With content distribution becoming so convenient through streaming services, social media and so forth, content creators are always on the lookout for something new to deliver to their ravenous audiences. However, when some creators fall behind, they may look to less ethical ways to keep up – plagiarising. The phrases “inspired by” and “ripped off from” get thrown around a lot, but how can we discern between the two when the line is not always clear? Buckle up and join Wordsmith as we explore the subtle differences between inspiration and intellectual theft.
Differences at a glance
When we feel inspired, we feel compelled to act – to create. According to Merriam Webster, “someone who is inspired by a particular artist is influenced by that artist in a way that animates or intensifies their own work.” To plagiarise, on the other hand, is “to steal and pass off an idea as one’s own”.
When we think peak writing creativity, we often look to the great classics of Shakespeare and the like. For a guy in the 1500s who didn’t have access to the Internet and troves of entertainment history, his muses were limited to the culture of the past.
Consider “Romeo and Juliet”, the age old story between a pair of star-crossed lovers who are unable to publicly declare their feelings due to a family feud. As much as we credit Shakespeare for the plot, his story was actually based on “Metamorphosis” by the Roman poet Ovid. Just like in “Romeo and Juliet”, “Metamorphosis” features the forbidden love between Pyramus and Thisbe caused by their longstanding family rivalry – the story ends just as tragically with the death and suicide of the lovers.
“Now hold up Wordsmith,” we hear you say. “The story sounds nearly identical apart from different names!”
Yes – Shakespeare took the plot of “Metamorphosis” and gave it a new coat of paint. Does that constitute as plagiarism?
Well, yes and also no.
In the Shakespearian era, the concept of plagiarism didn’t exist. Playwrights have always been rehashing content from their predecessors and audiences didn’t mind so long as it entertained them (and the story wasn’t a literal copy). While Shakespeare was definitely guilty of refurbishing existing content, his ability to transform old stories delighted his audiences – regardless whether they were lower class, upper class or even royalty. He took Ovid’s story and modernised it – transforming a narrative poem set during the ancient Babylonian era into a stage play during the Renaissance in Verona, Italy.
Rehashing content happens frequently today as well. Just take a look at how many movies, TV shows and books are inspired by (or as the directors would say, “a reimagining of”) “Journey to the West” or Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”. If such creators tried to steal elements of the original story to pass it off as their own, critics would tear their work to shreds!
Determining actual plagiarism
When people plagiarise, they often look to pop culture for something quick and easy to steal.
For example, have you ever read “Harry Potter and Leopard Walk Up to Dragon” by J.K. Rowling? No, it’s not a lucrative secret finale to the Deathly Hallows… it’s not even really a book by J.K. Rowling at all!
“Harry Potter and Leopard Walk Up to Dragon” is a Chinese rendition of the Harry Potter novels that combines the wizarding world we know and love with the mystical realm of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” – and as a result – the not-J.K.-Rowling’s story depicts “a sweet and sour rain” that turns Harry into a fat and hairy dwarf. The dwarfish Harry must then team up with Gandalf to find the one ring and defeat a dragon. As bizarre as the story sounds, this author tried to pass off his/her book as the real deal by impersonating Rowling and using trademarked character names.
How about another example, “Tanya Grotter and the Magic Double Bass” by Russian novelist Dmitri Yemets, where young protagonist Tanya Grotter discovers magical powers while living with her adoptive and abusive family. She realises her true upbringing at the Tibidokhs school of magic, rides a double bass to fly and must defeat the undying evil wizard Chuma-del-Tort (Voldemort’s official Russian translation being “Volan-de-Mort”).
Are near copies considered plagiarism by today’s standards? Well, we certainly think so! Imagine if you were Louis Vuitton and another brand called Vouis Luitton popped up with merch that looks almost like yours – you’d be upset and demanding trademark protection too!
With regards to Harry Potter’s plot, the story of a young protagonist being the chosen one who must overcome overwhelming odds is certainly nothing new, consider “The Percy Jackson” or “The Mortal Instruments” series for example. The thing is, once you combine this story archetype with magic, people are inevitably going to compare your story with Harry Potter – it’s an anchor and reference point that everyone is familiar with – so you have your work cut out for you if you want to distinguish it from Rowling’s wizarding world.
We’ll leave off with an apt quote by filmmaker and director Jim Jarmusch:
“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: ‘It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to.’”
If you take elements from a source and make and only surface level changes, you’ll always be remembered as a plagiarist – but when transform the material into something innovative, your audience will recognise the inspiration and applaud your efforts.