Cultural Recycling

ENG 108ENG 108The Nature of Narrative, 1The Nature of Narrative, 1

Intertextuality, Adaptation, Intertextuality, Adaptation, Appropriation, and other Appropriation, and other forms of Cultural Recyclingforms of Cultural Recycling

Recycling CultureRecycling Culture

1.1. How does “Culture” get How does “Culture” get recycled?recycled?

2.2. Why do it?Why do it?

3.3. How is How is HamletHamlet being recycled? being recycled? how is how is HamletHamlet being “reactivated” or being “reactivated” or

“reanimated” or “recirculated”?“reanimated” or “recirculated”? What sort of recycling is involved in What sort of recycling is involved in R&G R&G

rdeadrdead??

Recycling CultureRecycling CultureHow?How?

IntertextualityIntertextuality Adaptation, AppropriationAdaptation, Appropriation ParodyParody Translation and transpositionTranslation and transposition

LanguageLanguage CultureCulture Genre Genre

Other?Other?

Review of intertextualityReview of intertextuality

What is it? What is it? (pretend this is an exam question)(pretend this is an exam question)

DefinitionDefinition

Intertextuality Intertextuality interdependence of texts interdependence of texts meaning not in isolated texts but in their meaning not in isolated texts but in their

interactioninteraction ““interplay”interplay” (re-)interpretation(re-)interpretation by the by the

writer/artist/director and also by the writer/artist/director and also by the reader/viewerreader/viewer

DefinitionDefinition(See Course Reading Package, p. 63)(See Course Reading Package, p. 63)

IntertextualityIntertextuality Text as part of a network or webText as part of a network or web Text is not a self-sufficient, closed systemText is not a self-sufficient, closed system Text, therefore, as Text, therefore, as processprocess not product not product That process is ongoingThat process is ongoing

Definition Definition according to Michael Riffaterreaccording to Michael Riffaterre(See Course Reading Package, p. 65)(See Course Reading Package, p. 65)

IntertextIntertext = = the network of texts that may the network of texts that may be related to the text being consideredbe related to the text being considered

IntertextualityIntertextuality = the reader’s = the reader’s perception of that networkperception of that network

DefinitionDefinition(See Course Reading Package, p. 43)(See Course Reading Package, p. 43)

IntertextualityIntertextuality ““all texts invoke and rework other texts in all texts invoke and rework other texts in

a rich and ever-evolving cultural mosaic”a rich and ever-evolving cultural mosaic” BricolageBricolage Central to PostmodernityCentral to Postmodernity

Intertextuality in CultureIntertextuality in Culture

““almost omnipresent today in modern almost omnipresent today in modern popular culture”popular culture” Examples?Examples?

Also true of other areas of cultureAlso true of other areas of culture

Why use intertextuality?Why use intertextuality?

Why use intertextuality?Why use intertextuality?

To add complexity to a workTo add complexity to a work To “contextualize” or place the work in a To “contextualize” or place the work in a

cultural contextcultural context To highlight the concept of culture as ongoing To highlight the concept of culture as ongoing

processprocess To To recyclerecycle culture (rework, reuse) culture (rework, reuse) To highlight issues of inclusion and exclusion?To highlight issues of inclusion and exclusion?

Elite vs. “democratic” or accessible cultureElite vs. “democratic” or accessible culture

Why use intertextuality?Why use intertextuality?

To add “pleasure” to the reading or To add “pleasure” to the reading or viewing experienceviewing experience Cf. “pleasure principle” outlined in the Cf. “pleasure principle” outlined in the

article on Adaptation and Appropriationarticle on Adaptation and Appropriation

ParodyParody

Definition?Definition?

ParodyParody

Not always satiric or comicNot always satiric or comic Parody is important to postmodern Parody is important to postmodern

cultureculture

ParodyParody

Definition:Definition:Repetition with critical or ironic difference Repetition with critical or ironic difference

(Linda Hutcheon, (Linda Hutcheon, A Theory of ParodyA Theory of Parody))

ParodyParody

recycling through repetitionrecycling through repetition

René MagritteRené Magritte(1898-1967)(1898-1967)

Belgian SurrealistBelgian Surrealist series of paintings under the general title series of paintings under the general title

"Perspective" "Perspective" late 1940s to early 1950slate 1940s to early 1950s

based on well-known paintings by the based on well-known paintings by the earlier French artists Jacques Louis David, earlier French artists Jacques Louis David, François Gérard and Édouard Manet.François Gérard and Édouard Manet.

Jacques Louis DavidJacques Louis David

Madame RécamierMadame Récamier

(unfinished),(unfinished), 1800 1800

René MagritteRené Magritte

Perspective I:Perspective I:

Madame RécamierMadame Récamier,,

19501950

Edouard ManetEdouard Manet

Le balconLe balcon,,

18681868

René MagritteRené Magritte

Perspective II:Perspective II:

Le balcon de ManetLe balcon de Manet,,

19501950

Diego VelásquezDiego Velásquez

Innocent XInnocent X, c. 1650, c. 1650

Francis BaconFrancis Bacon

Study After Study After Velazquez's Velazquez's Portrait of Pope Portrait of Pope Innocent XInnocent X, 1953, 1953

The rational bodyThe rational body

Authority Authority CentreCentre CertaintyCertainty HierarchyHierarchy UnityUnity CoherenceCoherence ControlControl

The irrational, The irrational, grotesque bodygrotesque body

Decentring Decentring Ex-centricity Ex-centricity LossLoss Fragmentation/chaosFragmentation/chaos Disintegration Disintegration Multiplicity Multiplicity ExcessExcess

ParodyParodyWhat are the What are the effectseffects of parody? Why use it? of parody? Why use it? Makes a statementMakes a statement Again, the pleasure principle:Again, the pleasure principle:

Aristotle’s Aristotle’s PoeticsPoetics Natural delight in Natural delight in mimesismimesis MimesisMimesis = imitation or representation in art = imitation or representation in art

(art reflects life; art as a copy)(art reflects life; art as a copy) with parody, art reflects other art in a with parody, art reflects other art in a

particular way)particular way)

ParodyParodyA Double-edged Sword?A Double-edged Sword?

Reinscribes and problematizes at the same Reinscribes and problematizes at the same timetime Pays homage to the original while Pays homage to the original while

simultaneously critiquing it simultaneously critiquing it

Adaptation and Adaptation and AppropriationAppropriation(from course reading package)(from course reading package)

The forms of Adaptation:The forms of Adaptation: Transposition (45)Transposition (45) Commentary (45)Commentary (45) Analogue (46)Analogue (46)

Adaptations don’t have to fit into only one of these Adaptations don’t have to fit into only one of these categoriescategories

Adaptation and Adaptation and AppropriationAppropriation(from course reading package)(from course reading package)

The forms of Adaptation:The forms of Adaptation: Transposition (45)Transposition (45)

““they take the text from one genre and they take the text from one genre and deliver it to new audiences…” deliver it to new audiences…”

““relocating their source texts not just relocating their source texts not just generically, but in cultural, generically, but in cultural, geographical, and temporal terms” geographical, and temporal terms”

Adaptation and Adaptation and AppropriationAppropriation(from course reading package)(from course reading package)

The forms of Adaptation:The forms of Adaptation: Commentary (45)Commentary (45)

““culturally loaded”culturally loaded” ““adaptations that comment on the adaptations that comment on the

politics of the source text”politics of the source text”

Adaptation and Adaptation and AppropriationAppropriation(from course reading package)(from course reading package)

The forms of Adaptation:The forms of Adaptation: Analogue (46)Analogue (46)

““stand-alone works that stand-alone works that nevertheless deepen when their status nevertheless deepen when their status as analogue is revealed” as analogue is revealed”

Adaptation and Adaptation and AppropriationAppropriation Fidelity, originality argument (47)Fidelity, originality argument (47)

Getting away from a vertical hierarchy Getting away from a vertical hierarchy of original text and subservient, of original text and subservient, derivative texts that are judged derivative texts that are judged according to their “faithfulness to an according to their “faithfulness to an original”original”

Cf. Hutcheon, Cf. Hutcheon, A Theory of AdaptationA Theory of Adaptation, , 20062006

Adaptation and Adaptation and AppropriationAppropriation Definition of Definition of AdaptationAdaptation::

““a relationship [or interaction] with an a relationship [or interaction] with an informing sourcetext or original” (49)informing sourcetext or original” (49)

Related terms:Related terms: Version, variation, interpretation, continuation, Version, variation, interpretation, continuation,

transformation, imitation, pastiche, parody, transformation, imitation, pastiche, parody, forgery, travesty, transposition, revaluation, forgery, travesty, transposition, revaluation, revision, rewriting, echo (44)revision, rewriting, echo (44)

Adaptation and Adaptation and AppropriationAppropriation Definition of Definition of AppropriationAppropriation::

““a more decisive journey away from the a more decisive journey away from the informing source into a wholly new informing source into a wholly new cultural product and domain” (49)cultural product and domain” (49)

““sustained reworking of the source text” sustained reworking of the source text” (50)(50)

““wholesale rethinking” (50)wholesale rethinking” (50)

Adaptation and Adaptation and AppropriationAppropriation Definition of Definition of AppropriationAppropriation::

Entanglement (56)Entanglement (56) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead as as

entangled with entangled with HamletHamlet the two texts overlap in some places, the two texts overlap in some places,

diverge in othersdiverge in others

Recycling cultureRecycling cultureWhy?Why?

Consider Walter Benjamin’s “The Work of Consider Walter Benjamin’s “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”Reproduction”

Walter Benjamin,Walter Benjamin,“The Work of Art in the Age of “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”Mechanical Reproduction”

““We must expect great innovations to We must expect great innovations to transformtransform the entire technique of the the entire technique of the arts, thereby affecting artistic invention arts, thereby affecting artistic invention itself and perhaps even bringing about itself and perhaps even bringing about an an amazing change in our very notion of amazing change in our very notion of artart.”.”

Paul Valery, qtd. in BenjaminPaul Valery, qtd. in Benjamin

Walter Benjamin,Walter Benjamin,“The Work of Art in the Age of “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”Mechanical Reproduction”

Most powerful agent of mass or Most powerful agent of mass or mechanical reproduction is mechanical reproduction is filmfilm..

Walter Benjamin,Walter Benjamin,“The Work of Art in the Age of “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”Mechanical Reproduction”

““Shakespeare, Rembrandt, Beethoven will Shakespeare, Rembrandt, Beethoven will make films … all legends, all mythologies make films … all legends, all mythologies and all myths, all founders of religion, and and all myths, all founders of religion, and the very religions … await their exposed the very religions … await their exposed resurrection, and the heroes crowd each resurrection, and the heroes crowd each other at the gate.”other at the gate.”

Abel Gance, 1927 (qtd. in Benjamin)Abel Gance, 1927 (qtd. in Benjamin)

Walter Benjamin,Walter Benjamin,“The Work of Art in the Age of “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”Mechanical Reproduction”

““Shakespeare, Rembrandt, Beethoven will Shakespeare, Rembrandt, Beethoven will make films make films … all legends, all mythologies … all legends, all mythologies and all myths, all founders of religion, and and all myths, all founders of religion, and the very religions … await their exposed the very religions … await their exposed resurrection, and the heroes crowd each resurrection, and the heroes crowd each other at the gate.”other at the gate.”

Abel Gance, 1927 (qtd. in Benjamin)Abel Gance, 1927 (qtd. in Benjamin)

Walter Benjamin,Walter Benjamin,“The Work of Art in the Age of “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”Mechanical Reproduction” ““Shakespeare, Rembrandt, Beethoven will Shakespeare, Rembrandt, Beethoven will

make films make films …”…” Note the phrasing hereNote the phrasing here Not “Shakespeare’s plays will be adapted for Not “Shakespeare’s plays will be adapted for

cinema” but Shakespeare will make filmcinema” but Shakespeare will make film Do we read this literally?Do we read this literally? Or is “Shakespeare” referring to the text, not Or is “Shakespeare” referring to the text, not

the man?the man?

Walter Benjamin,Walter Benjamin,“The Work of Art in the Age of “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”Mechanical Reproduction” ““Shakespeare, Rembrandt, Beethoven will Shakespeare, Rembrandt, Beethoven will

make films make films …”…” Cf. idea of text as Cf. idea of text as process not productprocess not product. As . As

part of that process, text-as-play becomes part of that process, text-as-play becomes text-as-filmtext-as-film

Kinetic concept of adaptation = “…these texts Kinetic concept of adaptation = “…these texts rework other texts that often themselves rework other texts that often themselves reworked other texts. The process of reworked other texts. The process of adaptation is constant and ongoing” (47).adaptation is constant and ongoing” (47).

Cultural Recycling in FilmCultural Recycling in Film

Shakespeare, Shakespeare, Taming of the ShrewTaming of the Shrew 10 Things I Hate About You10 Things I Hate About You

Cultural Recycling in FilmCultural Recycling in Film

Jane Austen, Jane Austen, EmmaEmma CluelessClueless

Cultural Recycling in FilmCultural Recycling in Film

Shakespeare, Shakespeare, Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet Shakespeare’s Romeo + JulietShakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet West Side StoryWest Side Story

Cultural Recycling in FilmCultural Recycling in Film

Shakespeare, Shakespeare, HamletHamlet Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are DeadRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

play >>> filmplay >>> film

Why recycle culture?Why recycle culture?

Why recycle culture?Why recycle culture?

To capitalize on the strength/familiarity of To capitalize on the strength/familiarity of the original textthe original text

To make the original more accessible to a To make the original more accessible to a broader audiencebroader audience See Benjamin’s argument regarding See Benjamin’s argument regarding

mass reproduction of artmass reproduction of art

Why recycle culture?Why recycle culture?

To “problematize” the original or make To “problematize” the original or make some sort of critique of itsome sort of critique of it

To add complexity To add complexity To contextualize (genealogy/influence)To contextualize (genealogy/influence) Other reasons?Other reasons?

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are DeadDead

What sort of recycling is involved What sort of recycling is involved here? here?

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are DeadDead

What sort of recycling is involved here? What sort of recycling is involved here? Adaptation?Adaptation? Appropriation?Appropriation? Intertextuality?Intertextuality?

Waiting for Godot Waiting for Godot meets meets HamletHamlet?? Theatre of the Absurd?Theatre of the Absurd?

Parody?Parody? Translation?Translation?