Prawda i literatura

Abstract

Citing very old sources (Plato, Gorgias, Aristotle) the author develops criticism of truth in literature understood as a logical and cognitive concept. Truth in literature is, in the author’s opinion, genetically connected with literary fiction, and not with logic; and this is why the problem of literary truth is only valid on the ground of fic¬tion. In this sense truth in literature is “an effect of fiction”. The author quotes the conceptions of truth in literature and truth in interpreta¬tion of literature formulated by Polish researchers (R. Ingarder, H. Markiewicz, W. Stróżewski, J. Ziomek, K. Rosner). He subjects to criticism the assumptions connect¬ed with the correspondence between language and objective reality that are contained in them, and possibilities of essential definitions, such as, e.g. “concretization faithful to the work”, or “faithful interpretation”. He thinks that in the case of literature one should talk about its hermeneutic func¬tion connected with the reader’s and interpreter’s experience rather than its cognitive function.

Tekst jest próbą odpowiedzi na pytanie o zasadność mówienia o prawdzie w kontekście literatury. Punktem dojścia są m.in. przekonania, że prawda jest w literaturze efektem fikcji, a jej zasadność w sposób szczególny prezentuje refleksja hermeneutyczna.