Literary Infinities: Number and Narrative in Modern Fiction

Literary Infinities explores the relationship between the late 19th-century revolution in mathematics and 20th-century modernist literature, highlighting the influence of numbers and the concept of the infinite on key modernists such as James Joyce, Italo Svevo, Jorge Luis Borges, Samuel Beckett, and J.M. Coetzee. It recovers Georg Cantor's contributions to modernism, demonstrating how his mathematics shaped narrative form, presentation, representation, formalism, and the tactile imagination.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 224 pages
\n Publication date: 30 May 2019
\n Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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Literary Infinities explores the fascinating relationship between the late 19th-century revolution in mathematics and the literature of 20th-century modernism. By delving into the realm of numbers and the concept of infinity, the book offers a fresh perspective on modernist literature, shedding light on the influence and significance of these mathematical concepts.

In the book, Baylee Brits examines the role of numbers and the infinite in prominent modernists such as James Joyce, Italo Svevo, Jorge Luis Borges, Samuel Beckett, and J.M. Coetzee. Brits begins by reclaiming the enigmatic German mathematician Georg Cantor for the broader artistic, cultural, and philosophical project of modernism. Cantor's revolutionary contributions to the mathematics of the infinite not only revolutionized the field but also had far-reaching effects on various disciplines, including philosophy, religion, and literary modernism.

Through Literary Infinities, Brits demonstrates how the "modernist infinity" shapes and influences key innovations in narrative form. She explores how modernist writers employ mathematical concepts and theories to create new modes of storytelling, challenging traditional forms and conventions. The book highlights how the infinite opens up possibilities for representation, abstraction, and the exploration of the unknown, allowing writers to create immersive and imaginative literary worlds.

Moreover, Literary Infinities explores the relationship between mathematics and the tactile imagination. Brits argues that the infinite evokes a sense of wonder, awe, and curiosity, which can be translated into the language of literature. She explores how modernist writers use sensory imagery, metaphor, and sensory detail to evoke the infinite, creating a bridge between the mathematical and the literary, and between the abstract and the concrete.

In conclusion, Literary Infinities offers a groundbreaking exploration of the connection between mathematics and literature. By reclaiming the role of numbers and the infinite in modernist literature, the book provides a fresh perspective on these influential writers and their creative contributions. It demonstrates how the infinite can inspire and shape narrative form, challenging traditional boundaries and opening up new avenues for artistic expression. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of mathematics, literature, and the broader cultural landscape of the 20th century.

\n Weight: 336g\n
Dimension: 155 x 229 x 14 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781501352591\n \n