Canon of Polish literature
The canon of Polish literature is a literary criticism term referring to attempts to define the most important works in Polish literature.
Piotr Wilczek broadly defines the Polish canon as based on compulsory reading lists, meaning it is national with a mix of nationalist-communist influences. According to Wilczek, the canon of Polish literature has never been clearly defined. There were some attempts to define and alter the canon during the Marxist period, but these efforts failed. The Polish canon is more traditional than the Western canon, which has undergone certain re-evaluations over the past few decades. According to Wilczek, the Polish canon continues in a conservative and traditionalist tradition.
Attempts to create canons of Polish literature are sometimes undertaken by media or organizations. In Poland, book publishers have undertaken the creation of a canon of literary works. Since 1919, the ' series has been published, presenting the most important works of Polish and world literature with extensive commentary, including the current state of knowledge about each work. Between 1971 and 1983, there was a joint series of publishers – ' – intended to present classic works of Polish and foreign literature.