Quote by Paul de Man

This work explores the nature of literary meaning through analysis of figural language in the writings of Rousseau, Nietzsche, Rilke, and Proust. The study investigates how allegory operates within texts and the implications of figurative expression for interpretation and understanding. Drawing on the author's engagement with deconstructionist theory, the book considers the relationship between literal and metaphorical language, the process of reading itself, and the ways in which literary texts generate multiple layers of meaning. The analysis proceeds through close examination of passages from these four authors, tracing patterns of figuration and considering the philosophical implications of literary language. more