KINDS OF PARODY FROM THE MEDIEVAL TO THE POSTMODERN A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY NİL KORKUT IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN ENGLISH LITERATURE OCTOBER 2005 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences —————————— Prof. Dr. Sencer Ayata Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. —————————— Prof. Dr. Wolf König Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. —————————— Prof. Dr. Nursel İçöz Supervisor Examining Committee Members Prof. Dr. Meral Çileli (METU, FLE) ————————— Prof. Dr. Nursel İçöz (METU, FLE) ————————— Prof. Dr. Belgin Elbir (Ankara University, DTCF) ————————— Prof. Dr. Esin Tezer (METU, EDS) ————————— Assist. Prof. Dr. Margaret J-M Sönmez (METU, FLE) ————————— I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last Name: Nil Korkut Signature: iii ABSTRACT KINDS OF PARODY FROM THE MEDIEVAL TO THE POSTMODERN Korkut, Nil Ph.D., English Literature Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Nursel İçöz October 2005, 185 pages This study approaches parody as a multifarious literary form that has assumed diverse forms and functions throughout history. The study handles this diversity by classifying parody according to its objects of imitation. Three major parodic kinds are specified: parody directed at texts and personal styles, parody directed at genre, and parody directed at discourse. In the light of this classification, this study argues that different literary-historical periods in Britain have witnessed the prevalence of different kinds of parody – a phenomenon that may be accounted for mainly through the dominant literary, cultural, social, and ideological characteristics of each period. Although all periods from the Middle Ages to the present are considered in this regard, the study attributes a special significance to the postmodern age, where parody has become not only an essential area of inquiry but also a highly popular and widely produced literary form. In line with this emphasis, the study contends further that postmodern parody is primarily discourse parody. It argues, in other words, that discourse is the most essential target of parody during the postmodern age – a phenomenon which can again be explained through the major concerns of postmodernism as a movement. In addition to situating parody and its kinds in a historical context, then, this study engages in a detailed analysis of parody in the postmodern age, preparing the iv ground at the same time for making an informed assessment of the direction parody in general and its kinds in particular may take in the near future. Keywords: Parody, Postmodernism, Postmodern Fiction, Discourse, Genre v ÖZ ORTAÇAĞDAN POSTMODERN DÖNEME PARODİ VE TÜRLERİ Korkut, Nil Doktora, İngiliz Edebiyatı Tez Yöneticisi: Prof. Dr. Nursel İçöz Ekim 2005, 185 sayfa Bu çalışma, parodiyi, edebiyat tarihi boyunca hem biçimsel hem de işlevsel açıdan çok çeşitlilik göstermiş olan yazınsal bir tür olarak ele alır ve inceler. Çalışma, bu çeşitliliği anlamlandırabilmek amacıyla, parodiyi, hedef aldığı unsurlara göre sınıflar ve başlıca üç parodi türü belirler. Bunlar, metin ve üslup parodisi, tür parodisi ve söylem parodisi olarak adlandırılır. Bu sınıflandırmanın ışığında, İngiliz Edebiyatı tarihi boyunca, farklı dönemlerde farklı parodi türlerinin önem ve ağırlık kazandığı, bu durumun da, her dönemin baskın edebi, kültürel, sosyal ve ideolojik özellikleri aracılığıyla açıklanabileceği savunulur. Bu bağlamda, Ortaçağdan günümüze tüm dönemler incelenir; fakat çalışma, ağırlıklı olarak, parodinin hem yazınsal bir tür hem de bir inceleme alanı olarak ayrıca önem kazandığı postmodern dönem üzerinde durur. Çalışmanın bu odak noktası ile ilişkili olarak getirilen tez ise, postmodern parodinin öncelikle söylem parodisi olduğudur. Bir başka deyişle, bu çalışma, postmodern dönemde üretilen parodilerin öncelikle ve ağırlıklı olarak muhtelif söylemleri hedef aldığını ve bu durumun da postmodern hareketin konuları, kaygıları ve başlıca özellikleri aracılığıyla açıklanabileceğini savunur. Böyle bir çalışma, parodi ve türlerine tarihsel bağlamda yaklaşmamıza olanak vermenin yanı sıra, postmodern parodiyi derinlemesine incelemekte ve bu incelemeden yola çıkarak parodi ve türlerinin vi yakın gelecekte hangi şekilde değişip gelişeceği hakkında nitelikli değerlendirmeler yapmamızı da mümkün kılmaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Parodi, Postmodernizm, Postmodern Roman, Söylem, Yazın Türleri vii To my parents, İnci and Kamil Korkut, who have made it all possible viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. Dr. Nursel İçöz for all the help and support – both academic and otherwise – she has given me throughout this study. Her enduring interest and positive attitude as well as her constant readiness and willingness to share valuable comments and suggestions have greatly contributed to the making of this thesis. I would also like to express my gratefulness to Prof. Dr. Sevda Çalışkan, whose comments and observations especially at the initial stages of this study have perfectly illuminated the later stages, too. Her lasting faith in me throughout has also been a constant source of guidance, motivation and encouragement. Prof. Dr. Meral Çileli, Prof. Dr. Belgin Elbir, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ünal Norman, and Assist. Prof. Dr. Margaret J-M Sönmez have all read and examined this study with great care and interest. I am indebted to them for their meticulous assessment, constructive criticism, illuminating questions, and suggestions for improvement. I am also grateful to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şükriye Ruhi for taking an interest in my work and for taking the time to examine it. It is owing to her that I have obtained the opportunity to consider my work from the perspective of a different but related discipline. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. Esin Tezer for her kind contributions. Prof. Dr. Ayten C. Bear and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Joshua Bear have been ready to listen, encourage, and reassure throughout. Talking to them is always a source of comfort. I am thankful for their genuine interest in what I do. I am also obliged to Prof. Dr. Nail Bezel for always being sincerely interested and willing to discuss my work and make suggestions. It is owing to him that I have been able to remember – especially at times when I was too much engrossed in my work – that ix there are always other perspectives and other equally valid ways of approaching the same topic. My friends have all been helpful and considerate throughout. I thank them not only for being good listeners and supporters but also for tolerating my long absences throughout the writing of this thesis. I would especially like to thank Serhat Naykı for his patience, tolerance and understanding right from the beginning. His presence is always reassuring, and he has a surprising way of boosting my spirits even when I am feeling down. I am much obliged to him for always being there to share, help, encourage, and motivate. I have been able to carry out this study in a most perfect physical and emotional environment, and this I owe to my parents. As constant sources of peace and comfort, they have definitely made things easier for me. I am deeply grateful for their lasting interest, help, and support and for the extraordinary patience and understanding they have shown throughout. x TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM ……………………………………………………………… iii ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………... iv ÖZ ……………………………………………………………………….….. vi DEDICATION ……………………………………………………………… viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………… ix TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………... xi CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………….…….. 1 1.1 Parody: Functions, Meanings, and Definitions ………………….…. 2 1.2 The Meaning and Definition of Parody in This Study ……………... 13 1.3 Methodology and Limitations ……………………………………… 17 2. KINDS OF PARODY FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY ………………………………………….…. 21 2.1 The Middle Ages …………………………………………………... 21 2.2 The Renaissance …………………………………………………… 30 2.3 The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century ………………………. 40 2.4 The Nineteenth Century ……………………………………………. 49 2.5 The Twentieth Century, ca. 1900-1950 ……………………………. 58 3. PARODY IN THE POSTMODERN AGE ……………………………. 65 3.1 Kinds of Parody and Postmodernism: A Theoretical Framework …. 66 3.2 From Theory to Practice: Discourse Parody in the Postmodern Novel …………………………………………………. 80 xi 3.2.1 Parody Directed at Literary-Critical Discourse ……………… 81 3.2.2 Parody Directed at Political, Religious, and Other Discourse …………………………………………. 105 3.2.3 Parody Directed at Scientific, Religious, and Other Discourse …………………………………………. 117 3.2.4 Parody Directed at Literary-Fictional Discourse: Genre and/or Text Parody Subordinated to Metafiction ……………………. 124 4. CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………... 153 BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………….…. 159 APPENDICES A. CURRICULUM VITAE …………………………………………….… 173 B. TURKISH SUMMARY ……………………………………………….. 175 xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION This study is about parody – a highly ambiguous literary form that has manifested itself throughout