Page 63 - Vinkler, Jonatan, Ana Beguš and Marcello Potocco. Eds. 2019. Ideology in the 20th Century: Studies of literary and social discourses and practices. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 63
Epistemology, Ideology,
and Literature: Radical
Constructivism, Decolonial
Studies, and Native American
Literature
Špela Virant
In 1791 the Slovenian playwright and historian Anton Tomaž Linhart
published the second volume of his history of Slovenia and other south-
ern Slavic provinces ruled by the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy, entitled
Versuch einer Geschichte von Krain und den übrigen Ländern der südli-
chen Slaven Oesterreichs. Though Linhart is best known as the first play-
wright writing in Slovenian, thus contributing to the development of
literary language and the formation of written Slovenian literature, he
wrote this historical study in German, the language of the rulers.
The target audience obviously was not only Slovenian, but his point
of view was. He was trying to convey this point of view to an exterior ob-
server and he was well aware of the difference between these two perspec-
tives. This is especially noticeable in the chapter describing the national
character. When alone, decribes Linhart, the Slovenians are affectionate
and tender, they hug and kiss (1791, 212).1 But they mistrust foreigners,
especially the Germans, and hate their landlords. The foreigners on the
other hand accuse them to be vengeful and deceitful (Linhart 1791, 218–
219).2 Linhart does not argue about the truth of these observations. He
only changes the focus. Falsehood, guile, and termagancy may be actu-
1 “Gegen einander waren sie sehr liebreich, küßten und umarmten sich, wenn sie zu-
sammen kammen.”
2 „Ihre alten Gebräuche verbergen sie vor jedem Fremdlinge mit religiöser Sorgfalt;
schwerlich wird es einem Deutschen jemal gelingen, sie in ihrem reinen wahren Lich-
te zu sehen. Sie hassen ihre Grundherren, die sie für ihre Unterdrükker ansehen, bis
zur Unversöhnlichkeit. Man hat ihnen den Vorwurf gemacht, daß sie rachgierig sind“
(Linhart 1791, 218–219).
and Literature: Radical
Constructivism, Decolonial
Studies, and Native American
Literature
Špela Virant
In 1791 the Slovenian playwright and historian Anton Tomaž Linhart
published the second volume of his history of Slovenia and other south-
ern Slavic provinces ruled by the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy, entitled
Versuch einer Geschichte von Krain und den übrigen Ländern der südli-
chen Slaven Oesterreichs. Though Linhart is best known as the first play-
wright writing in Slovenian, thus contributing to the development of
literary language and the formation of written Slovenian literature, he
wrote this historical study in German, the language of the rulers.
The target audience obviously was not only Slovenian, but his point
of view was. He was trying to convey this point of view to an exterior ob-
server and he was well aware of the difference between these two perspec-
tives. This is especially noticeable in the chapter describing the national
character. When alone, decribes Linhart, the Slovenians are affectionate
and tender, they hug and kiss (1791, 212).1 But they mistrust foreigners,
especially the Germans, and hate their landlords. The foreigners on the
other hand accuse them to be vengeful and deceitful (Linhart 1791, 218–
219).2 Linhart does not argue about the truth of these observations. He
only changes the focus. Falsehood, guile, and termagancy may be actu-
1 “Gegen einander waren sie sehr liebreich, küßten und umarmten sich, wenn sie zu-
sammen kammen.”
2 „Ihre alten Gebräuche verbergen sie vor jedem Fremdlinge mit religiöser Sorgfalt;
schwerlich wird es einem Deutschen jemal gelingen, sie in ihrem reinen wahren Lich-
te zu sehen. Sie hassen ihre Grundherren, die sie für ihre Unterdrükker ansehen, bis
zur Unversöhnlichkeit. Man hat ihnen den Vorwurf gemacht, daß sie rachgierig sind“
(Linhart 1791, 218–219).
