Potolsky M. Mimesis

Routledge, 2006. — x, 182 p. — (The New Critical Idiom). — ISBN: 9-78-0-415-70029-0, 9-78-0-415-70030-6
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The term mimesis has long been used to refer to the relationship between an image and its ‘real’ original. However, recent theorists have problematized and extended the concept, allowing new perspectives on such key concerns as the nature of identity. Matthew Potolsky offers a clear introduction to this potentially daunting concept, examining:
– the foundations of mimetic theory in ancient philosophy, from Plato to Aristotle
– three key versions of mimesis: imitatio or rhetorical imitation, theatre and theatricality, and artistic realism;
– the position of mimesis in modern theories of identity and culture, through theorists such as Freud, Lacan, Girard and Baudrillard;
– the possible future of mimetic theory in the concept of ‘memes’, which connects evolutionary biology and theories of cultural reproduction.
An accessible and broad-ranging study of a term rapidly returning to the forefront of contemporary theory, Mimesis will be a welcome guide for readers in such fields as literature, performance and cultural studies.