theater, dance, and literature 131
What seems crucial to appreciating a novel is grasping a structure of mean-
ings embodied in a linguistic medium. This includes both what is going on in
the narrative and the more general thematic significance that it has. In order
to grasp the work as a structure of meanings, the reader has to extract the
relevant structure from the text before her, and this may require a complex
range of activities, at least some of which – relating to direct quotation, for
example – may be thought of as soundings of elements in the work. Related
activities might include those exercises of the imagination necessary in order to
grasp certain psychological truths in the story. So it may be important to think
of silent readers as playing a role in realizing the work through their activity,
which suggests that silent reading is in this respect more like score reading than
like looking at a painting. Kivy’s presentation of the case for a performative
element in literature may serve to awaken us to the significance of such aspects
of literary experience. But, for the reasons stated, I don’t think this should
persuade us that literature is usefully thought of as a performed art.
Notes
- For some indication as to how drastically Shakespearean performative prac-
tice, and indeed Shakespearean receptive practice, differs from our own, see
the discussion of Stern 2000 in Chapter 8. - I owe this and some of the other references in the following paragraphs to
Rubidge 1996. - For an indication of the ways in which Brook’s production departed from
Shakespeare’s prescriptions, see his 1971 film King Lear which preserved the
central ideas of his theatrical production. - For this and other details about the reception of dramatic performances in
Shakespearean and Restoration theater, see Stern 2000 and the discussion of
her work in Chapter 8. - Or stands in some appropriate historical-intentional relation to Hamlet or
King Lear. We presumably wish to allow characters from one play to appear in
another play, as in Tom Stoppard’s 1966 play Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern are
Dead. Thus the condition specified in the text for being Hamlet, Lear, etc. is a
sufficient but not a necessary one. - I owe this observation to Andrew Kania.
- In his 2009b in the same volume, Hamilton defends his account against its
critics. - We shall consider in Chapter 8 whether this qualifies as a form of what I term
“improvisational composition.” - I draw in this paragraph on Stern 2000, 5–8.
- Important extended philosophical treatments of dance can be found in
Sparshott 1988; 1995; and McFee 1992. A number of helpful critical sur-
veys of the issues in the philosophy of dance have appeared in the last few