Očividná minulost
The apparent past

Representation of space in 16th and 17th century Bohemical historiographical texts

Summary/Abstract: This study focuses on the poetics of historical narrative, based on a broad sample of 16th and 17th century Czech and Latin historical prose texts. It explores ways of representing space in chronicles, histories, hagiographic narratives and thematically structured historiographical prose works, and it follows the use of topographical information, detailed descriptions, vivid descriptions and ekphrases. Spatial representations can often be understood as a manifestation of what is called evidence, a rhetorical device capable of depicting absent objects as if they were right in front of the addressee’s eyes, and at the same time a method intended to lend credibility to knowledge.

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