Slovenska Literatura (Oct 2007)
Na pomedzí traktátového a románového žánru .(In between Genres of Tract and Novel )
Abstract
The important poetic work of the Slovak classicist literature Pamětná celému světu tragoedia (Memorial Tragedy for the Entire World, 1791) has been in the literary historical interpretations typically connected with a genre of débat tract. The aim of my study is to show that this generic determination does not correspond with the former purpose of the author to write a novel. He expressed that intention also in the Foreword to the book. It neither corresponds with the all intention of the work. Our polemics with the other interpreters of the generic character of Tragoedie (Memorial Tragedy…) methodically comes from an analysis of its content taking into consideration interpretation of substantial features of tract as a genre and also reflection of contemporary conceptions and comprehension of genres. The character of Tragoedie (Memorial Tragedy…) fits much more with genre of novel mainly because of signs such as fictive character, concentration on cultivating a reader to get common overview and stressing amusing function of the text. It is possible to find connections with the contemporary Bildungsroman of the débat form. As for stressing persuasiveness that is quite significant in some parts of the book it also speaks about literary application of “tractandi” form using different kinds of arguments (not only of non-fictional character). We can consider Doležal´s work (together with Bajza´s novel René mládenca príhody a skúsenosti – Stories and Experiences of René, an Adolescent) for domestic example of European renaissance of novel writing that culminated in the second half of the 18th century. We prefer interpretation of Tragoedie (Memorable Tragedy…) as a débat Bildungsroman to assumptive canonisation of previous objectively inadequate literary historical interpretations.
