agency

[nicyooyak]

what is meant by 'agency' in literature?

[EDDIE51]

Do you mean a literary agency ? If so that is a person / firm who take on new authors and trys to get their work published , just like a musical agent does for new musical acts .
Other wise 'agency' has the same meaning as anywhere else.

[nicyooyak]

I meant in terms of literary theory - for example influence theory that focuses on agency?

[EDDIE51]

Sorry, you have lost me now .
What are 'Literary Theory' and 'Influence Theory'

[nicyooyak]

Sorry! Literary theory is a way of analysing literature. Influence theory is an historical approach - author focused.

[EDDIE51]

Still way over my head sorry.

[FredPuli43]

Please give us a sentence in which 'agency' is used as you have found it.

[nicyooyak]

since both terms [influence and intertexuality] have too many operative definitions for us to fix on one for each, we will start with the generalization that influence has to do with agency......OR Tracing influences was an essential element in the rise of the 19c historicism, developed as it was under the aegis of idealistic theories that stressed agency.

[Essell]

Ye Gods ! Would it help if you re read the passage(s) using substitute words ? Such as 'enabler' , or 'causation' ? Go through dictionary for synonyms of agency then substitute as you read. Eventually the fog may clear.....

[jno]

it might just be an extension of this, which I think is partly an economic theory but could be adapted to literary criticism

http://en.wikipedia.o...gency_%28sociology%29

(This is only a wild guess - I don't know)