The Theory and Praxis of Comparative Literature in Slovenia

Abstract

The theoretical basis of comparative literature in Slovenia is discussed and its development presented. Concerning its theoretical foundations, the discipline is related to the main streams of literary science in the world. Within their frame, its issues have been the relationship between comparative and general literatures, the special role and meaning of the comparative method, its attitude towards the national literary history, aspects of literary theory, the relationship between comparative literature and philosophy etc. With this as a basis, the development of comparative literature in Slovenia is presented from its origins during the Romantic Movement (M. Čop) and its approaches, discussed within the context of the national history of Slovene literature (I. Prijatelj, F. Kidrič), to its complete affirmation in the work of A. Ocvirk. D. Pirjevec emerged from Ocvirk’s school and introduced some remarkable innovations. In recent Slovene comparative literary studies, both outlines – Ocvirk’s and Pirjevec’s – are being further developed, but in a changed form, which can be understood as a synthesis of scientific and philosophical approaches.