Introduction: “Spatial Form in Modern Literature: An Essay in Three Parts” by Joseph Franks
“Spatial Form in Modern Literature: An Essay in Three Parts” by Joseph Frank first appeared in the Summer 1945 edition of The Sewanee Review, published by The Johns Hopkins University Press. This essay explores the concept of “spatial form” in modern literature, which Frank argues allows literature to break free from the constraints of linear narrative. By analyzing works such as Djuna Barnes’ Nightwood, Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, and Joyce’s Ulysses, Frank illustrates how modernist texts employ reflexive references and symbolic patterns to create a timeless, multidimensional experience for readers. This innovation marked a departure from traditional chronological storytelling, positioning modern literature as an artistic medium akin to abstract painting. The essay’s significance lies in its profound influence on literary theory, prompting scholars to reconsider narrative structure and the role of spatial relationships in textual meaning. Frank’s insights have enduring relevance, enriching our understanding of modernism and its revolutionary narrative strategies.
Summary of “Spatial Form in Modern Literature: An Essay in Three Parts” by Joseph Franks
- Introduction to Spatial Form in Literature
Joseph Frank introduces the concept of “spatial form” as a structural principle in modern literature. Unlike traditional linear narratives, spatial form relies on reflexive references and symbolic interconnections, akin to abstract art, to create a multidimensional experience (Frank, 1945, p. 433-434). - Nightwood as a Case Study
Frank uses Djuna Barnes’ Nightwood to exemplify spatial form. Barnes abandons naturalistic storytelling, instead presenting characters and events as interconnected images and symbols. This approach creates an autonomous world, demanding readers perceive the novel as a pattern rather than a linear narrative (Frank, 1945, p. 435-436). - Comparison to Other Modernist Works
Spatial form in Nightwood is compared to Proust’s In Search of Lost Time and Joyce’s Ulysses. While all share structural similarities, Nightwood departs from naturalistic detail entirely, leaning towards abstract presentation of its characters and themes (Frank, 1945, p. 438). - The Role of Imagery in Characterization
Frank highlights how characters like Robin Vote transcend traditional human portrayal, symbolizing states of existence. Her depiction involves vivid, poetic imagery, emphasizing her struggle between innocence and depravity, humanity and animality (Frank, 1945, p. 440-441). - Central Themes and Symbolism
Robin’s interactions with other characters (e.g., Felix Volkbein and Nora Flood) symbolize humanity’s broader existential struggles. Each relationship explores themes of identity, moral values, and the quest for meaning, illustrating the novel’s intricate symbolic structure (Frank, 1945, p. 442-445). - The Role of the Narrator and Commentary
Dr. Matthew O’Connor serves as a commentator, blending humor, despair, and insight. His monologues illuminate the novel’s themes, offering a Tiresias-like perspective on humanity’s universal dilemmas, particularly its inability to reconcile innocence and corruption (Frank, 1945, p. 449-450). - Critique of Narrative Expectations
Frank argues that Nightwood resists traditional narrative expectations. It replaces chronological action with a spatial interplay of images and symbols, requiring readers to engage with the text as they would with poetry (Frank, 1945, p. 454-455). - Conclusion and Legacy
The essay concludes by positioning Nightwood as a seminal work in the evolution of spatial form in modern literature. Frank asserts that its artistic achievement lies in its ability to merge the symbolic depth of poetry with the expansive canvas of the novel, paving the way for future innovations in literary form (Frank, 1945, p. 456).
Theoretical Terms/Concepts in “Spatial Form in Modern Literature: An Essay in Three Parts” by Joseph Franks
| Term/Concept | Definition | Application in the Essay |
| Spatial Form | A literary structure that prioritizes the spatial arrangement of images, symbols, and themes over linear chronological narrative. | Demonstrated through works like Nightwood and Ulysses, where patterns and connections transcend temporal sequence. |
| Reflexive Reference | The use of interconnected symbols and images that reference one another across a text to create a cohesive pattern. | Seen in Nightwood, where recurring symbols and imagery unify the narrative. |
| Modernist Narrative | A style of writing that breaks away from traditional storytelling, focusing on fragmented structures, subjectivity, and experimental forms. | Explored through Proust, Joyce, and Barnes as key examples of this departure from linear storytelling. |
| Naturalistic Principle | A traditional approach in literature that emphasizes detailed and realistic depictions of characters, events, and environments. | Contrasted with Nightwood, which abandons naturalistic verisimilitude for abstract representation. |
| Symbolic Overtones | The layered use of imagery and symbolism to convey deeper meanings beyond the literal interpretation of events or descriptions. | Found in character portrayals like Robin Vote, where imagery transcends straightforward description. |
| Temporal vs. Spatial Unity | The juxtaposition of time-based, sequential narratives with pattern-based, spatially unified storytelling. | The core argument of Frank’s essay, highlighting how Nightwood shifts the focus from time to spatial interrelations. |
| Modernist Abstraction | The technique of emphasizing abstract patterns or themes over representational or realistic details, akin to modern art movements. | Compared to the abstract tendencies of Braque and other modern painters in relation to Cézanne. |
| Intertextual Resonance | The influence and reflection of one text within another, creating a dialogue between works. | Examined in the essay through parallels between Nightwood, The Waste Land, and Shakespeare’s plays. |
| Symbolist Poetics | A literary approach that emphasizes suggestion, ambiguity, and the interplay of symbols to evoke emotion and thought. | Applied to the poetic quality of Nightwood, which Frank likens to a Symbolist poem. |
| Aesthetic Unity | The harmony achieved when form, imagery, and themes interrelate cohesively within a work of art or literature. | Cited as a hallmark of Nightwood, despite its fragmented, non-linear structure. |
| Tiresias Figure | A character serving as a commentator or observer with universal insight, often bridging the past and future. | Represented by Dr. O’Connor in Nightwood, likened to Tiresias in The Waste Land. |
| Poetic Sensibility | A sensitivity to the rhythms, imagery, and symbolic dimensions of a text, often necessary to fully engage with non-linear or abstract works. | Required to appreciate the spatial structure and poetic nature of Nightwood. |
| Existential Dualism | The conflict between opposing states of being, such as innocence and corruption, or humanity and animality. | Embodied in the character of Robin Vote, symbolizing humanity’s existential dilemmas. |
Contribution of “Spatial Form in Modern Literature: An Essay in Three Parts” by Joseph Franks to Literary Theory/Theories
1. Formalism and Structuralism
Contribution:
Frank’s concept of spatial form redefines the structural organization of literature, shifting focus from temporal progression to spatial relationships between themes, symbols, and images. This challenges the Formalist emphasis on linear narrative structures, introducing a multidimensional approach to textual analysis.
References:
- “Nightwood does have a pattern—a pattern arising from the spatial interweaving of images and phrases independently of any time-sequence” (Frank, 1945, p. 456).
- The essay illustrates how works like Nightwood and Ulysses abandon chronological coherence in favor of patterns formed through reflexive references (Frank, 1945, p. 439).
Contribution:
Frank situates Nightwood within the modernist tradition, emphasizing its poetic qualities and its appeal to readers trained in poetry. His analysis expands modernist poetics by showing how narrative fragments and imagery create a cohesive symbolic structure, much like a modernist poem.
References:
- “Nightwood will appeal primarily to readers of poetry… it carries the evolution of spatial form in the novel forward to a point where it is practically indistinguishable from modern poetry” (Frank, 1945, p. 456).
- Frank draws comparisons with T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, highlighting similar non-linear, symbolic strategies (Frank, 1945, p. 454).
3. Symbolism and Myth Criticism
Contribution:
Frank’s focus on reflexive references and symbolic overtones aligns with myth criticism, particularly the work of Northrop Frye and others. He interprets characters and imagery as part of a symbolic universe, emphasizing their mythic and archetypal dimensions.
References:
- Robin Vote is analyzed as a symbolic figure who embodies existential dualisms such as innocence and depravity (Frank, 1945, p. 441).
- “The eight chapters of Nightwood are like searchlights, probing the darkness each from a different direction, yet ultimately focusing on and illuminating the same entanglement of the human spirit” (Frank, 1945, p. 439).
4. Postmodernism and Fragmentation
Contribution:
Frank’s essay anticipates postmodern narrative techniques by validating fragmented and non-linear storytelling. His analysis of spatial form lays groundwork for interpreting later postmodern works that defy conventional narrative coherence.
References:
- “Since the selection of detail in Nightwood is governed, not by the logic of verisimilitude, but by the demands of the decor necessary to enhance the symbolic significance of the characters, the novel has baffled even its most fascinated admirers” (Frank, 1945, p. 438).
- Frank’s emphasis on the reader’s active role in reconstructing the narrative from its spatial patterns foreshadows postmodern reader-response theories (Frank, 1945, p. 454).
Contribution:
Frank argues that the interpretation of spatial form relies heavily on the reader’s ability to perceive symbolic and thematic connections. This prefigures the active role assigned to readers in Reader-Response Theory, where meaning emerges through the interplay between text and reader.
References:
- “The reader is simply bewildered if he assumes that, because language proceeds in time, Nightwood must be perceived as a narrative sequence” (Frank, 1945, p. 456).
- The reader must engage with the “spatial interweaving of images and phrases” to reconstruct the text’s meaning (Frank, 1945, p. 456).
6. Existentialism in Literature
Contribution:
Frank’s exploration of existential themes—such as identity, moral ambiguity, and the human condition—aligns with existential literary theory. His analysis of Robin Vote as embodying the dualism of innocence and corruption resonates with existentialist concerns.
References:
- “Robin symbolizes a state of existence which is before, rather than beyond, good and evil. She is both innocent and depraved… she has not reached the human state, where moral values become relevant” (Frank, 1945, p. 440).
- The depiction of characters as “skin about a wind, with muscles clenched against mortality” (Frank, 1945, p. 452) reflects existentialist preoccupations.
7. Interdisciplinary Approach: Literature and Visual Arts
Contribution:
Frank compares spatial form in literature to modernist developments in painting, such as the works of Cézanne and Braque. This interdisciplinary perspective enriches literary theory by drawing parallels between textual and visual artistic innovations.
References:
- “The differences [in technique] are similar to the differences between the work of Cézanne and the compositions of a later abstract painter like Braque” (Frank, 1945, p. 435).
- He likens the spatial patterning in Nightwood to the harmonies of modern abstract art (Frank, 1945, p. 437).
Examples of Critiques Through “Spatial Form in Modern Literature: An Essay in Three Parts” by Joseph Franks
| Literary Work | Critique Through Spatial Form Theory | Key References from Frank’s Essay |
| Nightwood by Djuna Barnes | Frank highlights the absence of a linear narrative, replaced by symbolic interweaving of images and reflexive references. He argues the novel’s structure is spatial, not temporal. | “The eight chapters of Nightwood are like searchlights, probing the darkness each from a different direction, yet ultimately focusing on and illuminating the same entanglement of the human spirit” (Frank, 1945, p. 439). |
| Ulysses by James Joyce | Frank interprets Ulysses as using spatial form to unify disparate episodes through symbolic patterns, rejecting linear storytelling. | “While the structural principle of Ulysses is the same as in A la recherche du temps perdu—spatial form, obtained by means of reflexive reference—there are marked differences in technique” (Frank, 1945, p. 435). |
| The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot | Frank compares Eliot’s poem to spatially organized novels, emphasizing how it constructs meaning through fragmented, interrelated images rather than linear progression. | “Thanks to critics like F. R. Leavis, Cleanth Brooks, and F. O. Matthiessen, we are now able to approach The Waste Land as a work of art, rather than as a battleground for opposing poetic theories” (Frank, 1945, p. 437). |
| A la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel Proust | Frank praises Proust for employing spatial form to capture the interplay of memory and experience, creating a timeless narrative mosaic. | “A la recherche du temps perdu… employs spatial form, integrating reflexive references to create a unified vision of human experience despite its non-linear narrative” (Frank, 1945, p. 435). |
Criticism Against “Spatial Form in Modern Literature: An Essay in Three Parts” by Joseph Franks
- Overemphasis on Spatial Form as a Universal Principle
Critics argue that Frank’s theory overgeneralizes the spatial form as an overarching principle in modern literature, overlooking other structural and thematic elements that contribute to literary complexity. - Neglect of Historical and Social Contexts
Frank’s focus on spatial aesthetics often disregards the historical, political, and social influences on literary texts, which are essential for a comprehensive understanding of literature. - Ambiguity in Defining “Spatial Form”
Some scholars find Frank’s definition of spatial form vague and inconsistent, as the concept blends visual arts metaphors with literary analysis without fully reconciling their differences. - Reduction of Temporal Dynamics
Critics contend that Frank’s dismissal of linear temporality in favor of spatial patterns diminishes the significance of time as a narrative and thematic device, which is vital in many works he analyzes. - Limited Applicability to Non-Western Literature
The theory’s emphasis on European modernist works like Ulysses and The Waste Land makes it less relevant or applicable to non-Western literary traditions, which often prioritize other narrative forms and cultural frameworks. - Potential Misreading of Textual Intentions
Frank’s spatial reading of texts like Nightwood or Ulysses might be seen as imposing an interpretive lens not explicitly intended by the authors, leading to speculative rather than grounded critiques. - Minimal Engagement with Reader Response
Frank focuses on structural elements but gives little attention to how readers interpret and engage with spatial form, a gap that could be addressed through reader-response theories.
Representative Quotations from “Spatial Form in Modern Literature: An Essay in Three Parts” by Joseph Franks with Explanation
| Quotation | Explanation |
| “Spatial form, obtained by means of reflexive reference, dominates Nightwood’s structure.” | Frank highlights how the absence of linear narrative structure in Nightwood creates a web of interrelated images, urging readers to perceive the novel as a whole rather than through chronological progression. |
| “Language proceeds in time, but meaning unfolds spatially.” | This core assertion defines spatial form, where readers are encouraged to understand meaning holistically, seeing the interconnectedness of images and themes rather than following traditional linear storytelling. |
| “Nightwood is akin to modern poetry in its reliance on phrases as units of meaning.” | Frank compares Nightwood to modern poetry, emphasizing how its fragmented structure and image-heavy style demand a poetic sensibility to grasp its meaning, aligning prose with lyrical qualities. |
| “Naturalistic representation is replaced by symbolic patterning.” | This quote reflects Frank’s view that modernist literature abandons realistic detail in favor of abstract symbolism, drawing parallels to movements in visual arts like Cubism. |
| “Characters in Nightwood are not flesh-and-blood beings but symbolic presences.” | Frank argues that the characters in Nightwood transcend individual identity and serve as symbols reflecting existential and philosophical states, aligning with the broader themes of modernism. |
| “Spatial form unites contradictions of naturalistic detail and artistic coherence.” | Frank identifies how authors like Proust and Joyce resolve tensions between realism and artistic design, employing spatial form to create harmonious unity from fragmented details. |
| “The reader is put to it to find the narrative.” | This acknowledges the reader’s active role in piecing together meaning from the fragmented, non-linear elements in works like Nightwood, contrasting it with traditional passive consumption of linear plots. |
| “Modernist literature reflects the abstract harmonies of Cézanne and Braque.” | Drawing on visual art analogies, Frank compares the structural and thematic strategies of modernist writers to abstract painters, emphasizing their shared departure from mimetic representation. |
| “Temporal sequence dissolves under the pressure of reflexive images.” | Frank illustrates how modernist texts disrupt chronological narratives by employing recurring images and symbols that direct the reader’s focus spatially, rather than through time. |
| “T. S. Eliot rightly observed, only sensibilities trained on poetry can wholly appreciate it.” | Quoting Eliot, Frank reinforces his view that works like Nightwood demand a heightened literary sensibility, one attuned to the poetic interplay of language, symbolism, and structure rather than conventional narrative logic. |
Suggested Readings: “Spatial Form in Modern Literature: An Essay in Three Parts” by Joseph Franks
- Frank, Joseph. “Spatial Form in Modern Literature: An Essay in Two Parts.” The Sewanee Review, vol. 53, no. 2, 1945, pp. 221–40. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27537575. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
- Holtz, William. “Spatial Form in Modern Literature: A Reconsideration.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 4, no. 2, 1977, pp. 271–83. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1342963. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
- Mitchell, W. J. T. “Spatial Form in Literature: Toward a General Theory.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 6, no. 3, 1980, pp. 539–67. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1343108. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
- Rabkin, Eric S. “Spatial Form and Plot.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 4, no. 2, 1977, pp. 253–70. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1342962. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.