“The Storyteller: Reflections on the Works of Nikolai Leskov” by Walter Benjamin: Summary and Critique

Introduction: “The Storyteller: Reflections on the Works of Nikolai Leskov” by Walter Benjamin

“The Storyteller: Reflections on the Works of Nikolai Leskov” by Walter Benjamin first appeared in the Chicago Review, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Winter-Spring, 1963), spanning pages 80-101. In this seminal essay, Benjamin meditates on the decline of storytelling as a traditional art form, contrasting it with the rise of the novel and modern modes of communication. The article examines how the oral traditions, deeply tied to collective experience and communal exchange, are increasingly replaced by information-based narratives that lack the depth and continuity of past tales. Through Leskov, Benjamin illustrates the enduring qualities of the storyteller, who passes down wisdom, moral guidance, and lived experiences, grounding his stories in the practical and the mystical alike. This work is a cornerstone in literary theory, offering profound insights into the cultural shifts that affect storytelling’s role in society, and it highlights the significance of memory, craft, and wisdom in narrative forms. It remains crucial for understanding the transformation of literary expression and the relationship between literature and lived experience.

Summary of “The Storyteller: Reflections on the Works of Nikolai Leskov” by Walter Benjamin

• The Decline of Storytelling: Benjamin argues that the art of storytelling, once a central form of communication, has been in decline, replaced by information and the novel. He states that “experience has fallen in value” (p. 84) and storytelling, which used to pass down wisdom and lived experiences, is no longer a living art form but something increasingly remote.
• Storytelling vs. The Novel: Benjamin contrasts storytelling with the novel, which depends on the solitary individual. Unlike storytelling, which is passed from mouth to mouth and retains a communal element, “the novelist has isolated himself” (p. 90). He observes that storytelling is rooted in shared experience, while the novel focuses on the inner lives of individuals.
• Leskov as a Storyteller: Nikolai Leskov is presented as a model storyteller, whose works reflect the oral traditions that Benjamin champions. Leskov’s stories, rooted in Russian religious and folk traditions, embody the dual role of the storyteller as both an observer of distant places and times and as a narrator of local, intimate knowledge (p. 94). Leskov’s craftsmanship in storytelling exemplifies “the lore of the past” combined with lived experience.
• The Role of Experience in Storytelling: According to Benjamin, the true storyteller draws from personal and collective experience, transforming it into a narrative that carries counsel and wisdom. He argues that “experience which is passed on from mouth to mouth is the source from which all storytellers have drawn” (p. 85). This experience is not only practical but also moral, often containing a useful lesson for listeners.
• The Rise of Information: Benjamin points out that storytelling has been displaced by “information,” which requires immediate verification and lacks the depth of storytelling. He contrasts this with Leskov’s ability to present extraordinary tales without offering psychological explanations, allowing readers to derive their own interpretations (p. 99).
• The Connection between Death and Storytelling: One of Benjamin’s key insights is the connection between death and storytelling. He asserts that death gives meaning to life and storytelling, stating that “death is the sanction of everything that the storyteller can tell” (p. 106). This perspective on death ties storytelling to the broader cycles of life, history, and natural processes.
• The Craftsmanship of Storytelling: Benjamin compares storytelling to a form of craftsmanship, where the storyteller shapes raw experience into something solid and memorable, like an artisan shaping material. Leskov’s work, particularly in tales like “The Steel Flea,” glorifies native craftsmanship, demonstrating how the storyteller’s hands leave “traces” on the story, much like a potter’s marks on a vessel (p. 104).

Literary Terms/Concepts in “The Storyteller: Reflections on the Works of Nikolai Leskov” by Walter Benjamin

Literary Term/Concept	Description	Reference/Explanation from the Text
Storytelling	The oral tradition of sharing wisdom, experience, and counsel, often passed from generation to generation.	Benjamin argues that “experience which is passed on from mouth to mouth is the source from which all storytellers have drawn” (p. 85).
Novel	A modern form of prose literature that is distinct from storytelling due to its individual, isolated nature.	Benjamin contrasts the novel with storytelling, stating that “the novelist has isolated himself” (p. 90).
Communicability of Experience	The ability to share life experiences through stories, a key function of the storyteller that is diminishing in modern times.	Benjamin notes, “Less and less frequently do we encounter people with the ability to tell a tale properly” (p. 80).
Counsel	Practical or moral advice that is embedded in stories, a key element of traditional storytelling.	Benjamin emphasizes that “every real story contains…something useful” and that “the storyteller is a man who has counsel for his readers” (p. 87).
Information	A modern form of communication that focuses on immediate, verifiable facts but lacks the depth of storytelling.	“Information lays claim to prompt verifiability” but “it is indispensable for information to sound plausible” (p. 99).
Craftsmanship	Storytelling as a craft, akin to artisan work, where the storyteller shapes raw experience into meaningful narratives.	Benjamin compares storytelling to craftsmanship, noting “the storyteller sinks the thing into the life of the storyteller, in order to bring it out of him again” (p. 104).
Memory	A key component of storytelling, where experiences are retained and passed down through narratives.	“Memory is the epic faculty par excellence” (p. 115), Benjamin asserts, highlighting its role in preserving and transmitting stories.
Death	Death gives meaning to storytelling, as it marks the final point at which a life story becomes transmissible.	“Death is the sanction of everything that the storyteller can tell” (p. 106).
Epic	A broad term for long, narrative storytelling, often rooted in oral traditions and collective memory.	Benjamin associates storytelling with the epic tradition, contrasting it with the individualistic novel (p. 94).

Contribution of “The Storyteller: Reflections on the Works of Nikolai Leskov” by Walter Benjamin to Literary Theory/Theories

1. Narrative Theory

• Contribution: Benjamin’s distinction between storytelling and the novel significantly contributes to narrative theory by exploring how different forms of narrative convey meaning and experience. He argues that storytelling, rooted in oral tradition, involves communal experience, while the novel is an individual and isolated form.
• Key Reference: Benjamin highlights that “the storyteller takes what he tells from experience—his own or that reported by others. And he in turn makes it the experience of those who are listening to his tale” (p. 85). In contrast, the novelist “has isolated himself” (p. 90). This distinction deepens narrative theory by highlighting the social and personal functions of different narrative forms.

2. Modernity and Literary Forms

• Contribution: Benjamin’s analysis contributes to the theory of modernity in literature, particularly the decline of traditional narrative forms in the wake of modern life and technology. He argues that storytelling is being replaced by the novel and “information,” both products of modernity that lack the depth of lived experience found in traditional storytelling.
• Key Reference: Benjamin asserts that “the art of storytelling is reaching its end because the epic side of truth, wisdom, is dying out” (p. 88). He ties this shift to modern historical changes, such as the First World War, which “contradicted more thoroughly than ever before… economic experience by inflation, bodily experience by mechanical warfare” (p. 83). This connects literary shifts to broader societal changes, contributing to theories of modernity in literature.

3. Theories of Experience and Representation

• Contribution: Benjamin contributes to theories of experience, particularly in how literature represents lived experience. He suggests that storytelling is unique in its ability to convey wisdom and practical knowledge, which he contrasts with modern forms of representation, such as news and information, which fragment and devalue experience.
• Key Reference: Benjamin claims that “experience has fallen in value” and that “less and less frequently do we encounter people with the ability to tell a tale properly” (p. 80). He critiques modern forms of representation that provide “information” but fail to offer the deep, shared experience that traditional stories encapsulate (p. 99). This is a crucial insight for theories of how experience is processed and transmitted in literature.

4. Orality vs. Literacy in Literature

• Contribution: Benjamin’s essay provides a critical perspective on the transition from oral to written forms of literature. He emphasizes the communal, experience-based nature of oral storytelling, contrasting it with the more isolated and introspective form of the novel, which depends on literacy and the solitary reader.
• Key Reference: He writes that the “dissemination of the novel became possible only with the invention of printing” and contrasts this with the oral tradition, which allowed for a direct exchange of experience and wisdom (p. 90). This insight is valuable to studies of orality and literacy in literary history and theory.

5. Death and Storytelling

• Contribution: In his analysis of the connection between death and storytelling, Benjamin contributes to existential literary theories. He posits that the storyteller derives authority from death, as stories preserve and transmit the meaning of life through the lens of mortality.
• Key Reference: Benjamin asserts, “Death is the sanction of everything that the storyteller can tell. He has borrowed his authority from death” (p. 106). This idea links storytelling to existential themes in literary theory, where death provides the ultimate context for understanding life.

6. Aesthetic Theory: Craftsmanship in Storytelling

• Contribution: Benjamin’s emphasis on storytelling as a craft contributes to aesthetic theories that view literature as a form of artistic craftsmanship. He likens the storyteller to an artisan who shapes and refines raw experience into something meaningful and useful, drawing connections between storytelling and physical craft.
• Key Reference: Benjamin explains that storytelling is “an artisan form of communication” and that the “story sinks into the life of the storyteller, in order to bring it out of him again” (p. 104). This aligns with aesthetic theories that focus on the material and crafted nature of literary production.

7. Memory and Literature

• Contribution: Benjamin explores the role of memory in storytelling, contributing to theories that analyze how literature serves as a vessel for collective and individual memory. Storytelling is shown to be deeply intertwined with memory, as stories preserve experiences and make them transmissible across generations.
• Key Reference: He states that “memory is the epic faculty par excellence” (p. 115), emphasizing that stories are retained in the memory and passed down orally. This contribution is significant for literary theories that explore the role of memory in narrative structures and cultural transmission.

Examples of Critiques Through “The Storyteller: Reflections on the Works of Nikolai Leskov” by Walter Benjamin

Literary Work & Author	Critique through “The Storyteller” Framework	Key Concepts from Benjamin
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes	Don Quixote is critiqued as the earliest perfect specimen of the novel, embodying the isolation of the novelist, rather than communal storytelling. The novel reflects “the perplexity of the living,” where characters are unable to provide counsel or share wisdom, marking the transition away from storytelling.	Benjamin contrasts storytelling with the novel, noting that the “novelist has isolated himself” and the novel “carries the incommensurable to extremes” (p. 90).
The Arabian Nights by Anonymous	In The Arabian Nights, the cyclical nature of storytelling reflects the communal aspect Benjamin celebrates. Each story flows into the next, with Scheherazade epitomizing the storyteller’s role of passing on experience and wisdom. This is a key example of storytelling’s ability to integrate memory and life experiences, contrasting with the more individualistic novel.	Benjamin praises storytellers who “think of a fresh story whenever their tale comes to a stop” (p. 115), highlighting the continuous, oral nature of storytelling.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville	Melville’s Moby-Dick is critiqued as both a novel and an epic, embodying the transition Benjamin discusses between traditional epic storytelling and modern isolation. While Ahab’s obsessive quest isolates him from communal experience, Ishmael, as the narrator, reflects on and transmits wisdom through the shared experiences of the crew, reminiscent of the traditional storyteller.	Benjamin’s theory of storytelling emphasizes how “the storyteller sinks the thing into the life of the storyteller, in order to bring it out again” (p. 104).
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy	War and Peace can be analyzed as a blend of storytelling and novelistic form. Tolstoy’s characters engage in epic storytelling through collective experience, particularly during the war scenes, but the novel also reflects the increasing isolation and individualism that Benjamin associates with the novel form. The shift from oral tradition to historical analysis and psychological exploration in the novel aligns with Benjamin’s ideas on the decline of storytelling.	Benjamin observes the transformation of epic forms, where the novel “recedes into the archaic,” with modern forms like the novel focusing more on “information” (p. 99).

Criticism Against “The Storyteller: Reflections on the Works of Nikolai Leskov” by Walter Benjamin

• Romanticization of Storytelling: Critics argue that Benjamin overly romanticizes traditional storytelling, idealizing the oral tradition while ignoring the complexity and evolution of modern literary forms like the novel. His depiction of the decline of storytelling might be seen as nostalgic and dismissive of contemporary narrative forms.
• Overemphasis on Experience: Some scholars critique Benjamin’s insistence that storytelling relies on lived experience and counsel, arguing that this perspective limits the potential of fiction and imaginative literature, which can transcend personal experience and still offer meaningful insights.
• Neglect of Modernist Literature’s Value: Benjamin’s comparison between storytelling and the novel is viewed by some as overly reductive. He implies that modern novels, especially those grounded in isolation and introspection, are less valuable than oral storytelling, neglecting the rich literary achievements of modernist writers such as James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.
• Generalization of Historical Transitions: Critics contend that Benjamin’s broad statements about the “decline” of storytelling and the rise of information lack nuance. His analysis does not fully address the coexistence of various narrative forms throughout history and the ways in which new media and literary forms have adapted and preserved storytelling traditions in different contexts.
• Inaccessibility of Theoretical Approach: Some have criticized Benjamin’s essay for its dense and abstract language, which can make it difficult for readers unfamiliar with his broader philosophical concepts. The combination of literary theory, historical analysis, and philosophical discourse may limit the accessibility of his work to a general audience.

Representative Quotations from “The Storyteller: Reflections on the Works of Nikolai Leskov” by Walter Benjamin with Explanation

Quotation	Explanation
“Less and less frequently do we encounter people with the ability to tell a tale properly.” (p. 80)	Benjamin is highlighting the decline of storytelling in modern society. He argues that storytelling, once a common skill, is becoming rare in the face of modern communication methods.
“Experience which is passed on from mouth to mouth is the source from which all storytellers have drawn.” (p. 85)	This quote emphasizes Benjamin’s belief that storytelling is rooted in collective, oral experience. Storytellers traditionally draw from personal or communal knowledge, which distinguishes storytelling from other literary forms.
“The art of storytelling is reaching its end because the epic side of truth, wisdom, is dying out.” (p. 88)	Here, Benjamin laments the loss of wisdom and deeper truth in storytelling, which he sees as tied to modernity’s devaluation of shared, lived experience.
“The novelist has isolated himself.” (p. 90)	Benjamin contrasts the isolation of the novelist with the communal nature of storytelling, suggesting that the novel focuses more on individual, subjective experiences, detaching itself from collective wisdom.
“Death is the sanction of everything that the storyteller can tell.” (p. 106)	This powerful quote expresses Benjamin’s view that storytelling is deeply connected to death, as death gives finality and meaning to life, which the storyteller preserves and transmits.
“Memory is the epic faculty par excellence.” (p. 115)	Benjamin underscores the importance of memory in storytelling. Memory preserves stories, which are passed from generation to generation, tying storytelling to cultural and historical continuity.
“Every morning brings us the news of the globe, and yet we are poor in noteworthy stories.” (p. 99)	Benjamin critiques modern information-based communication, noting that despite being constantly inundated with news, we lack the richness and depth of traditional storytelling.
“The storyteller takes what he tells from experience—his own or that reported by others.” (p. 85)	This quotation reinforces the idea that storytelling is grounded in personal or shared experiences, passed down orally, making it a communal and experiential process.
“The more self-forgetful the listener is, the more deeply is what he listens to impressed upon his memory.” (p. 112)	Benjamin highlights the role of the listener in storytelling, suggesting that a listener’s immersion in the story enhances its impact and retention, linking storytelling to the tradition of oral transmission.
“Information, however, lays claim to prompt verifiability.” (p. 99)	This quote reflects Benjamin’s distinction between storytelling and information. He critiques the modern emphasis on factual information, which demands instant verification but lacks the depth of storytelling’s wisdom and experience.

Suggested Readings: “The Storyteller: Reflections on the Works of Nikolai Leskov” by Walter Benjamin

1. Felman, Shoshana. “Benjamin’s Silence.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 25, no. 2, 1999, pp. 201–34. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1344200. Accessed 18 Oct. 2024.
2. Morris, Susan. “Twenty Years of Boredom.” On Boredom: Essays in Art and Writing, edited by Susan Morris and Rye Dag Holmboe, UCL Press, 2021, pp. 27–46. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv18kc0nd.9. Accessed 18 Oct. 2024.
3. Benjamin, Walter, and Harry Zohn. “The story-teller: Reflections on the works of Nicolai Leskov.” Chicago Review 16.1 (1963): 80-101.
4. White, Richard. “Walter Benjamin:“The Storyteller” and the possibility of wisdom.” Journal of Aesthetic Education 51.1 (2017): 1-14.