La letteratura oggi: la crisi del romanzo come sintomo di un cambiamento sociale
The article examines the perceived crisis of the novel as a literary form, tracing its historical rise alongside the bourgeoisie in the 17th and 18th centuries. It argues the novel functioned as a mirror for a coherent social class with shared values, serving as a device for collective representation. The form's foundational premise of a recognizable community began to fracture in the 20th century, particularly after World War II, as societies atomized and grand ideological narratives collapsed.
This matters for the art world because it analyzes a fundamental shift in cultural production and collective imagination. The argument that contemporary "narratives" are isolated stylistic exercises, failing to generate a shared vision, speaks to broader questions about art's role in a fragmented society. The discussion, rooted in cultural theory, provides a lens through which to understand similar challenges facing visual art in constructing meaning and community in the contemporary era.