This important collection explores and clarifies two of the most contested ideas in literary theory today, influence and intertextuality. The study of influence tends to center on major authors and canonical works, identifying prior documents as'sources' or'contexts' for a given author. Intertextuality is a concept unconcerned with authors as individuals; it treats all texts as part of a network of discourse that includes culture, history, and social practices as well as other literary works. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.