In Milan Kundera’s view, the novel and the novelist are profoundly philosophical, exploratory, and existential in nature. His reflections on the art of the novel, often articulated in his essays (such as The Art of the Novel and Testaments Betrayed), reveal a deep reverence for the novel as a unique medium for understanding human existence. Here’s a summary of his perspective:
1. What is a Novel?
A Quest for Knowledge
• For Kundera, a novel is a form of inquiry—a unique way of exploring existential questions that cannot be addressed through philosophy, science, or any other discipline.
• The novel “examines life” through the lens of ambiguity, irony, and the complexity of human experience.
A Celebration of Ambiguity
• The novel thrives on ambiguity, rejecting absolute truths or moral certainties.
• It is a space where contradictory ideas, emotions, and perspectives coexist, reflecting the complexity of life.
A Play of Possibilities
• Kundera views the novel as an exploration of possibility, rather than a recounting of reality:
• It asks, “What if?” and allows characters and situations to reveal multiple dimensions of existence.
• For example, in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Kundera uses Tomas’ and Tereza’s differing perspectives to explore the lightness and weight of choices in life.
An Art of Memory
• The novel preserves memory, both personal and collective.
• It serves as a counterbalance to the forgetting that comes with historical and cultural shifts.
A Reflection of Modernity
• Kundera often connects the novel to the modern world:
• It originated as a response to the disintegration of traditional certainties, such as religious dogma or feudal hierarchies.
• The novel became a way to navigate the “new space of existence” in an increasingly fragmented world.
The Polyphony of Voices
• Inspired by Mikhail Bakhtin, Kundera believes the novel is inherently polyphonic—a dialogue of multiple voices and perspectives.
• Unlike other forms of narrative, the novel does not impose a singular worldview but allows diverse truths to emerge.
2. What is a Novelist?
A Cartographer of Existence
• A novelist is someone who maps the terrain of human existence, exploring the paradoxes, ambiguities, and mysteries of life.
• Kundera compares novelists to explorers who chart the unknown aspects of the human condition.
An Investigator of Being
• A novelist is not merely a storyteller but an investigator of what it means to be human:
• Novels probe into the metaphysical dimensions of life, such as identity, memory, and morality.
• They pose unanswerable questions rather than providing definitive answers.
A Defender of Individuality
• Novelists protect the uniqueness of individual experience against the forces of conformity, ideology, and historical determinism.
• In Kundera’s view, the novel serves as a sanctuary for individual freedom and personal nuance.
An Artist of Irony
• A true novelist wields irony as a tool to dismantle certainties and reveal contradictions.
• For Kundera, irony is not cynicism; it is an acknowledgment of life’s complexity and resistance to simplification.
A Preserver of Playfulness
• Kundera emphasizes the playful nature of the novel:
• The novelist experiments with form, structure, and style, turning the act of storytelling into a creative dance.
• For example, Kundera often breaks conventional narrative structures by inserting essays, commentary, or autobiographical asides.
An Opponent of Forgetting
• A novelist resists the cultural and political forces that erase memory, history, and individuality.
• Kundera views the novelist as a guardian of the truths that official histories or ideologies seek to suppress.
Key Themes in Kundera’s View
The Novel as Philosophy in Action
• Unlike systematic philosophy, the novel reveals truths through situations, characters, and emotions.
• It is an experiential form of knowledge that invites readers to grapple with questions rather than imposing answers.
The Novel and Time
• The novel is deeply concerned with time—its passing, its effects on memory, and the eternal tension between the fleeting and the enduring.
The Novel and Freedom
• The novel is an expression of freedom, both for the writer and the reader.
• It resists ideological, moral, or aesthetic constraints, encouraging a multiplicity of interpretations.
Kundera’s Influences
Kundera’s view of the novel is shaped by:
• Miguel de Cervantes: The inventor of the novel, whose Don Quixote exemplifies the playfulness and exploration Kundera admires.
• Franz Kafka: A master of ambiguity and existential inquiry.
• Marcel Proust: For his deep exploration of memory and time.
• Fyodor Dostoevsky: For his fearless engagement with moral and existential questions.
Conclusion
For Kundera, the novel is not just a literary form—it is a way of seeing the world, grappling with existence, and preserving the nuances of human life. The novelist is not merely a creator of stories but an investigator of being, a defender of individuality, and an artist of irony. Through their work, novelists engage in the profound and playful exploration of life’s possibilities, uncertainties, and contradictions.
