Beyond the Canon: Whither Beyond?

Summary

Within a history of the deployment of the term “canon”, the author of this article investigates the possibility of an extra-canonical literature and the role of heritage and the futuristic in literature through reweaving by appropriation. The history of English as an academic discipline, the roots and consequences of essentialism and nihilism, and the problems in approaching a work of literature by means of a “What is x?” question are also considered.

Opsomming

Binne ‘n geskiedenis van die aanwending van die term “kanon”, ondersoek die outeur van hierdie artikel die moontlikheid van ‘n ekstra-kanonieke literatuur en die rol van erfenis en die futuristiese in die literatuur deur dit met behulp van toe-eiening te herweef. Die geskiedenis van Engels as 'n akademiese dissipline, die oorsprong en gevolge van die essensialisme en nihilisme, en die probleme wat ontstaan wanneer literatuur met 'n “Wat is x?”-vraag benader word, word ook oorweeg.