Discourse

Definition

Discourse refers to written or spoken communication that shapes how we understand and interpret texts and contexts. It includes the language, structures, and practices surrounding communication, revealing how power dynamics and social norms influence the meaning of literature in its historical and cultural contexts.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Discourse is not just about the words used; it also involves the context in which those words are spoken or written, including the audience's expectations.
2. The concept of discourse highlights the relationship between language and power, showing how certain discourses can marginalize or elevate voices within literature.
3. Different historical periods produce distinct discourses that reflect the values, beliefs, and ideologies of those times, impacting how literature is understood.
4. Analyzing discourse involves looking at how language structures influence meaning, including aspects like tone, style, and genre conventions.
5. In New Historicism, understanding discourse is essential for interpreting how texts both reflect and shape the cultural and political dynamics of their time.

Review Questions

• How does discourse function as a lens through which to analyze literature in relation to its historical context?
  • Discourse functions as a critical lens by allowing us to examine how language, themes, and narrative structures reflect the social norms and power dynamics of a particular historical context. By analyzing the way discourse is constructed within a text, we can uncover the underlying ideologies and cultural values that influenced its creation. This approach reveals how literature is not just an isolated artifact but a product of its time, shaped by the discourses prevalent in society.
• Discuss how power dynamics are revealed through discourse in literary texts.
  • Power dynamics are revealed through discourse by examining who has the authority to speak and whose voices are marginalized or silenced. In literary texts, the language used can reflect societal hierarchies, showing how different characters or groups are portrayed. Analyzing these patterns helps to uncover the ideological underpinnings of a text, exposing how certain discourses maintain or challenge existing power structures within a given culture.
• Evaluate the role of intertextuality in shaping discourse across different literary works.
  • Intertextuality plays a significant role in shaping discourse by creating connections between different texts, allowing for layered meanings that enrich our understanding of literature. When one text references another, it draws on existing discourses to inform its own narrative and thematic elements. This interconnectedness invites readers to consider broader cultural conversations and historical contexts, encouraging them to analyze how different works engage with similar ideas or challenges over time. Ultimately, intertextuality deepens our comprehension of discourse by illustrating how literature evolves through dialogue with itself.

Related terms

Ideology: A system of ideas and ideals that form the basis of economic or political theory and policy, influencing how discourse is framed and understood.

Intertextuality:

The relationship between texts and how they reference or echo each other, contributing to the meaning created through discourse.

Cultural Context:

The social, historical, and cultural circumstances surrounding a text's creation, which shape its discourse and interpretation.