(Re)Visions of History in Language and Fiction

Book excerpt: In imagining history, one must inevitably rely on its textual representations, whether fictitious or supposedly “objective”, yet always subject to the constraints and conventions of textuality. Still, it is precisely by exploiting and consciously relying on the textual in the presentation of the past that contemporary authors, including politicians and makers of history, strive to provide it with current significance, emotional impact and universal meaning. The study of such attempts benefits from a variety of perspectives, encompassing not only classical, but also popular texts and media. An interdisciplinary collection of papers devoted to the issues of retelling, rewriting, and representation of the past in fiction and various text-types, this volume juxtaposes modern and post-modern understanding of collective versus personal history. The contributors are scholars specializing in literary studies (e.g. postcolonialism and popular fiction), linguistics (e.g. critical discourse analysis) and cultural studies (e.g. media studies), bringing a wide spectrum of theoretical insights into the field. The collection opens with papers on the general changes in viewing history that have occurred since the 19th century. Further papers discuss postcolonial, feminist and gender-related perspectives on history reflected in postmodern fiction, revealing the power struggle around the depiction of the past. The next part of the volume is devoted to the presentation of historical breakthroughs in political and media discourse. Finally, the collection draws attention to some unorthodox visions of history involving alternative worlds and fantastic elements encountered in the genre of speculative fiction.