Crises of the Sentence

The sentence is a fundamental unit of discourse, but it has rarely been an explicit object of inquiry. Jan Mieszkowski looks at the difficulties confronting nineteenth- and twentieth-century authors when they tried to explain what a sentence is and what it can do, exploring the hidden allegiances behind our ever-changing stylistic ideals.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 264 pages
\n Publication date: 02 April 2019
\n Publisher: The University of Chicago Press
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The sentence, a fundamental unit of discourse, has wielded immense authority with minimal reflection. While it holds a central place in language, it has often been overlooked in favor of other concepts such as word, trope, line, or stanza. In order to comprehend the significance of thinking about or neglecting the sentence, Jan Mieszkowski delves into the challenges faced by nineteenth- and twentieth-century authors in defining its essence and capabilities. He explores the intricate allegiances underlying our ever-evolving stylistic ideals, ranging from Romantic debates about the standalone sentence's power to realist obsessions with precision and revision and modernist experiments with unruly forms. Through his examination, Mieszkowski reveals that an investment in superior writing has always been an ethical, political, and aesthetic commitment. Crises of the Sentence offers a fresh perspective on our complex relationship with this fundamental compositional category, challenging our assumptions and illuminating the ethical and political dimensions that shape our appreciation of language.

\n Weight: 382g\n
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 14 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780226617190\n \n