… sais Hakkas in his interview for the magazine panderma.

This objection/ rejection of the literary

engagement may certainly be considered an echo of Leontaris thesis from his seminal article 'The
Poetry of Defeat' where Leontaris calls the post-war Greek literature as moving away from the
political/ not seeking legitimation within the political/ the end of literary resistance. Literary
resistance that he identified with that seeked its legitimation within one particular ideology. In his
previous article, Leontaris idetified the post-war condition as an ideological void, a void that
would have to be filled in order for the literature to find back the resistance. We can identify
Hakkas' alternative to literary engagement - 'chaos' with Leontaris void, or 'defeat' of the idea.
However, if we consider that a persistent mode in Hakkas' writings is the resistance itself
(Lambridis), the opinions of the two writers seem to be irreconcilable. In the pages below, I
propose such reading … Taking as my point of departure/ Withing the theoretical framework of the
postmodern theory of J. F. Lyotard, who argues that giving up a rule of an ideology for the sake of
indeterminacy (chaos) is an act of ethical resistance that seeks to 'testify to justice'. Seen not as
the end of poetry of resistance but, like suggested Lykiardopulos, as its new mode offers a
reconciliation in the debate

Here: political vs ethical

Only in this short citation we can see two parallels between Hakkas claim and Leontaris
description of post-war Greek literary condition. First, the rejection of literary engagement which
Leontaris condemns inhis seminal essay... Second, the alternative to it – chaos, or in other words
the ideological void that zapanowała in leftist literature after

exploring traces of postmodernism withing works of post-war Greek literature is not a traditional
approach. Although Lyotard in his interpretation seeks back the traces of postmodernity even to
artists of the 19th century (Mallarme, Cezanne) and early 20th century (James Joyce)
Hakkas case does not seem to neither chronological criteria nor the the narratological ones.
Tziovas, taking as his point of departure Lyotard's theory, suggested that certain works of Greek
prose from the post war period should be considered postmodern for their 'incredulity towards
grand-narratives'. Tziovas approach is interesting for our study, since the pieces he chooses to
examine were written by the same authors whom Leontaris named writer's of defeat. However,
Tziovas' primarely narratological analysis overlooks what consequences for the debate on the
political in literature of that period has.
'The incredulity towards grand-narratives' means for Lyotard privilaging indeterminate over
determinate judgement with concepts as the only possibility to 'do justice'.
Lyotard follows Kant in this sence that by displaying incredulity towards the governing rule of any
ideology's concept, postmodern art choses
For Lyotard, by escaping the determinate rule of grand-narratives (be it aesthetical or ideological)
postmodern art turns to indeterminacy as a rule for representation and thus becomes a medium
of justice. In this sense Leontaris 'defeat' of the Idea can be seen here resistance against its
determinate rule. Thus, 'the poetry of defeat' by abandoning political militancy becomes the
poetry of resistance against the injustice and moves towards the area of ethics.

In this essay I seek to show/ make visible how . Lyotard privilages art for its particular power to
put together discourses that in regular world do not exist one next to another. This function is not
merely aesthetic. Free of a rule that would governs regular communication postmodern art
through the workings of sublime can testify to otherwise unattainable Idea of Justice.
the postmodern distrust towards totalizing narratives/ determinacy functions in works of Hakkas
on the aesthetic, narrative and also ideological level.

My analysis focuses on one short sto"ry, that has been considered by the criticism Hakkas 'story
of poetics': The Third Kidney from the collection Μπιντές. However, we should take into
consideration
Resistance is a persistent mode in Hakkas works as has be acknoledged by the criticism that
stresses Hakkas Hakkas leftist political provience (Lampridis, Stavropoulou...). My analysis focuses
on a short story that has been omitted in analysis regarding the ideological content: The Third
Kidney published originally in the collection Μπιντές και άλλες ιστορίες. Considered by the critics
as Hakkas' “story of poetics”, explicates not only 'how' literature should be written but also its
role. Hakkas explicates here what is implicated in hisother stories: that literature is a discourse of
resistance. Biographical theme of death is here the instance of sublime,
I will demonstrate how htrough the paradox of sublime The Third Kidney is a negative
presentation of literature as a discourse of justice.
Post-war/ After war literature is not generally what would spring to mind as an instance of
postmodernist style or practice within Greek context.
On grounds of local cultural development being on the periphery of of cultural changes,
critcs either doubt the possibility of transfering the notion of postmodernism to the Greek
literary reality/ critics either challenge the apropriateness of using the term 'postmodern' in
Greek context at all (Jusdanis), due to the non-existance of 'mature modernism'.
Or suggest the postmodernist perception of works created in the last quarter of the 20 th
century (Natsina, .. ) arguing the right environment for the postmodern practive in Greece
– late capitalism.
In opposition to such critical attitudes Dimitris Tziovas in … seeks to makes visible traces
of postmodernism in post-war Greek prose basing his analysis on the intrinsic features of
the texts.

Postmodernism as a category

However, while th use of the term 'Postmodernism' is do denote a certain stylistic category
or epoch in literary studies, the philosophical theories of postmodernity call into question
an idea of a postmodern literary canon basing only on the criteria of chronology or period.
Lyotard suggests that postmodernity in how the artist situate himself against the
predecessing artisctic/ literary tradition. This approach is taken up by Tziovas who taking
Lyotard's theory as his point of departure, to makes visible traces of postmodernism in
post-war Greek prose basing on its „incredulity towards grand-narratives” of Greek literary
tradition. What is interesting for this study is that Tziovas considers
postmodern the same authors, whom Leontaris accounted among the 'writers of defeat'.
However what Tziovas primarily narratological analysis overlooks is the consequesnces of
the postmodern perception for the local critical debate
By focusing on rpooving that appropriation to Greek literary envirionment he overlooks the
consequences of such conclusions for the local critical debate
.
Identifying what Leontaris called the defeat of the Idea as postmodern incredulity toward
grand-narratives implicates that the „poetry” or literature of defeat does not stand in
opposition towards the literautre of resistance as such but as new mode of postmodern
resistance agaisnt the rule of determinacy.
I his interpretation of Kantian Critque of Judgement Lyotard advocates the indeterminate
aethetic judgement without concepts as a model for a just judgement. Thus, by resisting
the determinacy of ideologies, postmodern art resists the injustice inherent in them.

Lyotard's postmodernity revalues the aethetic as the site of resistance against the rule of
concept (rules of representation, political engagement). Such resistance has its aesthetical
consequences (artistic invention) but also political and and ethical.
In this essay I want to consider the relations between the debate on resistance in the post-
war Greek literature, which has been initiated by B. Leontaris in his article „The Poetry of
Defeat', and postmodernity, which will be here understood with reference to the theory of J.
F. Lyotard's. These relations will be brought into focus by reading prose of Marios Hakkas
and, in particular, his short story „The Third Kidney”.

„I oppose all sorts of political dogmatism in literature. (…) [And by that] I don't mean that literature
should not turn aginst the establishment. However, in the end an 'engaged' writer supports the
perpetuation of the establishment power. I refuse to do it and stick with the chaos” sais Hakkas in
his interview for the magazine Panderma (1972:15). This rejection of dogmatism and of literary
engagement seems to have close affinities with Leontaris' thesis on the ideological contition of the
post-war Greek letters. In his seminal article „The Poetry of Defeat” Leontaris argued that the post-
war leftist literature, characterised by the ideological void (ideologikoi...) or the „defeat” of the
marxist idea and the lack of political engagement (19..:...), marks the end of ideological and literary
resistance. His argument was met with a strong criticism, from scholars and writers alikeThis view,
however, seems to be irreconcilable with Hakkas view on literature „against the establishment”

Post-war period is not generally what would spring to mind as an instance of postmodern
style or practice in Greek literary tradition.
Critics that take as their point of departure the cultural conditions for postmodernity take
two position regarding the Greek context:, either reject the concept of Greek
postmodernism in general, on grounds of non-existence of mature Greek modernism
(Jusdanis ...)
In fact, critics with a historical approach, either deny the possibility of Greek
postmodernism in general, on grounds of non-existance ofmature modernism predessesin
it (Jusdanis) or follow F. Jameson argument and trace the postmodern elements in
literature of the last quarter of the twentieth century due to development late capitalist
condition in Greek cultural contex (Natsina..., … ...)
In opposition to such critical attitudes D. Tziovas treatin postmodernism as aesthetic
category
What is significant for this study is that Tziovas classifies as postmodern works of the
same authors whom Leontaris described as 'writers of defeat' (…:...)
However, Tziovas' selective reading of Lyotard and his focus on the resistance against
grand-narratives of representation overlooks the political and ethical implications of
Lyotard's theory for the Greek critical debate of that period.

Lyotard's postmodernity revalues the aesthetic as a site of ethics. In his appropriation of

Kantian Critique of Judgement, Lyotard advocates the indeterminate, aesthetic judgement
of the sublime as a model for just judgements in general. The postmodern art by resisting
the determinacy of grand-narratives and foregrounding the the sublime affect serves as an
example of a discourse that testifies to justice. Therefore, identifying the post-war Greek
literature as postmodern has clear implications to the debate on the 'poetry of defeat'.
Leontaris' 'defeat of the Idea', or, in Lyotard's words, of the grand-narrative in post-war
Greek literature does not mark the end of the 'poetry of resistance', but, as argued
Lykiardopulos, an emergence of its new form. Or, as we could put it, the end of literature of
political resistance and a shift to the literature of the resistance that one could call ethical

Hakkas' literature represents a special case in this debate. Critics seems to have no
doubts that resistance is a persistent mode in his writings; however, encounters difficulties
in describing its nature (Lampridis, Stavropulou). In the following pages I will demonstrate
that identification of Hakkas' attitude as a postmodern resistance ties some of the loose
ends in … My analysis will focus on the short story „The Third Kidney” from the collection
French Bidet. Described as „a story of poetics” (Stavropulou), „The Third Kidney” is
regarded as an explication of Hakkas' aesthetic theory. However, its implications reach
further than this. I argue, that Hakkas, similarly to Lyotard, considers the aesthetic to be
inseparable from ethics. Therefore, „The Third Kidney” is an attempt to, through the
paradox of sublime, representat literature as a discourse of unrepresentable justice.
Resistance is a persistant mode in Hakkas' writings as has been recognized by the
criticism which foregrounds his socio-political critique. In this essay I argue that
that Hakkas' prose is a literature of postmodern resistance that exceed socio-political
criticism and that Hakkas, similarly to Lyotard, considers writing as an ethical practice.
My analysis focuses on the short story „The Third Kidney” which has been recognized as
Hakkas' 'story of poetics' and analyzed for its easthetic implications.
I will demonstrate that in „The Third Kidney” Hakkas explicates, what he practiced in his
other texts, that writing is an ethical practice.
The author insist on the necessity of resistance against the injustice of meta-narratives
and employs the autobiographical theme of death as an instance of the postmodern
sublime. Thus, through the paradox „The Third Kidney” can be read as a 'negative
presentation' of the unpresentable idea of justice. .
Lyotard postmodernism:
the grand-narratives
the indeterminacy
the sublime (modernist – postmodernist)
sublime - justice

Resistance is a persistant mode in Hakkas' writings as has been recognized vy the

criticism which foregrounds his socio-political critique. In this essay I argue that
that Hakkas' prose is a literature of postmodern resistance that exceed socio-political
criticism and that Hakkas, similarly to Lyotard, considers writing as an ethical practice.
My analysis focuses on the short story „The Third Kidney” which has been recognized as
Hakkas' 'story of poetics' and analyzed for its easthetic implications.
I will demonstrate that in „The Third Kidney” Hakkas explicates, what he practiced in his
other texts, that writing is an ethical practice.
The author insist on the necessity of resistance against the injustice of meta-narratives
and employs the autobiographical theme of death as an instance of the postmodern
sublime. Thus, through the paradox „The Third Kidney” can be read as a 'negative
presentation' of the unpresentable idea of justice.
The perssistant throughout his writings autobiographical theme of death becomes here an
instance of postmodern sublime through which the author testifies to the unpresentable
idea of justice

Resistance is a persistant theme in Hakkas' writings as has been recognized by the

criticism (Lampridis, Stavropulou).
Resistance has been discussed regarding the socio-political sphere and identified as
primarily leftist (Stavropulou), against the establishmetn (Lampridis)
What previous criticism failed to identify is the ehtical implications of Hakkas resistance.
I will show that for Hakkas, similarly to Lyotard, wirting is an ethical practice.
Criticism found difficulties in
However, my analysis focuses on the story, that is regarded for its aesthetical implications
(Stavropulou) rather than for political commentary, The Third Kidney.
It is hiere

unlocks the meaning to other stories

identifying writiers condition as 'doubting' positions himslef against the tradition his
predecessorsconnection to modernism in terms of sublime
the biographical topos/ element of death works here us figure
I argue that this story is the most accurate expression of the author's commentary on the
nature of literary resistance.

… said Hakkas in his interview for the magazine Panderma.

His words may recall Leontaris' description of the post-war literary condition