which arguably forms a mini-community, as they travel around the former peninsula. It also explores the political disruptions which this event, directly and indirectly, provokes at various levels from the local to the international, including, for instance, closer relations between Portugal and Spain the souring of relations between the Iberian countries and Europe, widespread protests in Europe and the occupation of hotels by slum-dwellers across the Peninsula. In this context, the novel is explored from the perspective of Jane Bennetts vital materialism, as put forward in her 2010 book Vibrant Matter. For Bennett, humans tend to overestimate their agency, while viewing matter as simply inert. In her view, however, material things may be important actants, particularly when they act as part of a humannon-human assemblage. Saramagos narrator, like Bennett herself, constantly questions the human tendency to over-attribute agency and responsibility for events to humans alone, suggesting that matter, and humannon-human assemblages, may also be important actants.

 This paper focuses on José Saramagos novel The Stone Raft, set during an imaginary geoillogical event, the separation of the Iberian Peninsula from the European mainland. This event brings together a group of human and non-human protagonists, who seem to have mysterious connections with this event. The novel follows the group, which arguably forms a mini-community, as they travel around the former peninsula. It also explores the political disruptions which this event, directly and indirectly, provokes at various levels from the local to the international, including, for instance, closer relations between Portugal and Spain the souring of relations between the Iberian countries and Europe, widespread protests in Europe and the occupation of hotels by slum-dwellers across the Peninsula. In this context, the novel is explored from the perspective of Jane Bennetts vital materialism, as put forward in her 2010 book Vibrant Matter. For Bennett, humans tend to overestimate their agency, while viewing matter as simply inert. In her view, however, material things may be important actants, particularly when they act as part of a humannon-human assemblage. Saramagos narrator, like Bennett herself, constantly questions the human tendency to over-attribute agency and responsibility for events to humans alone, suggesting that matter, and humannon-human assemblages, may also be important actants.

 This paper focuses on José Saramagos novel The Stone Raft, set during an imaginary geoillogical event, the separation of the Iberian Peninsula from the European mainland. This event brings together a group of human and non-human protagonists, who seem to have mysterious connections with this event. The novel follows the group, which arguably forms a mini-community, as they travel around the former peninsula. It also explores the political disruptions which this event, directly and indirectly, provokes at various levels from the local to the international, including, for instance, closer relations between Portugal and Spain the souring of relations between the Iberian countries and Europe, widespread protests in Europe and the occupation of hotels by slum-dwellers across the Peninsula. In this context, the novel is explored from the perspective of Jane Bennetts vital materialism, as put forward in her 2010 book Vibrant Matter. For Bennett, humans tend to overestimate their agency, while viewing matter as simply inert. In her view, however, material things may be important actants, particularly when they act as part of a humannon-human assemblage. Saramagos narrator, like Bennett herself, constantly questions the human tendency to over-attribute agency and responsibility for events to humans alone, suggesting that matter, and humannon-human assemblages, may also be important actants.

Makale detayları

Vibrant Matter, Actants and the Limits of Human Agency in Saramago’s The Stone Raft

Yazarlar: Catherine Macmillan

Yayıncı: Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar: Sanat ve Edebiyat

Dergi: Litera: Dil Edebiyat ve Kültür Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.33 Issue 1, pp.125-143

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 4/2023

Belge Dili: İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.): 2001293088

pISSN: 2602-2117

Saramago

vital materialism

Jane Bennett

assemblage

actant

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Catherine Macmillan

Yayıncı:

Istanbul University

Ana Başlıklar:

Sanat ve Edebiyat

Dergi:

Litera: Dil Edebiyat ve Kültür Araştırmaları Dergisi Vol.33 Issue 1, pp.125-143

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

4/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001293088

pISSN:

2602-2117