Perspectives on the Relation between History and Fiction Cover Image

Perspectives on the Relation between History and Fiction
Perspectives on the Relation between History and Fiction

Author(s): Olivia Chirobocea
Subject(s): History
Published by: Editura Tracus Arte
Keywords: history; historiography; fiction; historical truth; interpretation; representation

Summary/Abstract: History is an established discipline. However, it is still debatable whether it is science or art, as it is largely open to interpretation given the reliability of its sources. This paper will analyze the theoretical aspects of history, namely the scholarly concerns regarding the method of history and its reliability and objectiveness, as well as its relation to fiction. Theorists have always had problems in classifying history as a science or as an art, arguing in this regard that fiction is a necessary part of history as the interpretation of sources involves filling in the many gaps with the historian’s imagination based on their knowledge of a certain period of time. The past is much too vast and claiming to be able to know it all is an utopia. This paper offers different definitions and perspectives on history with the purpose of proving that history and fiction are indubitably linked. In fact, novels are proposed as complementary sources for the ‘official’ versions of the past. This paper also provides insight into the recent theories on history and into the way postmodernism views this domain.

  • Issue Year: XIII/2017
  • Issue No: 2 (26)
  • Page Range: 191-202
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: English