The thesis Bartleby & co. – postmodernistični roman (Bartleby & co. – A Postmodern Novel) discusses the theory which states that the novel Bartleby & co., written by Enrique Vila-Matas, qualifies as a postmodern novel. The focus will be on its content and form and how they coincide with the norms of postmodern literature. The first part of the thesis deals with the author's biography and his works, as well as the fundamental characteristics of the aforementioned novel, such as it's concept, structure, the narrator and the protagonist. In order to discuss whether a certain literary work can be referred to as postmodern, the characteristics of this period, its main critics and norms must also be presented. A short presentation of postmodernism in Spain is included, since the environment of his home country has definetly had a noticable effect on Enrique Vila-Matas. When trying to prove that Bartleby & co. truly is a postmodern novel, I will focus on the metafiction and intertextuality of the novel, the presentation of the relationship between reality and fiction, as well as on the presentation of the world through the images of a labyrinth, a net, a mirror and a library. The thesis briefly examines the concepts of the 'end of great narratives' and mixing different literary genres in the novel. The theme of the novel, represented through the postmodern aspect, will also be presented.
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