Abstract
Abstract This article considers fanfictional paratexts – including peritexts such as author’s notes, warnings, epigraphs and tags, as well as the related epitexts of comments, memes, recs and live blogs – in the context not only of the fanfiction they accompany but also of the critical conversations they generate and perpetuate within themselves. The parallels between premodern literature’s expansive paratextual spaces and the equally expansive – if virtual – spaces that frame contemporary fanworks, specifically fanfiction, point to similarly transactional qualities at work in both, balancing authorial intent, production/archival specifications and reader response. By considering these seemingly disparate literary worlds in conversation with one another, we can not only illuminate an antecedent for fanworks and fan community interactions but also offer medieval and early modern studies a potentially useful language for talking about premodern literary culture.
Published Version
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