Towards a Hermeneutics of Narrative: Exploring Hanna Meretoja’s The Ethics of Storytelling Narrative Hermeneutics, History, and the Possible (2018)

Abstract

The Ethics of Storytelling: Narrative Hermeneutics, History, and the Possible (2018) by Hanna Meretoja presents a groundbreaking approach to reforming literary studies and criticism through the lens of hermeneutics. This article examines how Meretoja bridges the gap between textual interpretation and ethical implications of storytelling, particularly focusing on the first four chapters of her seminal work. The book establishes a new paradigm that combines narrative theory with hermeneutical methodology, emphasizing how narratives both expand and constrain our sense of the possible. Through rigorous examination of theoretical frameworks and practical literary analyses, Meretoja demonstrates how storytelling serves as a crucial medium for ethical discourse and cultural transformation. Her work draws upon German hermeneutical traditions, particularly the works of Heidegger and Gadamer, while incorporating contemporary narrative theory to develop a robust framework for understanding the ethical dimensions of storytelling. The analysis in this article reveals how Meretoja's approach offers innovative solutions to current challenges in literary criticism and narrative studies, ultimately advocating for a new poesis of literary comprehension. The significance of her work lies in how she reconnects narrative studies with ethical inquiry while maintaining a rigorous theoretical foundation for understanding the complex relationship between narrative, ethics, and historical consciousness, offering crucial insights for scholars in literary studies, philosophy, and related humanities disciplines.