The Phenomenon of Narrativity? The Case of Peter Greenaway’s Film
Abstract
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to analyze the phenomenon of narrativity in the work of Peter Greenaway – a director who has consistently challenged dominant paradigms of cinematic storytelling.
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The research problem concerns whether and how Greenaway constructs alternative forms of narrative that transcend classical narrative models while retaining communicative coherence and artistic integrity. The study applies an interpretative methodology, incorporating tools from film narratology and phenomenology.
THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The study poses a question reflecting on the “destructive” and “constructive” functions of narrative in Peter Greenaway’s work. To address this question, a selected film was analyzed in terms of narrative structure, the relationship between image and text, the use of art as a narrative framework, and the medium’s self-reflexivity.
RESEARCH RESULTS: The analysis reveals that Greenaway constructs multilayered narratives in which image and sound are as important as – or even replace – verbal narration. His films expose the mechanisms of storytelling, turning narration into an object of reflection rather than a simple tool of communication. These are conceptual, often simultaneous narratives, reminiscent of the structure of a polyphonic score or a Renaissance painting.
CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND APPLICABLE VALUE OF RESEARCH: The findings suggest a need to revise traditional definitions of narrativity in the context of con- temporary artistic and postmedia cinema. It is recommended to expand analytical tools to include transmedial and iconological perspectives. The scholarly value of this study lies in challenging the binary distinction between narrative and non-narrative cinema – Greenaway’s work demonstrates that a narrative can be as much “painted” or “designed” as it is “told”.
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