Locations of Comparison

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Slaughter
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Literature ◽  
Presidential Address ◽  
African Literature ◽  
Immigration Policies ◽  
European Literature

What difference does it make who compares? From what location? What kinds of comparison are possible, inevitable, even necessary at particular historical moments? What are the extra-literary conditions of literary comparison? How and when does literature qualify for comparison? Revisiting Harry Levin’s seminal essay, “Comparing the Literature” (1968), this paper—originally presented as the presidential address at the 2017 American Comparative Literature Association conference—considers the historical conditions and locational contingencies that motivate acts of literary comparison. Looking at how specific comparisons of African literature to European literature have been mobilized at different times and locations, I argue that comparative literature’sde factoimmigration policies (its [in]hospitality to other worlds of literature) may be read in the histories of comparisons that have been done before—comparisons once regarded as improper, impertinent, or insurgent that are now commonly practiced to give old Eurocentric fields new life, new prestige, and new authority.

scholarly journals Rosalía de Castro e influencias. Un diálogo entre o centro e a periferia

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Vicente Vázquez Vidal
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Literature ◽  
Literary Translation ◽  
European Literature ◽  
Fundamental Factor ◽  
Authorial Identity ◽  
Traditional Classification ◽  
Rosalia De Castro ◽  
Galician Literature ◽  
Shed Light ◽  
Center Periphery

Rosalía de Castro (1837-1885) representa un papel canónico tanto na literatura castelá como na galega. Propomos unha visión da súa figura autoral á luz da Teoría dos Polisistemas Literarios formulada por Itamar Even-Zohar, a cal entende a tradución literaria como un factor fundamental do concepto de influencia. Acto seguido, presentaremos un exercicio de literatura comparada onde poremos en relación as obras de Rosalía coas doutros autores da sua época, o que nos dará una mellor idea do seu papel, tanto nas relacións centro-periferia literarias, como na configuración dunha literatura europea. Veremos como a autora bebe de fontes literarias insospeitadas. Por último, examinaremos a súa obra de para ver como Rosalía escapa de calquera clasificación tradicional posible, sendo o seu espazo de acción, precisamente, a fronteira.Rosalía de Castro (1837-1885) holds a canonic role in both Castilian and Galician literature. A vision of her authorial identity is proposed in terms of Itamar Even-Zohar’s Polysystem Theory, which understands literary translation as a fundamental factor in the concept of influence. Subsequently, an exercise in comparative literature will be presented in which de Castro’s Works are examined in relation to those of other authors of her time, which will shed light on the nature of her role, both in center-periphery relations and in the constitution of a European literature. De Castro’s unsuspected sources of literary inspiration will then be discussed. Lastly it will be considered how de Castro’s body of work has escaped from any traditional classification whatsoever, as its sphere of action is, for all intents and purposes, the border space.

When Small is Big and Big is Small

2020 ◽  
pp. 267-272
Author(s):  
Svend Erik Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Literature ◽  
World Literature ◽  
European Literature ◽  
Theoretical Conceptualization ◽  
National Literatures

The leading Danish comparative literature scholar, Svend Erik Larsen, responds to the findings of the volume. Writing from the perspective of a smaller European literature, but with a wealth of experience and knowledge of world literature scholarship, his conclusion assesses how the volume confirms, challenges or changes prevailing theoretical views of the type of national literatures under discussion and highlights where the need for further research and theoretical conceptualization is most pressing.

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