Law and Literature: Between Surface and Depth
Abstract
Within the field of law and literature studies, there is an essential question that theory must answer: what is the relationship between law and literature? This paper argues that both share similarities, as they behave as objects of the world that are permanent and immortal, yet they differ in the trajectories they trace. Where do they lead? Based on Hannah Arendt’s aesthetic theory and Johan van der Walt’s commentaries, it can be argued that law moves toward the surface, while literature moves toward depth, that is, toward the “human heart,” as Arendt puts it. The dialectic between the two creates tension between their respective directions, a phenomenon that can be fruitfully explored by the movement under discussion.
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References
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