Systems theory
pp. 231-237
in: Martin Middeke, Timo Müller, Christina Wald, Hubert Zapf (eds), English and American studies, Stuttgart, Metzler, 2012Abstract
Not very far into William Blake's huge multi-media epic Jerusalem (1804–1820), the mythical but very modern character Los cries out indignantly: "I must Create a System, or be enslaved by another Man's. / I will not Reason fuhao Compare: my business is to Create" (Plate 10). To this day, every attempt at introducing systems-theoretical thinking to the fields of literary and cultural studies faces frequent resistance along similar lines: Why would one resort to another man's—or another discipline's—system, when the very word 'system" itself seems to be alien to the flexibility and personal relevance of many of the aesthetic practices examined in literary and cultural studies? The following observations will try to counter these charges.