Planned topics

2021 / Literary transfers ‒ translations – reception

In the second issue of Tekstualia in 2021 we would like to focus on the question of literary transfers, translations (including ones mediated by a language other than the original) and their reception. Franco Moretti, in his attempt to create a map of the circulation of literary forms in the space of world literature, stated "that movement [of these forms ‒ editorial note] from one periphery to another (without passing through the centre) is almost unheard of; that movement from the periphery to the centre is less rare, but still quite unusual, while that from the centre to the periphery is by far the most frequent." Bearing in mind that, in the eyes of Franco Moretti, Pascale Casanova and other researchers, the “centre” is always located in the metropolitan areas of Western Europe and the United States, and the term “periphery" designates the rest of the world (including Poland), in this issue of Tekstualia we invite the authors not only to examine literary transfers from the central towards peripheral territories, mediated by translations and their reception, but also encourage them to submit texts reflecting on the circulation of literary texts from peripheries towards the centre, and from one periphery towards another. Moreover, we would like to provide space for studies pertaining to the question of whether the translations of Polish literature into foreign languages, and from other literatures into Polish correspond with the models of literary transfer situated within the framework of centre and peripheries (and if so, then to what an extent; if not, then why not?) We question on a theoretical level whether these categories – as suggested in Jerzy Jarzębski’s book  Prowincja – Centrum. Przypisy do Schulza [Province – Centre. Annotations to Schulz] – are prone to be transferred or shifted or interchanged? Furthermore, we attempt to illustrate some aspects of the reception of Polish literature in China at the beginning of the 20th century by examining several of the translations of Polish works undertaken by authors such as Zhou Zuoren and Lu Xun, the latter being the founding author of modern Chinese literature. At the same time we intend to indicate the possibility of transfers from one periphery to another, unmediated by the languages of the centre. While scrutinizing the issue of literary transfers, translations and their reception, we would like to inquire into which foreign literary paradigms turned out to be essential for the Polish context of the issue in question. Furthermore, we scrutinize which Polish works have become formal inspirations for writers from abroad (and why.) We take interest not only in the transfers of prose literary forms, but also poetic transfers of rhetorical devices and versification.

Managing editors: Dr hab. Żaneta Nalewajk-Turecka, Thomas Starky.

Deadline for article submissions: April 30, 2021