Matija Murko and American Comparative Literature
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3986/pkn.v48.i2.02Keywords:
comparative literature, Slovenian literary historians, Murko, Matija, American literary scholarship, oral theoryAbstract
The article discusses the reception of Matija Murko’s scholarship in American comparative literature. In this regard, I argue that the canonized narratives about the history of comparative literature do not provide an adequate framework for such research. Outlining some of the most well-known histories of comparative literature, I demonstrate how a study of Matija Murko’s reception and influence on the development of American comparative studies—both after and especially before the Second World War—reveals that established histories of the discipline simply overlook certain historical periods. In doing so, I focus specifically on Murko’s influence on the development of oral theory and on the work of Albert Bates Lord (1912–1991); and I discuss the reception of his works in early American comparative literature, particularly in relation to Charles Mills Gayley (1858–1932) and the “Harvard folklorists.” In conclusion, I suggest that studying the dissemination of a non-canonical scholar, such as Matija Murko, can open the door to unknown or overlooked histories of comparative studies.
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