POJAM ŽANRA: OD ISTORIJSKE POETIKE DO DEKONSTRUKCIJE

Abstract

The paper explores the concept of genre in the science of literature. Applying the interdisciplinary method, we find opposite opinions about genre’s origin and nature. Historical poetics implies the existence of collective systems and types, or general schemes, through which new contents are realized. Formalism recognizes the genesis of genres in literature itself. Formalists believe that the past traditions and literary patterns are crucial. From the aspect of phenomenology, the literary genre is not a ”reflection” of social or spiritual reality. The logic of literature underlines the difference between the poem-making language – the language used to create literature, and language as a general system. The genre arises from the creative language and resists any interpretation of meaning. Going beyond phenomenology, deconstruction theory establishes the hypothesis: it is impossible to have separate genre entities. We conclude that the approaches to the concept of genre has changed: from social and political factors, structure and narrative processes to ideology, subject and principles of creative language.