The Concept of Mimesis and its Transformation in Modern Times or Why Does Lit- erary Theory not Get Rid of Mimesis?

Abstract

How does one explain the remarkable resilience of the notion of mimesis in the face of frequently severe criticism, starting with Plato’s “Politeia”? How could a term, whose theoretical career begins with its dismissal, survive for more than two millennia? This article starts off from Hegel’s radical rejection of imitation as a basic principle of art. However, despite such fundamental disapproval, even in literary theory of the 20th century, mimesis continues to play an important role. It looks as if both phenomena – the at times profound criticism of mimesis as well as its remarkable resistance to this criticism – can be explained by going back to the origin of the concept in Ancient Greek philosophy and by reconstructing its transformation in modern times.