hith.10667
TRANSCRIPT
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History and Theory 52 (Ma 2013), 265-277 © Wsan Univsi 2013 ISSN: 0018-2656
PoSSIbIlItIeS IN “A thoroUghly hIStorIcAl World”:
MISSINg hAydeN WhIte’S MISSed coNNectIoNS
Hayden WHite: tHe Historical imagination. b hman Pau. cami, UK:
Pi Pss, 2011. Pp. viii, 204.
AbStrAct
tis ai asssss hman Pau’s inua iap f han Wi, ms
impan fiu in pisp f is f pas af nu. offin a a v-
viw f Wi’s a an niuin, Pau’s aun ps nia fm
1950s psn, isinuisin pass f Wi’s a, u nvinin pin-
pinin an aiin f nns aun an xisniais an iainis umanism.
In a i, Wi su sw wa n isiapia aism m inn-
vaiv appas—ia sv pssiv piis. Pau ns, wv, a Wi
fai nn wi ms mainsam isians, an Pau’s aun is n suffiin
pin an iia xp uf. In, fwin Wi, Pau is pn ak
Wi’s paiua iainis ana as n anaiv a nsvaiv, passiv
aism—an ss v anaiv was f nivin psais uuaspa. Mv, Pau fais n Wi’s nn smims imp a mainsam
is aims m an i s, an smims nia pjuiia wa i in
fa s, u . Au mu f Wi’s an u av n spia
saua, n wa misaaizains a fs paizain in isia
isipin an inf pjuiia unsanins f isiap in wi uu.
Pau’s vviw pvis a usfu, an in man was xmpa, inuin Wi’s
a, u i is fnia pvi a nvinin va iia assssmn.
Keywords: han Wi, isiap, pisp f is, umanism, mnis
vns, paia pas
han Wi’s impan as a is pisp f is a quis
mmn. In s fiv as as a minan fiu, in isi-
apia a an niu sinifian umanisi isussin m
na. his Metahistory (1973) as su n ms wi isuss
wk n isiap sin r. g. cinw’s The Idea of History (1946),
an xpan is aumn susania in numus ssas af.
Au su , an pv , pvaiv, was nv m
iasi umun, an is aisma an nain psnai su u-ss is infun. Nw w in is iis, an ss si in sn,
Wi is aa suj f a nsia iau. bu hman Pau’s nw
k is fis amp a a fu inua iap min wi an v-
viw f Wi’s aivmn.
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david d. roberts266
Pau k is a a Univsi f gninn in Nans
in 2006. on f is mns was Fank Anksmi, wi sn as an a f
Wi’s, an Pau’s k is as pa n is inviws wi Wi imsf.
S Pau wis as an insi. Au aiss qusins an pinpins nsins,
ffs ms a smpai xsis—n a is, up a pin, qui ffiv
in aiuain asis f Wi’s npis. t aun is aiv if, u
i is a an suin s manas v a f un.
Pau aks a nia appa, wi pvs usfu, fis, aun f
Wi’s vuin u isinuisa sas—nmpassin xisniaism
in 1960s, suuaism in 1970s, naaivism in 1980s, fiua aism
in 1990s, an n is n wk n “ paia pas.” bu is appa
as nas Pau in u aiin f nns in Wi’s inkin,
un up wi an xisniais an iainis umanism. Wa as n a
issu, Pau nvinin insiss, is n pimai pism aami is-
u “w iv a ma spnsi if in a u isia w”
(12). Si, Wi was awas p nn wi uua isia
inqui as m pa an wi swin wa m vai, an m
uua snan, appas—ia sv pssiv piis an uman
sf-minain.
tis sm qui, ms asia, anin wa uns as “a” in
nmpa si, spia as uss nvnins f mainsam
isiap. S Wi nsisn qusin isiapia “aism,”
nin a isians “psn ai,” puin an aun a spns
wi wa aua appn. dnin a a naaiv xiss in ai,
Wi insis a is is nsu in anua, a nin a spia
sm invi a wi aa f appas. Pau summaizs k mv
ni: “ov aains s insisin a isian’s knw mus match
isia ai, Wi aim a knw makes ai, a, a
wa uns as isia ai is a pu f isian’s anua” (94-95).
t sam pi pss is invv in fusin vns, w a imaina
a, an isians an nviss a qua f s amn vaius
ms f fiuaiv anua (90). on w asp u aiv in nsuin
is, w an ask wi aun f ai s ins u ivin (95).
duin 1990s Wi pinn wn is siaum in unin spia
nau f wa a “mnis vns,” wi haus paaimai.
ts, au, paiua sis aisi naaiv an nvnina ms
f isia unsanin. As Pau pus i, is m n ninn-
nu ais nv is inaqua nmpass Sain hi (131). y vn
as mnis vns a in qusin an amp nw m wi manin,
as a saw v u apai n, nvisin a fuu f f i
iiain ffs (138). t pin, Wi sss, is n a s vns an-
n psn u a niqus iffn fm s m n aisi
aism a nssa.
Fm wiin a famwk Wi am pa a pmium n “ mi
vi,” “inansiiv wiin,” wi as as mu wi pms f p-
snain as wi vns msvs (134-135). t pin, wv, is n
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Possibilities in “A thoroughly historicAl World” 267
a s a niqus f nvnina isians an. on na, i
sms ik a winss simn, ik Pim lvi’s, ffs a wi
pms f in an ansmissin, ik A Spiman’s in Maus, wi
ninu m ss pviin an apppia aun f mnis vns
(137-138).
In is susqun wk Wi ai aumn fu in aapin a is-
inin fm Mia oaks ava a fuu-in “paia pas,” as
pps m nvnina “isia pas,” a wi mnis vns.
t paia pas is “paia” pis aus, as Pau pus i, “i is nn
n wi knw, u wi a paia qusin f wa mus n wi
‘uns’ a pp av invunai ini” (146). rsisin s f
manin a naaivs pvi, i is n xamps, mmis, an n
imas a simua aiv, ma spnsi ain.
F “isia pas,” in nas, pmium is n u, wi n sm
v puaiv mus isins, pusu f is wn sak. I is simp
aains f wa appn a, in as f haus, ma pvk
an nmnain u a pv si f ma spns in ain. Wi
a mnis vn, qusin is n “is i u?” u w iv wi i, w
pvn i fm appnin aain (145-148). An i is u “mnis”
appas sisin naaivizain an npuaizain a w a ms
apppia mnans f a pas a ninus if us (148).
In is si pin n aism, Wi pvaiv insis a is-
ia inpain nai n n fiuaiv anua u m-makin an
fiin-makin. y Pau maks a a Wi was n ui f m -
ius psiins smims aiu im, spia mainsam isians
ninuin insis n aism sn spnn. Ms asia, vn
as fau wa isians mp i sis jus as nviss , Wi
mainain isinin wn is an fiin an insis a w av
iia nssa mak quaiaiv isinins in isiap (68, 98).
Avain “ isia suim” in a n ai f 1982, Wi was p-
vaiv in a iffn wa in auin n n Nizs, hi, an vn
“ inuiins f hi an Mussini,” u as Iaian fasis pisp
givanni gni.1 bu aain Pau fns Wi, nw aains as f sip-
pinss ain fasism an aiaianism, nin Wi’s nn wi
nin an f . If anin, sas Pau, Wi fun m “suim”
ms f naaiv nssa a m ff (123-124). h, wv, Pau’s
fns ma n saki un, a pin wi w wi un.
evn as fns Wi f ms pa, Pau is ain wiin qus-
in, iiiz, an inia nsins in is inkin, na pikin up n wa
s, inuin s smpai Wi, a pinpin ai. Pau ns,
f xamp, a Wi n wa sp in aaizin rank’s
nain f isians (94). evn as fns Wi aains sana
a f uin is an fiin, Pau sms impii iiiz Wi
1. han Wi, “t Piis f hisia Inpain: disipin an d-Suimain”
(1982), in han Wi, The Content of the Form: Narrative Discourse and Historical Representa-
tion (baim: Jns hpkins Univsi Pss, 1987), 74-75.
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david d. roberts268
as aws a nas wi luis Mink, w, Pau ns, k a a
mainain isinin (91). Fu, u Wi ninu insis n is
xisniais umanism, Pau aus a was au up in a nuin nsin
wn fm f uman suj an aunm f anua—an
us nsain anua (77, 79-80, 104). tis paiua nsin is spia
w knwn, pinpin ni Wi’s a hans Kn as a.2 In
fina w paaaps, Pau, sm xn fwin davi haan, aiss
(if vius) qusins vn au Wi’s xisniais umanism an vun-
aism (152).
Mu f Wi’s an as su n saua, an Pau ivs us a as
an appxima sns f w. Ms asia, Wi invis paiin is-
ians an i pnia auin in wi uu ink m p au
wa win isis , n , an mi as w ajus, in Pau’s ms,
“a u isia w.” In pain up aiv f isian,
Wi mps isians pn an f s mi pa an
ass an impiains f is mak. M paiua, usfu
fs us p in pa f psn nns, an sp f m va-
i, an m ia inf nns, in suuin isia inqui an
spia isia in.
Pau assias Wi wi Mink’s nin a “sis a n iv u ”
(114), an i mi sm fw a isians su as s if as
iv as pssi. ta s f impaiv mi sm ms wi Wi’s
pmium n uain us isninui (38), wi, in un, mi sus a
pmium n isupin mainsam naaiv unsanin. cminin w,
w mi aiv a ca ginzu’s pivi n n iv xpin u
wa was mainaiz, wa i n iv n, min pa f psss
a pu u psn.3
bu Wi wan m aia psnis an ginzu an s
nn wi “wa is a a.” In, usfu insiss, in a qu pas-
sa, a i is a misnpin isinuis “isia anasis” fm “psn
xpin,” as if is is au pas as pps psn (107). S
au an inqui ik ginzu’s su nai ma mmimn an a
psn ffs, i was si, in a sns, suin pas f is wn sak, uin
isia unsanin ff fm psnis uss Wi nvisin.
As pps m isupin ais naaivs, Wi an sp
f nsuin u wn psais naaivs—puin m in a wa
a svs psn ma ain. A sam im, was a nn wi
sus an nau f psn ans, wi wu sus n fus
n psss a pu u psn, vn as pps iv xpin.
bu as u a fain up isninui an as wu f us f
2. hans Kn, “A bk f o: han Wi’s linuisi humanism” (iina pu-
is in History and Theory, Beiheft 19 [dm 1980], 1-29), in hans Kn, Language and
Historical Representation: Getting the Story Crooked (Maisn: Univsi f Wisnsin Pss,
1989), 193-227.
3. Ki luia an rmu ganf, “ca ginzu: An Inviw,” Radical History Review
35 (1986), 104-106.
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Possibilities in “A thoroughly historicAl World” 269
m aiv an affimaiv was f unsanin u pa in is. S
wa s Wi’s psnism nai? W in nun unainis a
u Pau’s amn.
Infunia u Wi as n, Pau ns a inasin un fm
isia isipin na ams xusiv wi s m s
a is iain pj (149). b 1980s, a m pa m
p in nviss an fim is an in pfssina isians (80). S
spi is swa amn pisps f is an ia in isi-
ans, Wi’s qus f a m snan uua f is-wiin sms n
av a impa nvisin. An w mus ask w Pau pinpins
w, w is xsis, fai-min u i is, is suffiin pin an
iia.
Pau is pn fw Wi in impin a, if w a a n naaiv
xiss in isia ai an a w av a puai f pins, Wi’s
paiua iainis ana fws. bu ak su iain as n
anaiv a aism psvin saus qu is ss v m nuan
pssiiiis. Pu iffn, k is niz sp f iiism f
Wi fm wiin a famwk a aps—an in mas—mu f
wa psis, sain wi is psais mpasis n nsuin in anua
an is insisn n sp f i un up wi psn ma n-
ns. cnvs, i is uia a a uns f jin na asps
Wi’s pam wiu paiin nvnina aism.4
Smims Wi sm nvisin a m f ain is a wu
iv us fm askin nvnina isia qusins a. h wi
a isia-minnss nfs a spius aui n ais fm pas,
makin m sm nssa an jusifi, niin us psn.
bu as ss i, nvnina isiap as is ff spia aus
i aks naaiv fm, wi sms pvi ninui, mpnss, an
su (115). tus Pau ns a “if naaiv as n an ns
p an ins f aua vpmn a an u upus an
aks, i favs nsvaism a an sia pssiv piis Wi
f mmi ” (113). In sam nx Pau invks Nan Pan, w
ink naaiv sia saii an uis sis f .
tis nw-famiia aumn au naaiv as sm f, spia insfa
as isians in aism, u Wi n vsa i, impuin Wi-
is vn hian nnis mainsam. evn isians w insis
n aism n nssai pu naaivs a psi a assuin ninu-
i aim mpnss. An vn wiu mnis amixus
piviin f isninuiis a Wi ava, isia inqui an uns
nvnin an aiin. cnvs, in awa a w n n ap
psn um f is s n man a w n m un fm i,
in i. ta is n iain. I is if w not ask isia qusins a w
a nsain, unknwin, nvnin an aiin.
4. I av ma sm f sam aumn in davi d. rs, Nothing but History: Reconstruction
and Extremity after Metaphysics (bk: Univsi f caifnia Pss, 1995), 254-262. (Avaia
in a pin iin wi a nw au’s inuin [Aua, co: t davis gup, 2007].)
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david d. roberts270
Wi’s insisn a, as a a f isian’s nsuiv ,
isia auns nai fiin m (94, 113) ma simia nai v-
samn, an w mus nsi sp f makin ssnia pin in
ss pvaiv ms. In usin su ms, Wi mi iniia sm
xnin is iiism f mainsam isiap, as if “fiina” mn
suss inaqua faiu. bu fm is pspiv, mnsain -
mn f m is saua, fis in unsnin “msifin” mainsam
aun, u n as in inviin m imainaiv, puaiv m iainis
appas. An aim “u” sms ams nm aus i impis
ais spnn an us mpnss an su a pas-
siv apan. Mv, Wi sm assum a u is un up wi
isinsnss, was a m snan isiap quis pis
ppsi, an v psnis ia-piia impus. bu was ssin v
qusins au w ma spns, ain, isia inqui, an vn anin
an u mi m .
Wi’s wa f invkin fiin fs a siua aism, an mn
a in min is n m-makin if w un fm aism in a m ius
wa. In a qu passa, fs naaiv n as “ius” (113), u
“ius” ain wa sana? W invk an su sana in fis
pa? t nin a “sis a n iv u ” w nvs unu
ap wn xpin an isia aun nsu naaiv. bu
s a vius w iffn ins. t fa a w n xpin i as
“is” as w iv i s n man a makin is u f i a is sm
s f mia impsiin— a i svs “uis” ns f an
saii.
In fa, mu f Wi pins wa a m ius psais unsan-
in, spia if w a ajusin “a u isia w.” ovius,
as ann ma fu , u Pau mi ais qusins an n
pssiiiis in pu. t pin is n simp a an pns f m-
pnss an su is sifin; n is i a, as fini inquis, w ann qui
aiv mpnss an su, wi, wv, main impaivs, paps
appa asmpia. cmpnss an su in “a u
isia w” a ia inniva, pa aus su a w is v-
pvisina, u as aus w u n pssi pu vin a
mi fiu in ai f isia auns. An aun is un
inmp an pn-n. W m niz sns in wi is n
wa i “aua appn,” n wa i “a was” a w an vn niv f,
an n in a isia naaiv, u a infini was i a
wasn’.
bu mpnss an su a n wa w n in an as, especially
insfa as, wi Wi, w wan a isiap a svs psn ma pu-
ps an ain. ra an masu u fini, isia spifi auns
aains an inniva sana, w mi un in iin an
asp s auns pa, u pa. W m unsan
sns in wi w av, an av, wa w n. An w s w w
n n in aism a ff niiism an aivism.
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Possibilities in “A thoroughly historicAl World” 271
Pau ns a au Wi saw Mink an Anksmi as ais, Wi
a iffn asns—ma an piia as pps pismia—f
mpasizin a “sis a n iv u ” (115-116). h vau ma
impus fun in ppfssina isians ik Mi an tquvi an
ask w w, , su n wi is in a wa m nun wi u
ma nviins (60, 77). bu in aaizin Wi’s psiin vis-à-vis Mink
an Anksmi, Pau isinuiss wn ia-piia an pismia
in a imiin, uaisi wa. cu n a nnin wn ia-
piia san a Wi sss an qusin f u-vau pa a issu
f pism?
t qusin is w isia inqui an sv ain vm sm
suan f is s fa, xpin as a un, an p sap
fuu. t unsan wa a un nais, w n an w i am as
i is. Mv, in usvs f ain, w n nsu a true un-
sanin, as pps n a is m ifin asia pasin—
vn ma psna usfu n sm uns. S i is pis ma
ins, un up wi sp f fuu-in ain, a pns an-
in an u.
Is is sa a sp f anin an u uns u nai spn-
n af a? N if w ajus a psais famwk fm wiin wi
is wak fm f u s n man spnn in anin ik usua
sns. Wa sus fm an inqui pn anin wi n the u s, in
sns f aivin an inmpnsi wnss mpnss, u i an
a u s, a wa f fiin pis a iuminas sm asp
f psn swin w i am .
Smin ik Wi’s pfiuin an vaius sais f mpmn
a f us ssnia nsuin f naaiv, u pnnss
anin is isiv vaia. Fm , isipina sanas su pa a
, u f pnnss anin an u wi aff wa is f
isipin winnw u.
Wi’s wa f aaizin spia ans f “mnis vns”
spia manifss is nn fam pssiiiis in imi, uais-
i ms. t a wi an vn ik haus, insis, w mus aw
ak fm naaiv isf, aus i wu umaniz an a n fanasis
f wnss an a a v un f vn nis. 5 h wn
n au a was aiina psnain is nssai fisizin,
“mnis niqus f psnain pvi pssiii f fisizin
vns an fanas auns f m wi n a ps
in v pss f pnin psn m aisia. . . .”6 bu vn
if su a “fisizin” is n issu, Wi fun naaiv inn
inaqua in i f an mnis vns imps: “tin a s,
wv ufu, au su aumai vns mi v w pvi a kin f
inua mas f anxi a mm f i un ma ini in
5. han Wi, “t Mnis evn” (1996), in han Wi, Figural Realism (baim:
Jns hpkins Univsi Pss, 1999), 81.
6. Ibid ., 82.
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david d. roberts272
an iniviua a mmuni. bu pis insfa as s is inifia as
a s, i an pvi n asin psi mas f su vns.”7
Wn Wi inks nvnina isia amns f haus wi
“fisizin” fanasis f wnss an a, w aain fin impiain
f passiv apan, as if unsanin w i appn maks i a i,
a as m paaa. evn if w f an nmnain, w a n
simua ma spns in ain a Wi nvisin. tus is insis-
n a iv a ma if wi n, in saw f Auswiz, w
qui a paia pas as pps a isia pas (145, 148). dpnin
im, au a u, ink isia pas, pains simp
aain, was, in Pau’s summa ms, “ paia pas pfs a-
naiv, nn-aaiv ms, aus i is nn n wi knw, u
wi a paia qusin f wa mus n wi ‘uns’ a pp av
invunai ini” (146).
bu im is pjuiia aus “fuua” inain Wi pau-
si ava is n imi paia pas u an—an mus—nai
isia unsanin. In, aff pivi anaivs appas
as if w nssa resist isia aun, nn wi u an
knw, as if an su nn nsiu an aua sa , a s a
isain fm, ma spns. Wa u sk sw insa is w u
an knw mi mpmn ma spns in ain. Au
a s au haus— fasism an mnis vn—pvis n
“lasting psi mas,” wav a mi man in an v-pvisina
w, i an pvi pis inain f psn ma ain a Wi
nvisin.
Invia, Wi a a ain ia f w haus appn.
W i a ia m fm? Av a, ink Nazism an haus
mnsus, unn w f nia mni (131).8 hw
i knw a was , wa was ms uns? Su wu
wan ask sm isia qusins assss imp f a imnsin, in
mpaisn wi wav s.
In skin xmina Jws an s, Nazis n an us
mn n in a ain wa, wi is wa mus uns. A
sam im, f mn n mus assss ansi nv
imnsins, inuin Rausch (ain) a Sau Fiän as fau, n
mnin “w-,” up-s kiin a w av n n un
ina in u va unsanin.
Wi as aim a vns ik haus sis aiina is-
ian’s ff a kin f mpa a wu na us viw vn fm
insi, fm ppas’ pspiv.9 t a imis, su, u
isia auns bwnin, Mmmsn, Ksaw, lni, bau, g-
a, Fizs, Kün, an s sw w nia ff w fm
Nazi aiaizain, an w an aa f ppas u in va Nazi
7. Ibid ., 81.
8. Ibid ., 82.
9. Ibid ., 80-81.
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Possibilities in “A thoroughly historicAl World” 273
visin, fin msvs paiipain in smin anis. S wa i
a visin nai, w i i m fm, an w i i x f i i?
Su w ninu pn isia aun, su w simp assum
a w aa knw wa haus was—smin au mn -
n—an a n qusin is “paia” n f w a wi i?
Mv, is aa aun isians av ivn us a is-
miss as a m fisizin “fanas” a nis a haus
pss? cain unsanin isia w haus appn s
n ni us i na us un fm i, n uns a nw w s
w i u av appn. on na, p isia unsanin
maks i m iffiu, pa aus w unsan a were isia
asns, u pv f nvnina unsanins ik Wi’s
wn. ta is w wa w av ms n as n nw sa an np-
uaizain, ansa in isia naaivs, as pps nv mnis
niqus f psnain fixain n n imas.
Pau s us a mnis vns a in qusin an amp nw
m wi manin (138), u is n aim a anin w haus
appn isia aks us a wa sm s f ansnna san-
in “Manin” a affs “Unsanin.” Si, u isia un-
sanin, w mak a kin f pvisina manin f haus f us, wi
ais w n Wi’s an n u-f-n n u inus
nin psss, pssiiiis, an ans a su in nn us, as
i Wi, an a w an unsan unsanin
haus as n um f Nazism.
tis is n n a haus as nsiu a upu in u sns f
mapsss in wi w a au up, in u sns f wa u
nai. bu i is su pssi unsan haus both as su a upu
an, n a iffn v, as suj isia unsanin u a ninu-
us naaiv. W iv wi nsin. Wi Wi’s impaivs, wv, w
miss n f naaiv an wa i mi us au s nin
psss, pssiiiis, an ans.
A sam im, nn f is is n a a an appas usi
nvnina isiap av a maj in ain wi su mnis
vns. of us w n wks ik Spiman’s Maus lvi’s mmi f
Auswiz, ffin iffn ans n haus an ain pms
f psnain isf. Mia su spnss av m pa f mix,
man in ins nvnina is s n, an nv u, n ma w
mu w pn i up. Wi sp Nazism an haus, visua ais
Ansm Kif ms min. bu pjuiia aaizain f wa is
s, u , is un sw nfusin ain saks an ain-
sips.
Wi’s pupain wi mnis vns f is nuin nn
wi fasism an aiaianism (49). In ppsin , , ik su maj
nmpa inuas as gianni Vaim an a ria r, s
f a nvnina unsanin, as if w aa knw wa s pnmna
w an w am fm. t sms n n f pnin u un-
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david d. roberts274
sanin u fu isia inqui. t n qusin is w a
isia fasism an aiaianism in a wa a ps pvn an un
(46, 123).
Si, u nvnina auns f fasism an aiaianism an imi
in was a Wi wu av n w psiin ass. ruinism,
“oin,” an ia iumpaism fn uk in m, an in a sns
sana isia aun, makin i a m u i, an in
mpan passivi Wi awas p.
bu naaiv isia auns f fasism an aiaianism n av
nai su iumpaism. Pu iffn, ani n n uns in
Wi’s uaisi ms. W n qui xpan “mnis” appas, a
mi vi, paia pas vp a p isia unsanin,
n a s n nai su an assuan u a ans u assump-
ins an maks i a a w a au up in a ninuin piia xpi-
mn. In iuminain nin psss an ans, isia aun an
sv, in a wa Wi’s paia pas ann, ma ain a in min.
cnvs, ak an nn f p isia unsanin n m
as an ivan ivsin u as an sa sis is av us wi p-
is iés a n vm if w a spn ffiv, a
an m nun an f supi.
Au was n ain f su p isia qusinin au
fasism, Wi invk fasism in was a ams xpii an su
fai iumpaism in is ai n isia suim. Insfa as isia
qusinin mi uns, Wi’s pnnss fasis pisp gni’s
wa f psiin a kin f suim fm, inuin sp f uman fm-
ivin, wu sm spia pvi an n (120). Wi ispa sm
insi in wa ma gni’s inkin innvaiv, an xpii n
isks f paiin gni as i.
W av sn a Pau fns Wi aains as f sippinss vis-à-
vis aiaianism pa invkin Wi’s sss n n f suim
a ff nin an. t fa a Wi was v nn wi
pvnin an un is su w smin, u Pau’s unu inv-
ain f suim sss v wa was in a masu f sippinss in
Wi’s us f gni.
In su a s k Pau u n av n jusi issus invv,
u mi a as av ais p qusins. If invkin gnian
suim is n nfus, w n a p sns f inain “a -
u isia w” gni nvisin an w i im ava a
aiaian ia sa as insumn f a nw fm f f iv w-
makin. An w n asis f isinuisin gni’s aiaian suim
fm Wi’s, wi su was inn aniaiaian u, wi gni
invk s supfiia, is un av us wnin. Simp sa a w
n suim a ff aiaian pssiii is av us asin u
wn ais.
t n pn anaivs fm wiin psnis, nsuivis, an
aniais iin as bn c an is amn a ans f
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Possibilities in “A thoroughly historicAl World” 275
Wi an Pau. tis is a su-pi I am uan in up, f n n
n appa c j asps f Wi’s inkin. bu Wi’s nun-
wi c was na is inua iap, an Pau ain as
i as su. I is sikin a Wi a “ aiin van f c’s ia
f is” in 1963, u n k c as, if anin, if viain fi in
Metahistory n as a.10
Pau sks pinpin asns f Wi’s puiain f c, an w
mus n a vn if ma n av n asns, in sns f in
jusi c, ma in fa av n inua-iapia asns.
Si, w mi xp sm assssmn fm Wi’s inua iap, u
Pau simp pas Wi n c, faiin n a Wi n up si-
us misnsuin asps f c’s inkin. tis mas aus a
infm amn f nun wu av f a k n fai
uaisms a smims viia Wi’s aumns—an a Pau uniia
aps.
As Pau ss i, Wi un aains c ms asia aus c’s
“ia iaism” an “amai umanism” a n inaqua
ans f fasism an aiaianism in Ia (36, 47, 124). bu piia
isiusinmn wu n aun f v paiua uss Wi ma f
c in Metahistory, w s as ini uminain f ninn-
nu nn wa a imi “aism,” puaiv avin isian as
a passiv sv, u ff fm usin isia inqui in an aiv wa (36, 41,
55, 63, 68).
Fwin Wi, Pau psisn nfas c wi rank an a pmium
n u aiva sa, swin an ff spak au psn
fuu (39-41, 60). y c xpii puia rank, w sm na,
as pu i, in fin a f mamin a ps.11 Was Wi, in is 1963
ssa, a ni nv c’s unsanin f ainsips amn
isia unsanin, ma mmimn, an ain, in Metahistory
ss v ks c’s psiin famin anaivs in ii
uaisi ms. Spinnin im as i, Wi mana as c as i-
ia spksman f uis iaism in isis. In pain c as
uminain, n a wi ini amn, Wi u p a
ks f m snan isiap aim skin.12
Au Wi su a pausi asns f unin fm c,
ninu av m in mmn wi Iaian ink an n. h
iv fm c fm wiin a mmn famwk, naiin a pau
fm “psiivism” an “aism” an an mpasis n nsuin in anua.
t w inks saw sp f a m snan isia san,
infm ia nns. t iffn was spia v s f is-
10. han Wi, “t Aiin rvan f c’s Ia f his” (1963), in han Wi,The Fiction of Narrative: Essays on History, Literature, and Theory, 1957–2007 (baim: Jns
hpkins Univsi Pss, 2010), 50-67.
11. bn c, La storia come pensiero e come azione (bai: laza [eizin nmia],
1966), 65-67, 73-88.
12. I a asis an impiains f Wi’s amn f c in m ai in “rinkin
han Wi’s tamn f c,” fmin in Rethinking History 17, n. 4 (dm 2013).
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david d. roberts276
ipin, vn spnsiii, a is nai. Wi n s f “aism” ini
spaain, c was in psiin ain imis, vn as , , su
sw w isiap u sv qus f a fuu. Wi was a
avi fain up m, an avi saks f swin m, u
fai nfain f c wi rankan aism an passivi. h sm
pf wi suim munan isipin a ampanis u fm
in c. ta ma w a pausi i, u in sisppin can
anaiv Wi was quik pa is wn psiin as uniqu pivi-
anaiv “aism.”
Pau’s fn “a u isia w” su ps spif
famwk f Wi’s inqui an an. bu aus Pau s n ask w
u w as m sm more u isia, aks famwk
s up ans an pssiiiis a av fw. tus is n-
n m fw Wi a an qusin im in i f s nw
ans an pssiiiis.
A m snan isia uu s in qui p inkin n
pa f isians au i an f uua s, as w as a p un-
sanin, fis amn wi umanisi inuas, u n as amn
wi pui, f wa isia qusinin s, s n , an mi .
Wi’s va pam u av niu m susania , u
mu f ppuni sms av n s. In as anasis, in fa,
um as aua n unpuiv, vn in ms f Wi’s wn
wi uua aims.
As w av sn, Pau ns a Wi un fm isia pfssin
na pimai wi s m aun is iain pj. bu i is a
supisin a Wi fai nn wi ms isians. Fis, nsisn
impi an smims au xpii a mainsam is aims m
an i s. Sn, nia wa i in fa s, an . h skw
saks f askin isia qusins— f n askin m an ain
is in sm m, inuin mi vi an paia pas.
Su misaaizain pv u unpuiv. on n an,
vsamn ma i as f ms isians simp un u,
missin pnia puiv si f Wi’s an, inuin sp
f p uua nnins as n a nw sf-unsanin f i
s in “a u isia w.” Paizain su as ain isi-
ans fm gn W ria evans am insis m sin-min
n aism as n anaiv wa piv as “niiism an aiv-
ism.” tis is n sus a vmin a masu f nsin an ns
was i pssi sia. bu paizain as n an inaqua un-
sanin f pssiiiis, saks, an impiains is—an as n—uu-
a iiain.
t ppuni nin wi pui n p nai,
pnia nai, f isia san un psn uua iumsans
was s a sam im. y i was a mssa a spia n
a as “is” was in m ivan um in i f wi
inua ans an aua us f vns. h aain, um
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Possibilities in “A thoroughly historicAl World” 277
was aua vn unpuiv as Wi’s aumns inf fai
pjuis in wi umanisi uu au mainsam isiap an
is puaiv imis. A an impv u uua ppins, pnin
f isia unsanin, aua un in ppsi.
In s, Pau’s vviw pvis a usfu, an in man was xmpa,
inuin Wi’s a. bu in as anasis, spi an asina
w fa, Pau is fnia mas pvi a nvinin va
iia assssmn.
david d. roberts
University of Georgia