A History of Plagiarism

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What do Bob Dylan, Eli Wallach and Nabokov have in common? Artistic appropriation.

And it’s not just those guys—but possibly all artists. Appropriation, recasting stories and lines into another form, is inherently a part of all art. Jonathan Lethem’s essay, “The Ecstasy of Influence: A Plagiarism,” discusses appropriation, plagiarism and the historically-relevant participants of this artistic phenomenon.

Sam Riley is the Editorial Assistant at the Rumpus. Also, a humor enthusiast and science supporter. She currently resides in San Francisco, CA. More from this author →