Jeanette Winterson`s Postmodern Historical Novels: Sexing the Cherry and The Passion as Historiografic Metafictions.

• Název v anglickém jazyce: Jeanette Winterson`s Postmodern Historical Novels: Sexing the Cherry and The Passion as Historiografic Metafictions.
• Klíčová slova: postmodernismus, historické romány, britská literatura, Jeanette Wintersonová, historiografická metafikce
• Klíčová slova anglicky: postmodernism, historical novels, British literature, Jeanette Winterson, historiographic metafiction
• Akademický rok vypsání: 2014/2015
• Typ práce: bakalářská práce
• Jazyk práce: angličtina
• Ústav: Ústav anglofonních literatur a kultur (21-UALK)
• Vedoucí / školitel: PhDr. Soňa Nováková, CSc.
• Řešitel: skrytý - zadáno a potvrzeno stud. odd.
• Datum přihlášení: 26.03.2015
• Datum zadání: 26.03.2015
• Schválení administrátorem: zatím neschvalováno
• Datum potvrzení stud. oddělením: 08.04.2015
• Datum a čas obhajoby: 20.06.2016 00:00
• Datum odevzdání elektronické podoby: 22.05.2016
• Datum proběhlé obhajoby: 20.06.2016
• Odevzdaná/finalizovaná: odevzdaná studentem a finalizovaná
• Oponenti: PhDr. Zdeněk Beran, Ph.D.

Zásady pro vypracování

1. Introduction
While nineteenth and early twentieth century theorists considered that history was based on actual facts traced by written evidence which justified those facts` apparent objectivity, later theorists, under the influence of the poststructuralists` ideas of textuality of reality, doubted those concepts assuming that the historical data cannot be perceived objectively. This led to the further assumption that history is a construct, a discourse created by the historian who narrates it to the others, and, consequently, it is the figure of the historian himself which is the key to understanding how the historiographical material is treated. Thus, in the postmodern understanding, the history is subjective rather than an objective concept.
Hayden White developed those concepts in his famous book Metahistory, and created the theory of narrative which “draws parallels between [newly understood] history and literature” pointing out that with history being an act of narration, the line between history and fiction blurs. For that purpose White introduced the concept of metafiction, being the device, the narrative form which is the only possible way of representing the history.
Under those fairly new concepts the historical novels evolve into another form, a new king of “fictional history”. According to Linda Hutcheon, this form of postmodern historical novel can be called historiografic metafiction. She uses that term to describe fiction which is both metafictional and historical: it is a specific form of metafiction, “fictional writing which self-consciously and systematically draws attention to its status as an artifact” in order to pose questions about the relationship between fiction and reality. Those fictions “situate [themselves] within historical discourse” while still claiming to be fictitious. Thus, they problematize the very distinction between history and fiction by showing the parallels between writing literature and writing history, suggesting that both are acts of construction that do not represent reality but reinvent it from necessary subjective point of view.
Those concepts refer to popular novels which are both intensely self-reflexive and “yet paradoxically … claim to [be true to] historical events and personages”. This shows that contemporary novelists are still highly interested in postmodern rewriting of history.
Jeanette Winterson is usually named among those whose works can be called historiografic metafictions. She “disbelieves the capacity of history … to give … perfectly truthful and objective version of the past” and prefers individual perspectives in describing those events. Both Winterson`s early novels Sexing the Cherry and The Passion fit Hutcheon`s category by problematizing history in some similar ways. Firstly, the novels are highly self-reflexive; they also challenge the concept of unified history by problematizing linearity of time and chronology. Secondly, both novels “feminize” history while elevating the marginalized female versions of historic events. And lastly, they mix mystery and reality by adding traces of magical realism into the narrative. Still some of the features of Winterson`s metafictions might be seen as typically hers, such as “feminizing history” for example.
The aim of this work is to read two novels by Jeanette Winterson as examples of historiographic metafiction. The general features of this form will be tested on the specific cases with regard to their treatment of genre and history in connection with an exploration of the validity of such concepts as postmodernism, metahistory etc. The main focus is to be an the mutual interplay between theory and literary practice.
2. Challenging the time and mocking the “grand narrative”.
One of the most prominent features of such historiografic metanarrations is subjectivity and thus the search to undermine “grand narratives” (as pointed out by Jerome de Groot).In such novels the narrative linearity is questioned; the chronology is disrupted; the novels are also highly self-reflexive.
In The Passion this can be seen in Henry`s attempts to write the diary.He both wants to reflect the actions somehow chronologically and coherently, yet is perplexed by the fact that he wants to record “his feelings”; Henry is usually self-reflexive while creating his account of events which fits the notion of subjectivity of metanarration.Henry`s narration is again problematic and subjective as he is the eye-witness of the events, yet he bears his own affection to Napoleon.His diary is not the expected historical narration of great battles and the figure of Napoleon; Winterson mocks such concept giving minor details of the actions which are also “told from the perspectives of insignificant figures”. Even Henry`s ability to be a decent historian is questioned in the book by his friend soldier. The repetitive phrase “I`m telling you stories. Trust me” is very important as the motif, which again and again reminds of the metanarration of the novel. There are also deviations in the linearity of narration especially in the last part “The Zero Winter” where two main narrators, Henry and Villanelle, each take part in the narration.
Sexing the Cherry is similar in the sense that the story challenges the concepts of history and time. The Dog Woman is the one who mentions the actual events of the 17^th century, such as the Civil War or the figure of Prince Charles. But she observes them from her own point of view which is very often subjective and critical. For example, she usually starts the account of historical event in the realistic terms; yet as her vision is limited she adds her own feelings, thus undermining the objectivity of the whole account. She also adds fictional reasons for historical actions and unreliable links between them. The linearity is challenged by the appearance of the second narrator, Jordan, who is an alternative to only Dog Woman`s account of events, which gives place to multiple points of view on the same event, just as in The Passion.
3. “Feminizing” history
Another important feature of historical metanarration is focus on “marginalized and hitherto unwritten histories” (Groot), thus it is fair to state that Winterson, as being usually referred to as a feminist writer, problematizes gender issues by intervening with feminine narrations of typically male subjects (such as war in The Passion). It can be also argued that women have been “partially excluded by dominant cultural ideology” (Groot) which again makes their narration of history the narration of “marginalized” subjects.
In The Passion Henry is obviously male, yet it is usually pointed out that he bears some typically feminine features (even the fact that he works in the kitchen and enjoys it hints at women`s occupation); Villanelle, as opposed to Henry, has “masculine” features (“masculine” webbed feet) and her cross-dressing problematizes the concept of gender. Here, Winterson raises Villanelle`s minor history to the same level of Henry`s story. It can be related to the concept of “histories” (Villanelle`s story) in plural as opposed to one unifying “history” (the expected “grand narrative”).
In Sexing the Cherry there is a similar motive of history seen through the eyes of a woman, for the story which takes place in 17^th century it is again “marginalized” point of view. Still, Winterson include some actual historical figures into the narration, making them the characters of the novel – this blurs the border between facts and fiction. The “marginalization” of the Dog Woman is not only due to her sex, it is her grotesque appearance that makes her be alien to the society (she is huge, she has no teeth, her smell is horrible, etc.

4. Adding features of magical realism
The concept of magical realism is closely connected with blurring the lines between fiction and reality, it ‘subverts fiction in the same way that metafiction points to fiction`s artificiality’ (Groot). When writing the novel which challenges the concept of history, it is very natural to include such features of magical realism as magic, myth and mysticism into the narration. Thus, the novel problematizes historical objectivity by inverting realistic details by mystical ones. Winterson herself stated that ‘the function of fantasy in the novel is not an escape from the existing reality but to create a different world where the reader can enjoy plurality’. Thus to create fragments of narration which create multiple point of view on the same storyline.
In The Passion the prominent example is the city of Venice which generally is turned into mystical place where magical and mythical things can happen: boatmen have webbed feet, the heart can literally be stolen, etc. Another important detail is use of oral storytelling instead of historical depiction in the case of Villanelle. She uses fantastic tales in the narration, for example, the stories behind her webbed feet and stolen heart.
In Sexing the Cherry the body of Dog Woman is the absolute opposite to the constructed image of beauty. She is a huge woman, physically very strong, taking over the men, and it can be seen as a mythmaking technique in the novel. She becomes the unified symbol of women power. Still, most of the magical accounts of reality comes in Jordan`s narration, he permanently uses tales and stories which he introduces in his realistic narration (for example, the story about twelve dancing princesses). They are usually used in opposition to the realistic mode and add another dimension of understanding; the emphasis in put on alternatives rather than core facts.

5. Conclusions
It may be seen in the end that those two novels fit the concept of historiografic metafiction well. Still some of the features of Winterson`s metafictions might be seen as typically hers (such as “feminizing history” for example).

Seznam odborné literatury

Primary sources:
Winterson, Jeanette. Sexing the Cherry. London: Vintage Books, 2001.
---. The Passion. London: Penguin Books, 1988.
Secondary sources:
Andermahr, Sonya. Jeanette Winterson: A Contemporary Critical Guide. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2007.
Bowers, Maggie Ann. Magic(al) Realism. London: Routledge, 2004.
Butler, Michael. “Historiografic Metafiction”. The Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century Fiction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2011, p.626.
De Groot, Jerome. The Historical Novel. London: Routledge, 2010.
Hutcheon, Linda. Poetics of Postmodernism. London: Routledge, 1988.
Kirca, Mustafa. “Time in Winterson`s Novels: Feminizing History in The Passion”. University of Bucharest Review, Vol. XI, no. 2, 2009.
McHale, Brian. Postmodernist Fiction. London: Routledge, 1991.
---. Constructing Postmodernism. London: Routledge, 1992.
Onega, Susana. "“I’m Telling You Stories, Trust Me.”: History/Story-telling in Jeanette Winterson’s Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit." Logomachia: Forms of Opposition in English Language/Literature. E. Douka-Kabitoglou ed. Thessaloniki: Hellenic Association for the Study of English, 1994. 171-185.
The Routledge Companion to Postmodernism. London: Routledge, 2001.
Waugh, Patricia. Metafiction. London: Routledge, 1984.
---. Feminine Fiction: Revisiting the Postmodern. London: Routledge, 1989.
White, Hayden. Metafiction: The Historical Imagination in Nineteenth-century Europe. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1975.