chronotope

is a formally constitutive category of literature, wherein time, as it were, thickens, takes on flesh, becomes artistically visible... likewise, space becomes charged and responsive to the movements of time, plot and history.

We understand the chronotope as a formally constitutive category of literature... we will not deal with the chronotope in other areas of culture.' In the literary artistic chronotope, spatial and temporal indicators are fused into one carefully thought-out, concrete whole. Time, as it were, thickens, takes on flesh, becomes artistically visible... likewise, space becomes charged and responsive to the movements of time, plot and history. This intersection of axes and fusion of indicators characterizes the artistic chronotope. The chronotope in literature has an intrinsic generic significance. It can even be said that it is precisely the chronotope that defines genre and generic distinctions, for in literature the primary category in the chronotope is time. The chronotope as a formally constitutive category determines to a significant degree the image of man in literature as well. The image of man is always intrinsically chronotopic.'

is greek for 'time space' and refers to the intrinsic connectedness of temporal and spatial relationships that are artistically expressed in literature.

We will give the name chronotope (literally, 'time space') to the intrinsic connectedness of temporal and spatial relationships that are artistically expressed in literature. This term [space-time] is employed in mathematics, and was introduced as part of Einstein's Theory of Relativity. The special meaning it has in relativity theory is not important for our purposes... we are borrowing it for literary criticism almost as a metaphor (almost, but not entirely). What counts for us is the fact that it expresses the inseparability of space and time (time as the fourth dimension of space).

is a point in the geography of a community where time and space intersect and fuse. Time takes on flesh and becomes visible for human contemplation... likewise, space becomes charged and responsive to the movements of time and history and the enduring character of a people.

. By merely mentioning 'it happened at [the place called] 'men stand above here and there,'' storyteller Nick Thompson could remind locals of the dangers of joining 'with outsiders against members of their own community.' Geographic features in the Western Apache landscape are chronotopes, Basso says, in precisely the way Bakhtin defines the term when he says they are 'points in the geography of a community where time and space intersect and fuse. Time takes on flesh and becomes visible for human contemplation... likewise, space becomes charged and responsive to the movements of time and history and the enduring character of a people. . . . Chronotopes thus stand as monuments to the community itself, as symbols of it, as forces operating to shape its members' images of themselves' (1981:84, as cited by Basso 1984:44-45).' (wiki)

is concerned with the way authors play with the ration of space and time, making time stand still, perhaps, or using space itself to measure the flow of time as the plot progresses.

Bakhtin recognized that authors often vary the ratio of space and time in crafting a story line, making time stand still, perhaps, or using space itself to measure the flow of time as the plot progresses.' (McGee social theory)

is the relationship between space and time in imagination as these two dimensions enter into a kind of dialogue in consciousness.

the relationship between space and time in imagination, given that these dimensions enter into a kind of dialogue in consciousness. The concept was inspired by a lecture Bakhtin attended on the four-dimensional space-time of Einstein's physics, which Bakthin applied to the philosophy of language, like the centripetal and centrifugal forces of ideology. Bakhtin recognized that authors often vary the ratio of space and time in crafting a story line, making time stand still, perhaps, or using space itself to measure the flow of time as the plot progresses.' (McGee social theory)

chronotope, n.Definitions

chronotope