49:
909:-like attempt to "render the full range of knowledge and beliefs of a national culture, while identifying the ideological perspectives from which that culture shapes and interprets its knowledge". In more general terms, the encyclopedic novel is a long, complex work of fiction that incorporates extensive information (which is sometimes fictional itself), often from specialized disciplines of science and the humanities. Mendelson's essays examine the encyclopedic tendency in the history of literature, considering the
1147:
totalizing system" of knowledge. Encyclopedic novels in this view are commentaries on the limits of such narratives and systems. Given that the aura of encyclopedism in a work of fiction is necessarily an illusion, it points to a failure—a "failure" which may align with a novelistic intent to "highlight the illusory basis of 'total knowledge'". From this perspective, encyclopedic fiction suggests that "we should not systematically encyclopedize but seek more 'open' approaches to knowledge". On the other hand,
842:
1192:(1975). Yet, a defining characteristic of the encyclopedic novel is the presentation of unwanted or unnecessary information. Such writing "terminate focused attention", and is in danger of boring the reader. One view of the encyclopedic novel's method, therefore, is that it requires the reader to practice modulating their attention to the text, bringing more consciousness to the act of filtering the important from the tangential. Encyclopedic novels such as
20:
1104:
There has been considerable debate about the nature and function of the encyclopedic novel since
Mendelson's exposition of the concept. Hillary A. Clark attributes to this type of discourse the importance of ordering the information which the writer discovers and retrieves. Moreover, Clark points out
1165:
narrative". One critical review questions why a novelist would paradoxically reference a fictional universe, and what literary purpose is served by the proliferation of the "junk text" that is often a carrier of the encyclopedic conceit. When excessive real-world data is presented to the reader, the
1072:, culminating in an encyclopedic concern with statecraft in depicting some sort of community or "City" established by the protagonists. Mendelson notes that there is often a short but significant interval between the era portrayed in the novel and the era of the novel's writing (as in, for example,
1146:
analysis of the encyclopedic novel sees it as critical of encyclopedism, the ostensible goal of which is to capture the sum of all human knowledge. This critique suggests that the encyclopedic project is "tainted by its association with master narratives" and that it reinforces the "illusion of a
1157:
appears to achieve an opposite goal: in his relentless encyclopedic presentation of "facts and theories", the two main characters, Bouvard and Pécuchet, appear to be so absorbed in a world of knowledge, of having to gain knowledge, of needing to put knowledge to practical purpose, that
Flaubert
1134:
is an example of an encyclopedic novel) simply recycling narratives. The encyclopedist's essential job regardless of the type of discourse, is to gather, recycle, and restate. The encyclopedic writer "returns to the role of the medieval scribe … reading and copying the already known, the
1063:
Encyclopedic novels include "the full account of at least one technology or science" and the display of "an encyclopedia of literary styles, ranging from the most primitive and anonymous levels ... to the most esoteric of high styles". Their closest inspiration is frequently the
1166:
author's purpose is unclear: those readers who already know the material will find it superfluous, and those who do not know it may find that it adds nothing of interest to the text. Giving examples of "junk text" in encyclopedic fiction, the review cites "the pseudo-scientific
1206:
referencing a variety of in-universe and out-of-universe subjects, thus directly adopting the conventions of academic writing while also creating a layer of "cruft" that the reader must actively parse in pursuit of the core narrative.
1047:
for
Ireland. Encyclopedic authors are unique to their culture of origin, such that a culture cannot produce more than a single such author without one eclipsing and replacing the other, as Shakespeare did to
1142:
experienced by the reader of such a novel might represent the author's exploration of the assumptions and practices embodied in the production of a real encyclopedia. Along these lines, a
1128:. She explains that the urge to order the sum of all knowledge grew exponentially during the Renaissance and that by the 20th century we see writers such as Pound and James Joyce (whose
1092:). Mendelson states that "ecause they are the products of an epic in which the world's knowledge is larger than any one person can encompass, they necessarily make extensive use of
979:(1997). Other literary critics have explored the concept since, attempting to understand the function and effect of "encyclopedic" narratives, and coining the related terms
1027:). Mendelson also ascribed encyclopedic authors a nationalistic or patriotic function as codifiers of a single national culture that their work later comes to define; The
1409:
Herman, Luc and Petrus van Ewijk. "Gravity's
Encyclopedia Revisited: The Illusion of a Totalizing System in Gravity's Rainbow."
870:
891:
which incorporates elements across a wide range of scientific, academic, and literary subjects. The concept was coined by
620:
1015:
masterpiece, while others might emulate the genre with mock-encyclopedias of purely fictional information (as with
1325:
1135:
popular, as well as the esoteric," and hence the encyclopedic novel assumes an almost "anti-creative" function.
999:("Encyclopedic Narrative" and "Gravity's Encyclopedia"). Mendelson described such novels as works created by an
1629:
521:
1298:"At the edges of perception": William Gaddis and the encyclopedic novel from Joyce to David Foster Wallace.
1644:
1536:
975:
761:
746:
660:
1639:
1161:
While an encyclopedia is a factual reference work, a novel stands in opposition to it as a "literary
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culture of data and information in place of the geopolitical divisions that defined previous works.
863:
328:
955:
800:
771:
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231:
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810:
252:
1576:
Mendelson, Edward (1976). "Gravity's
Encyclopedia". In Levine, George; David Leverenz (eds.).
1340:
Mendelson, Edward (1976). "Gravity's
Encyclopedia". In Levine, George; David Leverenz (eds.).
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1021:) or otherwise fail to encompass the necessary breadth to fit Mendelson's definition (as with
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8:
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spread encyclopedic elements across a wider collective body of work rather than a single
856:
715:
423:
343:
318:
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1327:
The
Maximalist Novel: From Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow to Roberto Bolano's 2666.
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184:
1547:
Mendelson, Edward (December 1976). "Encyclopedic
Narrative: From Dante to Pynchon".
1238:
Mendelson, Edward (December 1976). "Encyclopedic
Narrative: From Dante to Pynchon".
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Boswell, Marshall. "Introduction: David Foster
Wallace and 'The Long Thing'".
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Mendelson put forward the concept of the encyclopedic novel in two essays on
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Mendelson, Edward (1986). "Gravity's Encyclopedia". In Bloom, Harold (ed.).
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appears to suggest the civilization they inhabit lacks creativity and art.
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that encyclopedic texts have a long history, from the Renaissance
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Letzler, David. "Encyclopedic novels and the cruft of fiction:
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90.2 (April 2009): 167–179. Quoted in Letzler, "Paradox", 2
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The Art of Excess: Mastery in Contemporary American Fiction
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100:
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Novel that is said to describe or define an entire culture
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and "minor-character chatter about art and economics" in
584:
945:. Commonly cited examples of encyclopedic novels in the
1383:
1381:
1440:
Letzler, 305, quoting Dorrit Cohn with added emphasis
1378:
1275:, "Encyclopedic Narrative", 1269. Quoted in Herman.
1396:Rasula, Jed. "Textual Indigence in the Archive."
1616:
1052:in England. Mendelson nonetheless distinguishes
1357:, "Gravity's Encyclopedia". Quoted in Boswell
1096:". Orderly plot structures are often absent.
864:
1503:Clark, Hillary A. "Encyclopedic Discourse".
1202:include extensive and sometimes nonsensical
1594:. New Haven: Chelsea House. pp. 29–52.
1578:Mindful Pleasures: Essays on Thomas Pynchon
1400:(May 1999). Quoted in Letzler, "Paradox", 2
1342:Mindful Pleasures: Essays on Thomas Pynchon
1512:Routledge Encyclopedia of Narrative Theory
1482:Bersani, Leo. "Flaubert's Encyclopedism".
871:
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1486:. 21:⅔ (Winter – Spring, 1988): 140–146
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1300:2001, doctoral thesis, Durham University.
1237:
1366:Clark, 99; For Mendelson see note 1, 108
949:period include, in addition to Pynchon,
18:
1233:
1231:
1003:, but clarified that some authors like
1617:
1056:as self-reflexively proclaiming a new
1099:
1611:. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1999.
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1537:The Paradox of Encyclopedic Fiction
1510:Herman, Luc. "Encyclopedic novel".
1315:University of Illinois Press, 1989.
13:
1601:
14:
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1592:: Modern Critical Interpretations
1580:. Little, Brown. pp. 161–95.
1344:. Little, Brown. pp. 161–95.
933:, with an emphasis on the modern
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33:an "encyclopedic narrative".
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1609:The Distinction of Fiction
1514:. Routledge, 2010. 137–38.
1476:
1484:Novel: A Forum on Fiction
1222:
1031:for Florence and Italy,
956:The Gold Bug Variations
1539:". 2012. Presented at
1525:44:3 (2012): 304–324.
1493:44:3 (2012): 263–266.
887:is a genre of complex
34:
1630:Descriptive technique
1531:10.1353/sdn.2012.0036
1499:10.1353/sdn.2012.0033
1387:Letzler, "Paradox", 2
847:Literature portal
23:Mendelson considered
22:
1523:Studies in the Novel
1507:21.1 (1992): 95–110.
1491:Studies in the Novel
1041:Great American Novel
961:David Foster Wallace
621:Groups and movements
1470:Letzler, p. 308-309
1324:Ercolino, Stefano,
1154:Bouvard et Pécuchet
1001:encyclopedic author
240:Short prose fiction
143:Major written forms
1645:1976 in literature
1398:Postmodern Culture
1144:post-structuralist
1100:Other perspectives
1018:Gulliver's Travels
885:encyclopedic novel
734:Lists and outlines
210:Long prose fiction
35:
1590:Gravity's Rainbow
1588:Thomas Pynchon's
1535:Letzler, David. "
1293:Burn, Stephen J.
1089:Gravity's Rainbow
1054:Gravity's Rainbow
997:Gravity's Rainbow
942:Gravity's Rainbow
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1246:(6): 1267–1275.
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1183:The Recognitions
1151:'s encyclopedic
1149:Gustave Flaubert
1138:The illusion of
905:, defined as an
895:in criticism of
893:Edward Mendelson
889:literary fiction
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638:Dramatic genres
379:science fiction
57:Oral literature
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1519:Infinite Jest'
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1178:William Gaddis
1163:nonreferential
1131:Finnegans Wake
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903:Thomas Pynchon
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1217:National epic
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1194:Infinite Jest
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1108:Divine Comedy
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981:systems novel
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1522:
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1431:Bersani, 143
1427:
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1371:
1362:
1350:
1341:
1335:
1326:
1320:
1311:
1305:
1297:
1289:
1284:Letzler, 304
1280:
1268:
1243:
1239:
1197:
1193:
1187:
1181:
1171:
1170:chapter" in
1162:
1160:
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1103:
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1016:
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994:
974:
969:(1996), and
964:
954:
940:
934:
928:
922:
916:
910:
907:encyclopedia
896:
884:
882:
406:Encyclopedic
405:
384:supernatural
300:Prose genres
156:closet drama
28:
1625:Novel forms
1186:(1955) and
1074:James Joyce
1035:for Spain,
1033:Don Quixote
1005:Shakespeare
971:Don DeLillo
918:Don Quixote
811:Composition
688:Tragicomedy
527:Verse novel
415:Non-fiction
319:Speculative
258:Short story
128:spoken word
118:Performance
91:heroic epic
25:James Joyce
1619:Categories
1541:NeMLA 2012
1505:Sub-stance
1125:The Cantos
1117:Ezra Pound
1094:synecdoche
1058:globalized
985:maximalist
976:Underworld
947:postmodern
726:Postmodern
661:historical
600:Villanelle
481:Travelogue
476:Persuasive
456:Journalism
434:philosophy
401:Historical
369:paranormal
329:Children's
202:Electronic
76:fairy tale
41:Literature
1355:Mendelson
1295:Abstract.
1273:Mendelson
1204:footnotes
1173:Moby-Dick
1121:modernist
1066:epic poem
1037:Moby Dick
991:Mendelson
930:Moby-Dick
821:Narrative
806:Magazines
801:Sociology
792:criticism
762:Movements
721:Modernist
711:Classical
503:Narrative
339:adventure
283:Religious
253:Novelette
218:Anthology
173:narrative
123:audiobook
81:folk play
1211:See also
1168:cetology
959:(1991),
816:Language
747:Glossary
716:Medieval
651:Libretto
580:Limerick
532:National
522:Dramatic
512:Children
441:Anecdote
424:Academic
364:military
185:Nonsense
86:folksong
66:Folklore
1569:2907136
1477:Sources
1260:2907136
1079:Ulysses
1050:Chaucer
1045:Ulysses
1009:Pushkin
987:novel.
936:Ulysses
757:Writers
742:Outline
706:Ancient
697:History
683:Tragedy
560:Epigram
446:Epistle
429:history
389:western
374:romance
359:fantasy
324:Realist
310:Fiction
278:Parable
263:Drabble
248:Novella
232:romance
197:Ergodic
113:Oration
106:proverb
30:Ulysses
1567:
1460:et seq
1422:Herman
1258:
1082:, and
1043:), or
1029:Comedy
927:, and
831:Estate
788:Theory
777:poetry
767:Cycles
678:Script
673:Satire
646:Comedy
595:Sonnet
590:Qasida
565:Ghazal
550:Ballad
471:Nature
461:Letter
394:horror
354:erotic
288:Wisdom
268:Sketch
223:Serial
163:Poetry
135:Saying
96:legend
1565:JSTOR
1256:JSTOR
1223:Notes
1113:Dante
924:Faust
752:Books
666:moral
626:Poets
608:Lists
570:Haiku
555:Elegy
541:Lyric
451:Essay
349:crime
334:Genre
228:Novel
190:verse
180:Prose
168:lyric
151:Drama
71:fable
1119:'s
1013:epic
983:and
939:and
883:The
826:Feud
790:and
656:Play
616:Epic
575:Hymn
517:Epic
466:Life
101:myth
1557:doi
1549:MLN
1527:doi
1495:doi
1248:doi
1240:MLN
1196:or
1189:J R
1180:'s
1115:to
1111:of
1086:'s
1076:'s
1068:or
1007:or
973:'s
963:'s
901:by
585:Ode
27:'s
1621::
1563:.
1553:91
1551:.
1380:^
1254:.
1244:91
1242:.
1230:^
953:'
921:,
915:,
1571:.
1559::
1543:.
1529::
1497::
1262:.
1250::
872:e
865:t
858:v
230:/
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