In defence of theory

This article evokes the issue of so-called 'death of theory' once again. Whilst approaching it in the perspective of achievements of the central and eastern-European literary studies of the former half of 20(th) century, the author argues that heralding an end of Theory is but 'chatter' (as Karol Irzykowski once named his contemporary statements of a crisis of novel) which, if to anything, refers to certain reduced versions of theoretical literary studies, excerpted from a late French structuralism. juxtaposed against this achronotopic hypostasis is a concept of Theory as a cultural utterance that was conceived in the Central/Eastern Europe area roughly between 1900 and 1930. This particular version is being continued by those advocating a double simulated 'death'.