"Postmodernism": A Challenge for Literary History

Abstract

This article questions the usefulness of the term and concept "postmodernism" in com­parative literature and literary historiography. It reflects upon the possibilities of a struc­tural-semiotic approach relying on the Peircean tryadic sign-model to counter the problem of the vague and inclusive character of both term and concept in different cultural situations and environments. A model for the analysis of the global communicational situation is suggested, in order to realize an integration of the literary discourse into the encompassing social discourse and the registration of the "period-code-consciousness" which enables and orientates the discussion of contemporaneous data, views, sensibilities and conven­tions in their specific contexts. Such a broad and penetrating scanning and analysis must rely upon strongly interdisciplinary research.

Opsomming
Hierdie artikel bevraagteken die bruikbaarheid van die term en konsep "postmodernisme" in vergelykende literatuur en literere historiografie. Dit oorweeg die moontlikhede van 'n strukturalisties-semiotiese benadering, wat steun op die Peirciaanse tekenmodel, om die probleem van hierdie vae en inklusiewe karakter van sowel die term en die konsep in verskillende kulturele situasies en omgewings teen te werk. 'n Model vir die analise van die globale kommunikatiewe situasie word voorgestel ten einde 'n integrasie te bewerkstellig van beide die literere diskoers in die omvattende sosiale diskoers en die registrasie van die "periode-kode-bewussyn" wat die bespreking van kontemporere data, gesigspunte, sensi­tiwiteite en konvensies in hulle spesifieke kontekste moontlik maak en orienteer. So 'n bree en indringende ondersoek en analise vereis die steun van 'n stewige interdissiplinere navorsing.