Central European Literary StudiesEuropean Law and MigrationMemory, History, Trauma, Identity

Robert Kolár

2026.3.1Slovo a Slovesnost

DOI: 10.58756/s9318731

Abstract

The study investigates the use of toponyms in Czech lyric and narrative poetry, focusing on the second half of the 19th century and authors associated with the Máj, Ruch and Lumír literary schools. While literary geography and onomastics have gained scholarly attention, the specific role of toponyms in distinguishing between literary genres remains under-explored. Using quantitative methods applied to the PoeTree.cs corpus, the research compares the relative frequency of toponyms in lyric and epic collections by authors who wrote in both genres. The results confirm the initial hypothesis that narrative poetry exhibits a higher density of toponyms than lyric poetry. This suggests that alongside the category of time, the category of space, represented by toponyms, plays a significant role in differentiating these genres. The study further explores the nuances of this relationship through a qualitative discussion of individual authors, considering factors such as genre hybridity, the lyricization of the epic, or polymetry. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of spatial analysis in poetry and proposes directions for future research.

Citation format

KOLÁR, Robert. Hustota toponym v lyrice a epice (na materiálu české poezie 2. poloviny 19. století). Slovo a Slovesnost, 2026, 87(1): 39–50.