"A History of European Literature provides a comprehensive survey of European literature, designed to cater to teachers, undergraduate students of literature, and general readers with an interest in the subject. It fills a significant gap in materials available in the English language covering European literature from its origins to the present as well as offering a valuable tool for a comparative and interdisciplinary approach to the subject. The book is organized into four extensive sections, each covering a distinct period in European literary history"-- Provided by publisher.
An ideal introduction and a reliable guide for students and teachers of European literature
Uniquely broad in both geographic and chronological scope, A History of European Literature introduces students to the origins, influences, and historical development of European poetry, drama, and fictional prose. Authors Theo D'haen and Anders Pettersson provide an easily accessible narrative history of European literature while contextualizing the cultural, material, and intellectual conditions in which literary works were produced and experienced.
Assuming only minimal familiarity with the subject, this student-friendly textbook explores European literature in its many manifestations, starting from its origins in European antiquity, through the Medieval period and early modern Europe, to the opening years of the twenty-first century. Clear, jargon-free chapters contain a wealth of citations from both well-known and lesser-known works of European literature, including Greek and Roman oratory and philosophy, early Christian literature, literary expressions of Enlightenment thought, secular non-classical drama, eighteenth-century novels, modernist poetry, and many more.
Providing a balanced and up-to-date foundation in the literary tradition of Europe, A History of European Literature: From Antiquity to the Present:
- Offers a comprehensive yet highly readable survey of more than two millennia of European literary history
- Presents a consistent and unified view of European literary history by two leading scholars in the field
- Discusses the cross-connections and mutual influences between Europe and other cultural and literary traditions
- Highlights the differences between ancient and modern concepts of literary production and reception
- Includes coverage of writers in European languages who were born elsewhere but active in Europe
Integrating contemporary literary theory throughout, including postmodern and postcolonial perspectives, A History of European Literature: From Antiquity to the Present is the perfect textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses in Comparative Literature, European Literature, and World Literature, as well as relevant courses in Cultural Studies, History, and European Studies programs.
