La méthode « post-possible », ou pour une théorie de la troisième génération

Abstract

Creative criticism, rooted in poetics as the term has been understood since Paul Valéry, can, in our view, be divided into two “generations.” The first is that of Michel Charles and his theory of “possible texts.” The second—represented by Marc Escola, Sophie Rabau, Yves Citton, and Franc Schuerewegen—draws on Charles’s model while further dissolving the boundaries between criticism and literary creation. Our aim is to introduce a new reading protocol, one that adds to the existing methods an approach we identify as a “third generation.” We call it the post-possible method. It seeks to reconcile the practices of the first two generations with a commitment to social engagement.