ABSTRACT
In this and the following chapters I will attempt to discuss all major aspects of free indirect discourse that have come to my notice. In particular I wish to introduce readers to occurrences of free indirect discourse outside literary third person past tense writing, since such contexts have frequently been ignored or even actively ‘repressed’. A third aim will be to present an exhaustive list of the features and characteristics of free indirect discourse, specifically of those that have so far received little attention or have been discussed in a one-sided manner. No present-day study of free indirect discourse could hope to tackle the subject single-handedly in the manner of Bally, Lerch, Lorck, Lips, Verschoor or Günter Steinberg. I acknowledge a debt to the many studies that have preceded my own inquiry and whose efforts, much as they have led me to attempt a fuller and (I believe) more adequate treatment of the issue, will be recorded in these pages with respect and genuine appreciation. This book relies on much German and French criticism of free indirect discourse, and I hope to introduce English readers to these sometimes less accessible studies. On account of the language barrier German contributions to the topic, in particular, have frequently been ignored in English criticism. In spite of three booklength treatments of free indirect discourse in English (Pascal 1977, Banfield 1982, Ehrlich 1990a),1 noreally complete list of free indirect discourse characteristics has so far been provided, particularly one that clearly evaluates similarities and dissimilarities between different languages.2 There are, however, numerous articles on free indirect discourse which provide excellent contributions to the subject, and these will receive ample discussion throughout.3
