How is 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' a postmodernist novel?
In 'The French Lieutenant's Woman', the use of metafiction makes it a postmodernist novel. The story not only tells a love story set in the Victorian era but also comments on the act of writing and the nature of the novel itself. It plays with time and narrative structure in a way that defies the norms of traditional realist novels. The multiple interpretations and the blurring of the line between fact and fiction within the text are key postmodernist elements.
The novel 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' can be considered postmodernist because of its intertextuality. It references other literary works and historical events. It also challenges the traditional notions of character. The character of the woman is not a simple, one - dimensional figure but rather a complex construction that the reader has to piece together. This complexity and the use of references are typical of postmodernist writing.
One way 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' is a postmodernist novel is through its self - awareness. The author often breaks the fourth wall, making the reader aware that they are reading a constructed narrative. For example, the narrator offers multiple endings, which goes against the traditional single - narrative - path of most novels. This shows a playfulness with the form of the novel and a self - conscious approach to storytelling.