Narratology: Introduction to the Theory of Narrative

Since its first publication in English in 1985, Mieke Bal's Narratology has become a classic introduction to the major elements of a comprehensive theory of narrative texts. In this second edition, Professor Bal broadens the spectrum of her theoretical model, updating the chapters on literary narrative and adding new examples from outside the field of literary studies. Some specific additions include discussions on dialogue in narrative, translation as transformation (including translation between different media), intertextuality, interdiscursivity, and the place of the subject in narratology. Two new sections, one on visualization and visual narrative with examples from art and film and the other an examination of anthropological views of narrative, lead Bal to conclude with a re-evaluation of narratology in light of its applications outside the realm of the literary.


Summary: Absolutely essential for students of narrative
Rating: 5

A must-read for any student of literary or cinematic narrative. Breaks down each part of narrative into key elements for further analysis.


Summary: An excellent introduction to the formalist approach
Rating: 5

This book is an excellent introduction to the formalist approach literary criticism. In formalist approaches, the text is analyzed according to the form it takes and the way discourse is constructed. It is a text-centered approach as opposed to a reader-centered approach, which is also mentioned in this book. No academic book of literary criticism can be published today without the mention of Foucault, Derrida, and Lacan (regardless of their merrit). This book is no exception, and in a sense tries to harmonize their ideas with earlier formalism. The underlying utility of this book is in three areas:

Learning the concepts - the fundamental concepts for analysis of narrative are presented in a systematic way.

Learning the jargon - literary criticism today is laced with jagon, which is what makes contemporary literary criticism impenetrable to the initiated. The book is repleat with all the technical terms necessary to analyze narrative.

Learning to analyze the text - selections of literary works are presented and then analyzed for their narrative structure. In that way, a student is able to see how concepts are applied.

Formalism is currently out of fashion in contemporary academic literary criticsm, however, as the author makes clear, without the fundamental tools for analyzing structure and discourse, and a vocabulary (jargon) for conveying the structure, other forms of criticism like feminist criticism or postcolonialist criticism lack rigor.

I recommend this text to the advanced student of literature at the upper division level or to a graduate student. It is particularly useful to students outside English departments who need the tools for textual analysis, for example, the seminarian needing to do literary criticism of the Bible, or the mythologist.