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Anonymous works are works, such asart orliterature, that have ananonymous, undisclosed, or unknown creator or author. In the case of very old works, the author's name may simply be lost over the course of history and time. There are a number of reasons anonymous works arise.[citation needed] Examples includeBeowulf andThe Arabian Nights.[1]
In theUnited States, anonymous work is legally defined as "a work on the copies orphonorecords of which nonatural person is identified asauthor."[2]
Incopyright law, anonymous works are treated differently than works with known authors. According to the U.S. Copyright Office, anonymous works are protected for 95 years from the year of first publication or 120 years from creation, whichever expires first.[3]
More broadly, anonymous speech raises fundamental questions at the intersection of literature, law, and politics, influencing debates over freedom of expression and accountability.[4]
Throughout much of human history, individual authorship was not emphasized as it is today. In ancient and medieval societies, creative works were often seen as communal or sacred contributions rather than personal expressions. For example, epic poems like Beowulf and religious texts were transmitted orally or collectively authored, making the original creator difficult to identify.
During the Victorian era, many women writers adopted male or gender-neutral pseudonyms to circumvent prevailing gender biases and gain literary recognition.[5]
Creators may choose to remain anonymous for a variety of reasons:
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