PRZESTRZEŃ PRZEDSTAWIONA W POWIEŚCIACH LAURENCE’A STERNE'A W KONTEKŚCIE ROZWOJU GATUNKU POWIEŚCIOWEGO
Space as presented in the novels by Laurence Sterne in the context of the development of the novel genre
Laurence Sterne philosophically relativized the category of space and consistently tried to
show epistemological scepticism in his novels. This attitude is different from so called 'classic'
novel which emphasizes cultural, social, geographical etc. aspects of space as a fiction's
background. Sterne – sometimes even in a discursive way – refused to present these aspects of
space and mostly tried to present his narrator's inner space that is being created in the act of
narration. To show his sense of relativity and irony, Sterne used some descriptive models, e.g.
theatralization. Also, he discussed with typical spatial literary patterns (which he knew for
example from adventure novels) by transporting them into his narrative concept of inner space
mentioned before. It all indicates that Sterne was aware of the ‘spatial problems’ which novel is
said to face in the twentieth century.
Powieść XVIII-wieczna, 18th century novel, Powieść XIX-wieczna, 19th century novel, Sentymentalizm, Sentimentalism, Przestrzeń przedstawiona, Space as presented, Przypadek, Chance
INTERLINIE. Interdyscyplinarne Czasopismo Internetowe, 1 (2)/2011, pp. 63-69.
2082-9434