Komparatyvistika atvirame pasaulyje

Abstract

Comparative literature investigates problems of in ternational literary relations, the migration and ty pology of motifs, genres and forms as well as regu larities of the process of the world literature in the course of its development. During the Soviet Peri od, comparative literature of the Baltic States at tempted to demonstrate the vital impact of Russian culture on the artistic development of occupied countries. Together with the re-establishment of political independence, literatures of the Baltic States revived the concept of their European self-esteem and identity which had always been kept alive. Having matured in the West and being back in its homeland, the literature of exodus urges a neces sary comparison of explaining and defining the sources of European culture, which have nourished its sur vival. Modern literature of the Baltic States could also be regarded as a certain phenomenon of artis tic adaptation because it reflects the process of psychological adaptation to the European lifestyle. The structure and stylistics of contemporary nov els - Zita Cepaitė’s ’’Paulinos kelionė” (Paulina’s Journey), Jurga Ivanauskaitė’s ’’Agnijos magija” (Ag nija’s Magic), Jurgis Kunčinas’ ’’Blanchisserie, arba Žvėrynas - Užupis” (Blanchisserie or Žvėrynas - Užupis) - help to make a comparison and to better comprehend the model of a typical contemporary Western novel. It is both a descriptive glossary of certain belief systems (Buddhism) and a thesaurus of literary erudition while, from another point of view, it aids the invasion of trivial literature. More over, it absorbs highly authentic circumambient substance and at the same time transfers the experienc es and fates of heroes to the frolicsome plane of illogical performances. Although the multicultural situation of the mod ern world has been converting the objects of a comparative study to models, the research into litera ture as an artistic phenomenon, a notion of the integrity of a piece of art and the wholeness, never theless, should remain the core of comparative studies