"Wpływologia" ("influenceology") is a Polish term that is sometimes used within the
history and theory of
literature, the
history and theory of
art, the
history and
theory of music, and even within
general history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
. The term expresses skepticism about exaggerated attempts at tracking down alleged "
influences" among
artist
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...
s,
scholars, and their respective works.
History
The term ''wpływologia'' was formed from the Polish ''wpływ'' ("influence") and from ''-logia'', a
Greek-derived suffix meaning "science."
The term was coined after
World War I by Polish
literary critic
Literary criticism (or literary studies) is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of literature's goals and methods. Th ...
Adam Grzymała-Siedlecki. (According to
Karol Irzykowski
Karol Irzykowski (23 January 1873 – 2 November 1944) was a Polish writer, literary critic, film theoretician, and chess player. Between 1933–1939 in the Second Polish Republic he was a member of the prestigious Polish Academy of Literature f ...
, its author was actually the prominent author and
translator Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński.
Karol Irzykowski
Karol Irzykowski (23 January 1873 – 2 November 1944) was a Polish writer, literary critic, film theoretician, and chess player. Between 1933–1939 in the Second Polish Republic he was a member of the prestigious Polish Academy of Literature f ...
, ''Słoń wśród porcelany'' (A Bull in a
China Shop)
online version
/ref>) The neologism immediately won currency among Polish scholars and literary critics due to the anti- positivist turn that the humanities had taken in the early 20th century.
The term ''wpływologia'' made light of certain positivist practices that had been common in the 19th-century humanities. Positivist history of literature had posited that the study of literature may be regarded as scientific only when it deals with fact
A fact is a datum about one or more aspects of a circumstance, which, if accepted as true and proven true, allows a logical conclusion to be reached on a true–false evaluation. Standard reference works are often used to check facts. Scient ...
s, and that scientific analysis must formulate general laws. Positivist analysis saw these laws as being embodied in "influences" (''"wpływy"'') obtaining among various writers and their works.
This view had led some positivist-influenced literary historians to propose outlandish theories concerning "influences" on specific literary works. Even the greatest masterpieces had sometimes been seen as mere recombinations of influences derived from earlier works, rather than as independent works in their own right.
See also
* Positivism in Poland
* Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński
*Karol Irzykowski
Karol Irzykowski (23 January 1873 – 2 November 1944) was a Polish writer, literary critic, film theoretician, and chess player. Between 1933–1939 in the Second Polish Republic he was a member of the prestigious Polish Academy of Literature f ...
* Comparative literature
Notes
References
*Janusz Sławiński, ed., ''Słownik terminów literackich'' (A Dictionary of Literary Terms), Ossolineum, Wrocław, Ossolineum, 1989.
Literary criticism
Positivism
Culture of Poland
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