Editing Meta-reference (section)

== History ==
While meta-reference as a concept is not a new phenomenon and can be observed in very early works of art and media not tied to specific purposes (e.g. Homer's invocation of the muses at the beginning of the ''[[Odyssey]]'' in order to deliver the epic better), the term itself is relatively new.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Metareference across Media. Theory and Case Studies|last=Werner|first=Wolf|publisher=Rodopi|year=2009|isbn=978-90-420-2670-4|location=Amsterdam - New York, NY|pages=73}}</ref> Earlier discussions of meta-referential issues often opt for more specific terminology tied to the respective discipline. Notable discussions of meta-reference include, but are not limited to, William H. Gass's<ref>{{Cite book|title=Fiction and the Figures of Life|last=Gass|first=William|publisher=Knopf|year=1970|location=New York, NY}}</ref> and Robert Scholes's<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Scholes|first=Robert|date=1970|title=Metafiction|journal=Iowa Review|volume=1|issue=4|pages=100–115|doi=10.17077/0021-065X.1135|doi-access=free}}</ref> exploration of [[metafiction]], Victor Stoichita's examination of early modern meta-painting,<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Self-Aware Image. An Insight into Early Modern Meta-Painting|last=Stoichita|first=Victor|publisher=Studies in Baroque Art|year=2015|isbn=978-1909400115|location=Antwerp}}</ref> and Lionel Abel's<ref>{{Cite book|title=Metatheatre. A New View of Dramatic Form.|last=Abel|first=Lionel|publisher=Hill & Wang|year=1963|location=New York, NY}}</ref> investigation of [[metatheatre]]. In the context of drama, meta-reference has also become colloquially known as the breaking of the [[fourth wall]]. The first study to underscore the problem resulting from the lack of cohesive terminology, as well as the necessity to acknowledge meta-reference as transmedial and trans-generic phenomenon, was published in 2007 by Hauthal et al.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Metaisierung in Literatur und anderen Medien : theoretische Grundlagen, historische Perspektiven, Metagattungen, Funktionen|date=2007|publisher=De Gruyter|others=Hauthal, Janine.|isbn=978-3110199451|location=Berlin|oclc=155834217}}</ref> Publications by Nöth and Bishara<ref>{{Cite book|title=Self-reference in the media|date=2007|publisher=Mouton de Gruyter|others=Bishara, Nina, 1977-, Nöth, Winfried.|isbn=978-3110194647|location=Berlin|oclc=471132600}}</ref> as well as Wolf<ref>{{Cite book|title=Metareference across media : theory and case studies|date=2009|publisher=Rodopi|others=Wolf, Werner, 1955-, Bantleon, Katharina., Thoss, Jeff., Bernhart, Walter.|isbn=9789042026704|location=Amsterdam|oclc=436342321}}</ref> followed suit, raised similar concerns, included case studies from various media, coined and helped establish the more uniform umbrella term meta-reference as define above.