Change of literary-critical paradigm in the first half of the 1960s exemplified on the reflection of Mináč s short proses

Abstract

The author uses the critical reflections of Mináč´s short proses published in 1960 and 1963 as an example to demonstrate how the literary-critical paradigm in the first half of the 1960s was changing. A number of authors have noticed that while reflecting on the decade, it is the early 1960s that is the crutial period. The first three years defined the character of the whole decade and contain the seeds of the future cultural and social changes. Within the framework of the situation of that time two directions of literary criticism can be identified - the first tried to stay loyal to the principles of socialist realism, the other favoured the autonomy of a piece of writing. Both tendencies are epitomized by the contemporary reflections of Mináč´s short proses Tmavý kút (Dark corner) and Záznamy (Records), while the early 1960s are dominated by the former, more ideologically orthodox one.

Keywords

• literary criticism
• the 1960s
• socialist realism
• prose