polyphony

by Mikhail Bakhtin

simultaneity of points of view and voices within a particular narrative plane

    Summary

    In literature, polyphony is a feature of narrative, which includes a diversity of simultaneous points of view and voices. Caryl Emerson describes it as "a decentered authorial stance that grants validity to all voices". The concept was introduced by Mikhail Bakhtin, using a metaphor based on the musical term polyphony.

    Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).