RETHINKING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POPULAR LITERATURE AND THE LITERARY CANON
RETHINKING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POPULAR LITERATURE AND THE LITERARY CANON

Summary/Abstract: The following paper tries to highlight some of the major differences between the canon of high-literature and popular fiction, but also ways of transgressing their barriers. Although from a general postmodern perspective this debate may seem irrelevant, it is worth discussing about its institutionalized sides mainly because of the audience, especially that of (high-school) students. Apart from the theory, the analysis is based on the example of crime fiction and fantasy, two genres which are embraced by the contemporary readers, especially the youth. Two of the most prominent examples are the Sherlock Holmes stories and Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

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