The devil of theory (literature and common sense)

The book "The Devil of Theory: Literature and Common Sense" by Antoine Compagnon occupies an important position in the history of contemporary literary thought, not only in France but globally. This is because it came at a pivotal stage in the development of literary theory, reaching a new moment that calls for reconsideration and re-reading. The book appeared in the late twentieth century (1998), at a time when voices from different parts of the literary world began to rise, declaring the need to pause and question the reality and future of literary theory. I touched on part of this discussion in my book "Arab Literary Thought: Structures and Patterns" (2014). Opinions varied and perspectives differed, and this book had an impact in presenting another image of that debate. In my opinion, the reason for this lies in two considerations: First, that Compagnon received his literary education during the height of the French structuralist phase, during which prominent giants contributed all to a new epistemological shift, and that he began producing work and entering the post-structuralist phase while still unable to produce a single school comparable to the great structuralists. Second, unlike many French scholars, he was greatly open to Anglo-American culture, thus opening a new window that made him distinguished in observing the reality of transformations by comparing what is happening in France and outside it. His encyclopedic nature enabled him to encompass and address issues of theory and methodology, both theoretically and practically, old and new.