LITERARY INFLUENCE: A PIVOTAL ASPECT IN THE DOMAIN OF COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

Abstract

Literary influence is a basic aspect in Comparative Literature studies. Influence study attempts to trace the influence of a writer. It is an important branch of Comparative Literature which is an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expression across linguistic, national, geographic and disciplinary boundaries. However, the influence of a writer or set of writers upon another is studied in the domain of theme, idea, attitude, technique etc. It is a fruitful study as it can throw light upon a writer’s individual talent or it can unmask a plagiarist. Influence study is by the degree of influence; either direct or indirect, conscious or unconscious, strong or weak. According to S.S. Prawer, there can be four principal types of influence studies such as study of direct borrowing, study of the conflux of impulses from various literatures or writers, study of Literatures in contact and study of influence of ideas.