Willful suspension of disbelief
The willful suspension of disbelief ( Engl. Willing suspension of disbelief ) is a theory that tries to explain the behavior of humans to artistic works.
The theory was formulated in 1817 by the poet, literary critic and philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge . It refers to a recipient's willingness to temporarily accept the specifications of a work of fiction (such as a novel or a feature film), even if they are fantastic or impossible. It also explains why the audience's knowledge of the fictional nature of what is being told does not interfere with the enjoyment of art.
According to this theory, the voluntary suspension of disbelief is a quid pro quo with the work: the reader or viewer agrees to engage in an illusion in order to be well entertained.
development
Coleridge coined the formulation and conceptual concept of the theory in his Biographia Literaria (published 1817) in connection with the creation and reading of poetry . The realization that an audience willingly indulge in an illusion for a moment, however, has been widespread since antiquity and is addressed in Horace 's Ars Poetica , for example .
In Chapter XIV of Biographia Literaria Coleridge recalls:
“... it was agreed, that my endeavors should be directed to persons and characters supernatural, or at least romantic, yet so as to transfer from our inward nature a human interest and a semblance of truth sufficient to procure for these shadows of imagination that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment, which constitutes poetic faith. "
"... we have agreed that my efforts should be directed towards supernatural - or at least romantic - persons and characters, but still in such a way that it is possible to establish a connection with the characters and thus these shadows of the imagination with that momentary voluntary exposure to the To endow disbelief that creates a confidence in the poetry. "
Examples from the literature
It is sometimes claimed that exposure to disbelief is a vital part of theater . William Shakespeare refers to this in his prologue to Henry V :
"[...] make imaginary puissance [...] 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings [...] turning th'accomplishment of many years into an hourglass."
"[...] make an imaginary armed force out of it [...] because it is your thoughts that our kings must now adorn [...] transform the achievement of many years into an hourglass."
It is controversial, however, whether Coleridge's dictum of suspension of disbelief really adequately explains the audience's relationship with a work. JRR Tolkien contradicts this explanation in his essay On Fairy-Stories and instead explains this connection with the model of world tinkering , in which there is a self-contained consistency and logic .
Examples from modern entertainment media
According to the theory, exposure to disbelief is an essential requirement in order to be able to enjoy B-Class science fiction films and series at all. Take the early seasons of Doctor Who as an example, where audiences have to ignore the cheap props in order to enjoy the story.
The exposure to disbelief is also considered important where the story contains intricate stunts and special effects , or where the story or characters are very unrealistic. The theory tries to explain why the action film fan accepts that the “good guy” can shoot wildly in public places, or why he never runs out of ammunition. It is also accepted that a hit from a pistol bullet in the tank can cause a car to explode.
It is also needed where a character shouldn't actually age in the course of a series , but the actor does (e.g. Angel - Hunters of Darkness or Highlander ).
Criticism of the theory
Whether the "suspension of disbelief" is actually a viable model can be questioned. When disbelief is suspended varies greatly. Many people find it ridiculous that Superman's disguise as Clark Kent is virtually non-existent and that he is still not recognized by his colleagues. The same people have no problem with the fact that he is a super being who can fly and whose only weak point is the fictitious kryptonite .
Philosophers such as Kendall Walton generally reject the idea of exposure to disbelief. If it were true and the viewer had really given up their disbelief, then they would react to fictional events as if they were real. So they would try to warn the victim in a crime thriller by exclamation if the killer sneaks up from behind.
However, these reviews overlook the fact that Coleridge's original statement contained a qualification. The phrase "... endowing that momentary, voluntary exposure to disbelief that creates trust in poetry" implies that there are different types of voluntary exposure of disbelief, and that "trust in poetry" is just one of them. It is not necessary for someone to believe that the person in a film is real to believe that the person is looking at a building that can be seen in the next scene from the inverted perspective.
Problems that arise from the theory
Several problems arise from the theory:
Self-reference : A problem arises when a character is aware of their fictional status - for example, when a character speaks directly to the audience ( speaking aside ) or otherwise makes it clear that they are in a fictional work. Such an act would challenge the audience as it merges the fictional and real worlds, making it difficult to expose themselves to disbelief. This should actually make it impossible for the audience to still enjoy the work. Often, however, the audience is particularly entertained.
Example: In his drama Puss in Boots, Ludwig Tieck has the court scholar and court jester discuss the question of whether the play Puss in Boots is a good or a bad play. The fictional audience seated in the auditorium reacted confusedly to this turn of the piece. In particular, the remark that the characterization of the audience is an advantage of the play is not understood at all by the fictional audience, since it does not know that it is also a product of the imagination of the author Tieck. The real audience can either react just as irritated to these complications as the fictional audience or experience the confusion as a special art enjoyment.
- See also Breaching the Fourth Wall
Canon worlds : The suspension of disbelief can also become problematic with long-running stories and fictional universes in which geography , chronology , main characters or even the laws of nature are established and remain consistent in themselves. Inconsistencies or logical contradictions in the plot (possibly also due to the carelessness of the author), which then violate these guidelines, break the implicit contract and throw the viewer back into reality. Loyal fans often take this very badly (see falling out of the role ).
See also
Web links
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Biographia Literaria at Project Gutenberg (English)
- Willing Suspension Of Disbelief on TV Tropes (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kendall L. Walton: Fearing Fictions. In: JSTOR ( The Journal of Philosophy , Vol. 75, No. 1, 1978, pages 5-27).