Powieść jako krytyczna teoria homoseksualności. Na podstawie kilku tekstów francuskich z drugiej połowy XIX wieku

Abstract

The article refers to the tradition of analysing relations between literature and conceptual discourses, based on the assumption that a novel can be considered as a certain, specific type of theorizing. Using examples from several French novels of the second half of the 19th century, the author attempts an analysis of the novel genre indicators with regards to their critical potential. Owing to this potential, these novels enter into some polemics with scientific theories of homosexuality. However, in the course of this analysis the novel genre indicators reveal their anti-critical potential as well. The conclusion draws on Bakhtin's dialogism theory. The author believes that the novel accomplishes its critical potential when it makes homosexuality the subject of the dialogue. Their dialogic nature is what differentiates the novelistic theories from monologic scientific theories.