VASILE COROBAN – TEMELE ȘI DIRECȚIILE STUDIULUI LITERAR

Summary. The article examines Vasile Coroban’s contributions as a theorist to the evolution of
literary criticism in the Moldavian SSR. In the first part, the themes, directions, and methods of the
researcher are analyzed in the main literary theory studies collected in the work „Scrieri alese”. Coroban offers a broad range of definitions, functions, and classifications from both national and global
literature. Literary concepts and phenomena are explained through references, analogies, comparisons, and explorations in literary history. The second part of the article puts forward another strong
argument for appreciating the theorist’s activity by exploring the monograph „Romanul moldovenesc
contemporan”. Coroban’s literary theory studies remain relevant today, leaving a formative impact
on his disciples, who highly value his contributions. His precision and distinct research methodology,
establish him as a model theorist in the literary criticism of the Moldavian SSR.
Key words: Vasile Coroban, theorist, literary study, literary theory, literary criticism.