A Short History of French Literature
Published on 18. September 2003
Book
Hardback
352 pages
978-0-19-815931-5 (ISBN)
Description
In this lucid and innovative volume, three distinguished scholars trace this history of French literature from its beginnings to the present day. From the oral, unstable anonymous works of the early Middle Ages via the emergence of a print culture in the Renaissance, through to the attempted codification of genres and styles in the nineteenth century and the resourceful experimentation of the twentieth, A Short History of French Literature demonstrates the world importance of French literature, and the extraordinary richness of its range.
The three main parts of the volume cover the Middle Ages, the Early Modern period, and the Modern period, and offer wide-ranging, personal, and detailed coverage of major writers and movements. Writing for the interested general reader as much as for students, the authors range expertly between authors and their works, historical events, and literary movements, offering as a whole an authoritative and innovative account of the history of French literature.
The three main parts of the volume cover the Middle Ages, the Early Modern period, and the Modern period, and offer wide-ranging, personal, and detailed coverage of major writers and movements. Writing for the interested general reader as much as for students, the authors range expertly between authors and their works, historical events, and literary movements, offering as a whole an authoritative and innovative account of the history of French literature.
Reviews / Votes
This is a carefully crafted, detailed and harmonious work ... This is literary journeying at its most refined and radical, steering us well clear of complacency and commonplace, yet saluting all the old landmarks in the new light created as others are restored to visibility both filtered and animated bya provocative, critical intelligence. * Anne-Marie Smith-Di Biasio, Universite de Provence * One of the many attractions in this volume is that it actively retrieves what Kay calls the casualties of literary history. * Times Literary Supplement * ... a good guide because it keeps its surveys in check by the need to cover a vast canvas with a limited number of strokes. * Contemporary Review * Thoughtfully organized, this version of the story of French literature is masterfully told ... It is the telling of the story against the rich backdrop of historical and social contexts that makes this overview so important. That all the information in this book can coexist in a format that is such an enjoyable read is truly remarkable ... Essential. * Choice *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Students and general readers interested in French Literature.
Illustrations
various halftones
Dimensions
Height: 224 mm
Width: 144 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
512 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-815931-5 (9780198159315)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Sarah Kay | Terence Cave | Malcolm Bowie
A Short History of French Literature
Book
01/2006
Oxford University Press
€72.20
Shipment within 15-20 days
Persons
Author
, Professor of French and Occitan Literature, Princeton University
, Emeritus Professor of French Literature, University of Oxford; Emeritus Research Fellow, St John's College, Oxford
, Formerly Marshal Foch Professor of French Literature, University of Oxford; Master of Christ's College, Cambridge
Content
Preface ; Introduction ; PART I: THE MIDDLE AGES: FROM THE EARLIEST TEXTS TO 1470 ; Overview ; Main Narrative ; PART II: THE EARLY MODERN PERIOD: 1470-1789 ; Overview ; Main Narrative ; PART III: THE MODERN PERIOD: 1789-2000 ; Overview ; Main Narrative ; Appendices