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Journal Title: Kultura Popularna - Year 2016, Vol 2, Issue 48

Abstract

The article presents the role matches played in thehistory of transformations of the nineteenth century(the era of steam, railway and telegraph) asa result of the ‘economic bomb’ (E. Hobsbawm)which blew up traditional social and economicstructures of the world, and drew human lifeinto “speed revolution” (). The story of matchesillustrates the essence of these transformations:as every modern invention, they undergothe process of continuous modernisation (‘creativedestruction’). The author analyses and interpretsthe short story The Little Match Girl byHans Christian Andersen, trying to trace allthe meanings evoked by matches. Their features(abruptness of ignition and going out, shortnessof the burning phase, one‑offuse) are in fact features of many inventions of the nineteenthcentury, and this allows us, following WalterBenjamin’s suggestion, to perceive a match asa figure illustrating the experience of “shock”.<br/><br/>

Authors and Affiliations

Ireneusz Gielata

Keywords

Andersen fairy‑tale invention a match experience of “shock”

EP ID EP187208
DOI 10.5604/16448340.1226676
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