History books as we know them today began with Herodotus and Thucydides. In their respective Histories and Peloponnesian War, these first historians addressed the political and cultural relationship between East and West that you find refracted throughout the evolution of the Western literary canon.
Commissioned by Emperor Augustus, Virgil's Aeneid glorified the Roman Empire by presenting its origin through epic poetry. Draw connections Commissioned by Emperor Augustus, Virgil's Aeneid glorified the Roman Empire by presenting its origin through epic poetry. Draw connections between this work and Homer's earlier Greek epics and begin to recognize the process of literary appropriation that occurs throughout the Western literary canon.between this work and Homer's earlier Greek epics and begin to recognize the process of literary appropriation that occurs throughout the Western literary canon.
The epic poem Beowulf (the sole manuscript of which was almost lost in a 1731 fire) has become a cornerstone of the Western literary canon—a role cemented by its numerous translations and cinematic adaptations. In this lecture, learn to appreciate the poem's rich history—one as epic as its narrative scope.
A veritable encyclopedia of its literary ancestors, the Divine Comedy quickly became the model of the canonic text when it emerged in the early 14th century. Analyze the poem's role in its surrounding Christian culture and discover why Dante's epic is the single greatest literary masterpiece in the Western canon.
For all its veneer of Renaissance culture, the triple-revenge tragedy Hamlet is rooted in Viking culture. Discover how the genius of Shakespeare was carried on the waves of England's growing naval power, which helped the Western literary canon go global. If Shakespeare is considered the central figure of the Western canon, then Hamlet is one of his most important literary achievements. In the first of two lectures devoted to the Bard, chart the development of Hamlet and the role of Shakespeare's work in the Elizabethan world.
With British imperialism well underway, Shakespeare's The Tempest tackled many of the critical issues that arose from the exploration and colonization of the New World. Here, investigate these multifaceted issues and come to appreciate the powerful role of literature in the European imperialist mission.
Another key point in the maturation of the Western canon was John Milton's Paradise Lost, which injected classical and medieval themes with the revolutionary spirit of the author's age. Here, view Milton's epic as reflective of the death of one era and the birth of another—specifically through its innovative characterization of Satan.
Although beloved by other novelists, The Charterhouse of Parma holds a slippery position in the Western literary canon with its potboiler subject matter and its cult status. Nevertheless, discover Stendhal's work to be an example of a political novel that accurately reflects the era in which it was written.
Continue examining Modernism in the Western literary canon by looking at The Magic Mountain, a novel emblematic of the literary call to address the dilemmas of Europe after World War I. In Thomas Mann's case, the prominent dilemma is the physical and psychological institutionalization of the individual and of society.
J. R. R. Tolkien's blockbuster The Lord of the Rings trilogy has dominated contemporary culture—but does it merit canonic status? Explore the development of this series (with its roots in English myths and legends) and discover how this fantasy epic qualifies for membership in the Western literary canon.
Ever a work in progress, the Western literary canon continues to expand its boundaries and incorporate works by transnational authors. Chief among these are Salman Rushdie and Michael Ondaatje, whose respective novels Midnight's Children and The English Patient are the subjects of this culminating lecture.