Γραμματειακά είδη: η πεζογραφία

Abstract

Παρουσίαση και ανάλυση των βασικών χαρακτηριστικών της πεζογραφίας, πρωτότυπης και μεταφρασμένης, από τα "Φιλοθέου Πάρεργα", το πρώτο νεωτερικό μυθιστόρημα ώς τον κοραϊκό "Παπατρέχα". Η μετάφραση ως δίαυλος για τη διείσδυση νεωτερικών ειδών και τη διαμόρφωση του πεζού πλασματικού λόγου. Η "σχολή του Ρήγα" και οι πειραματισμοί της. Η κριτική του παρόντος μέσα από την πεζογραφία ("Ανώνυμος του 1789", "Απανθίσματα" των Μερσιέ και Δημητριάδη"). Το αρχαιόθεμο παιδαγωγικό ταξίδι και η ωρίμανση του αναγνώστη. Η πολλαπλή εξόρμηση για την ανάδειξη της αφηγηματικής πεζογραφίας: αρχαιοελληνικές μυθιστορίες, εξωτικό μυθιστόρημα, ειδύλλια, "φιλοσοφικά παραμύθια" κ.α. Η δοκιμιακή πεζογραφία και ο ριζοσπαστισμός ("Ελληνική Νομαρχία"). To γραμματολογικό υλικό συνοδεύεται από εκτενές ανθολόγιο κειμένων. Το κεφάλαιο είναι δομημένο σε ενότητες και η ύλη του μπορεί να διδαχτεί σε 3-5 τρίωρα μαθήματα, κατά την κρίση του διδάσκοντα και του ειδικότερου αντικειμένου σύμφωνα με το πρόγραμμα σπουδών του εκάστοτε τμήματος. Δίνει κατ’ αυτό τον τρόπο ελαστικότητα στον διδάσκοντα να δώσει έμφαση σε ορισμένες ενότητες ή να παραλείψει άλλες. Το εκτενές ανθολόγιο πεζογραφικών κειμένων μαζί με τα ποιητικά κείμενα στο 6ο κεφάλαιο καλύπτουν ένα σημαντικό κενό, καθώς δεν υπάρχει νεότερη ανθολογία που να συνδυάζει την πεζογραφία με την ποίηση.

The chapter examines the fictional prose of the period 1670-1830. Included are original and translated works, printed at the time, or remaining in manuscript form. The presentation begins with a work of chronography, a mixture of fiction and history, which indicates the durability of the older tradition. This is followed by the efforts made in the courtly environment of the first Mavrokordatos in the Danubian Principalities in the first decades of the 18th century to cultivate a new prose-fiction writing, expressed through a prose novel in ancient Greek and translations; these works were circulated in manuscript form. From the 5th decade of the same century, in the years of the maturation of the modern Greek Enlightenment, emerged printed publications of translated works from European literature as well as of eastern origin. In the crucial decade of 1790s, in the wake of the French Revolution, bold and ideologically charged texts appeared. Particularly important at that time was the 'literary school' of Rigas and his peers, which cultivated the 'mixed work' (prose narratives with interspersed Phanariot verse), the lyrical prose, but also the narrative with ancient theme. The latter is gradually gaining in esteem, as it is part of the effort to enhance the national identity. Of particular interest are texts that take advantage of the imaginary, the supernatural and satire to voice social criticism. There is also a tendency towards futuristic and utopian texts that evangelize upliftment. During the years of the peak of the modern Greek Enlightenment, translations of works from foreign literatures continued, new titles and authors appeared, and some original texts were composed. This is where Korais' ‘Papatrechas’ belongs, the short stories of Ioannis Vilaras and Athanasios Psalidas, and the Idylls of Stephanos Karatheodoris. Modern Greek literature encounters the exotic novel through the Atala by Chateaubriand and Bernardin de Saint-Pierre's Paul and Virginie. Before the end of the second pre-revolutionary decade, a 'philosophical tale' by Voltaire is printed for the first time in its prosaic form. The foreign writers who attracted more attention during the whole period are Fenelon, abbé Bartelemy, Marmontel from French literature, Gesner and Wieland from the German literature. The first appearance of Boccaccio and Cervantes with their major works should be noted. The pedagogical travel novel was a particularly popular translation choice, as it expressed the Enlightenment's belief in education, learning and the progress of the individual. Among the important scholars who have been involved in the translation of prose, apart from the persons of the circle of Rigas, are Konstantinos Koumas and Nikolaos Pikkolos. The aims of fictional prose were excitement, the conveyance of moral and educational messages, the dissemination of Enlightenment ideas and values, the stimulation of national feeling, the expression of social criticism. Many of the works are in line with the neoclassical movement; however, there are also examples of Baroque writing. Finally, as early as the last decade of the 18th century, pro-Romantic manifestations began to emerge. The chapter concludes by pointing out that the end of the period coincides with the composition of Solomos' Woman of Zakythos and with the appearance of the first example of female writing by Elizabeth Moutzan-Martinegou.