A specific resource guide for the Shorter 4th ed. of The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. 1.
The Complete Table of Contents is itemized below for suggested library resources: Catalog Keyword Search link and a specified Catalog Book are provided per literature title listed below.
Navigate through the Table of Contents of the Norton Anthology of World Literature to access research-related resources.
Assignment document:
Mesopotamia and the Rise of Civilization by
Through a mix of reference entries, primary source documents, and original essays, the Crossroads in World History series helps readers understand and contextualize events central to world history.
Introduction to the Hebrew Bible by
ntroduction: What are the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament? -- pt. 1. The Torah/Pentateuch. The Near Eastern context -- The nature of the Pentateuchal narrative -- The primeval history -- The patriarchs -- The exodus from Egypt -- The revelation at Sinai -- The priestly theology : Exodus 25-40, Leviticus, and Numbers -- Deuteronomy -- pt. 2. The Deuteronomistic history. Joshua -- Judges -- First Samuel -- Second Samuel -- 1 Kings 1-16 : Solomon and the divided monarchy -- 1 Kings 12-2 Kings 25 : tales of prophets and the end of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah -- pt. 3. Prophecy. Amos and Hosea -- Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, and Zephaniah -- The Babylonian era : Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and Lamentations -- The Exilic Period : Ezekiel and Obadiah -- The additions to the Book of Isaiah -- Postexilic prophecy : Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Joel -- pt. 4. The writings. Ezra and Nehemiah -- The books of Chronicles -- The Psalms and Song of songs -- Proverbs -- Job and Qoheleth -- The Hebrew short story : Ruth, Jonah, Esther, Tobit, Judith -- Daniel, 1-2 Maccabees -- The Deuterocanical Wisdom books : Ben Sira, Wisdom of Solomon, Baruch -- From tradition to canon.
Indian Literature and Popular Cinema by
Bending the Bharata / Philip Lutgendorf -- Family, feminism, and film in remaking the Ramayana / Vidyut Aklujkar -- Sakuntala / Gayatri Chatterjee -- Mrcchakatikam to Utsav / Vidyut Aklujkar -- Bhakti songs recast / Heidi Pauwels -- Religious culture and folklore in the Urdu historical drama Anarkali, revisited by Indian cinema / Alain D'Soulires -- From Ghazal to film music / Naseem Hines -- Remembering, repeating, and working through Devdas / Corey K. Creekmur -- The political aesthetic of nation and gender in Rituparno Ghosh's Chokher -- Bali / Mandakranta Bose -- Lyrically speaking / Ali Mir -- Dharmputra and the partition of India / Cecilia Cossio.
Krishna's Song by
Rosen offers Westerners an easy-to-read introduction to a sacred text, the Bhagavad Gita, demystifying its considerable philosophy in a user-friendly way.
Sunflower Splendor by
Part I: In the beginning: the legacy of Shih and Sao (12th Century B.C.-3rd Century B.C.) -- Part II: A world fragmented: multiple voices in a period of intellectual foment (3rd Century B.C.-A.D. 6th Century) -- Part III: Expanding horizons and the full flowering of the Shih (During the T'ang Dynasty, 618-907) -- Part IV: Cross-pollination: the predominance of the Tz'u, or lyric meters (In the Five Dynasties and the Sung Eras, 10th-13th Century) -- Part V: The rise of the San-Ch'u, or song-poems (In the Mongol-ruled Society, 1234-1368) -- Part VI: In the long tradition, accommodation and challenge (Ming, 1368-1644; Ch'ing, 1644-1911; The Republic, 1912- ).
The Wisdom of Confucius by
Introduction -- The Life of Confucius -- Central Harmony -- Ethics and politics -- Aphorisms of Confucius -- First discourse: education through the six classics -- Second discourse: an interview with Duke Ai -- Third discourse: the vision of a social order -- On education -- On music -- Mencius.
The way of Lao Tzu (Tao-tê ching) by
Chinese civilization and the Chinese character would have been utterly different if the book Lao Tzu had never been written. In fact, even Confucianism, the dominant system in Chinese history and thought, would not have been the same, for like Buddhism, it has not escaped Taoist influence. No one can hope to understand Chinese philosophy, religion, government, art, medicine, and even cooking without a real appreciation of the profound philosophy taught in this little book.
Augustine by
This lucid survey takes readers on a thought-provoking tour through the life and work of Augustine. Explores new insights into one of antiquity's most important philosophers Topics Include: skepticism, language acquisition, mind-body dualism, philosophical dream problems, time and creation, faith and reason, foreknowledge and free will, and Augustine's standing as a 'Socratic philosopher'.
The Koran Interpreted by
Qurʼan Criticism, interpretation, etc.
Beowulf by
Includes information about the author of "Beowulf," thematic and structural analysis of the work, critical views, and an index of themes and ideas.
The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Women's Writing by
"The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Women's Writing seeks to recover the lives and particular experiences of medieval women by concentrating on various kinds of texts: the texts they wrote themselves as well as texts that attempted to shape, limit, or expand their lives."--Jacket.
The Divine Comedy by
The most celebrated work of Dante is the Divine comedy--a vision of hell, purgatory and heaven that provides a strangely surrealistic view of medieval attitudes on religious dogma and the price of disobedience.
The Arabian Nights Reader by
Essays - Gustave E. von Grunebaum -- Romance as genre in The thousand and one nights / Peter Heath -- Narrative-men / Tzvetan Todorov -- An analysis of the "Tale of the three apples" from The thousand and one nights
Geoffrey Chaucer by
Presents biographical information along with critical analysis of the themes, symbols, and ideas that appear in the author's works.
Debate of the Romance of the Rose by
"In 1401, Christine de Pizan (1365-1430?), one of the most renowned and prolific woman writers of the Middle Ages, wrote a letter to the provost of Lille criticizing the highly popular and widely read Romance of the Rose for its blatant and unwarranted misogynistic depictions of women. The debate that ensued, over not only the merits of the treatise but also the place of women in society, started Europe on the long path to gender parity. Pizan's criticism sparked a continentwide discussion of issues that is still alive today in disputes about art and morality, especially the civic responsibility of a writer or artist for the works he or she produces. In Debate of the "Romance of the Rose," David Hult collects, along with the debate documents themselves, letters, sermons, and excerpts from other works of Pizan, including one from City of Ladies--her major defense of women and their rights--that give context to this debate. Here, Pizan's supporters and detractors are heard alongside her own formidable, protofeminist voice. The resulting volume affords a rare look at the way people read and thought about literature in the period immediately preceding the era of print."-- Back cover.
The Anchor Book of Chinese Poetry by
Li Bai aka Li Bo / Li Po
The Anchor Book of Chinese Poetry spans three thousand years, bringing together more than six hundred poems by more than one hundred thirty poets, in translations-many new and exclusive to the book-by an array of distinguished translators. Here is the grand sweep of Chinese poetry, from the Book of Songs-ancient folk songs said to have been collected by Confucius himself-and Laozi's Dao De Jing to the vividly pictorial verse of Wang Wei, the romanticism of Li Po, the technical brilliance of Tu Fu, and all the way up to the twentieth-century poetry of Mao Zedong and the post--Cultural Revolution verse of the Misty poets. The book also includes a preface on the art of translation, a general introduction to Chinese poetic form, biographical headnotes for each of the poets, and concise essays on the dynasties that structure the book. [from publisher description].
Poetry for Students by
Li, Po 701-762
Provides analysis of the most frequently studied poems in literature courses. Contains author biography (if attributed), poem text, poem summary, themes, style, historical context, critical overview, and criticism.
Reconsidering Tu Fu by
In Reconsidering Tu Fu, Eva Shan Chou proposes that these thorny problems be met by separating his legacy into two distinct but related aspects: as cultural monument and as a great and original poet. Examining Tu Fu as cultural icon, she investigates the evolution and nature of his reputation and shows its continuing effect upon interpretations of his poetry. In her discussions of the poetic legacy, she introduces concepts relating to subject matter, style, genre, structure, theme, and voice, in order to provide for a fruitful reconsideration of his poetry. Many poems are discussed, both well known and less familiar. Dr. Chou's analyses are original in their formulation and also considerate of the many fine readings of traditional commentators.
Women Imagine Change by
A collection of the words of women spanning some 26 centuries from every corner of the earth and from many cultures.
Sei Shonagon -- "The erotic as power" /
Sei Shonagon -- "The constant action of our lab'ring hands"
The Tale of Genji by
Presents a series of critical essays discussing the structure, themes, and subject matter of the Japanese novel written by a court lady during the Heinan period.
Epic Traditions of Africa by
Elements of epic traditions -- Epics of Central Africa -- Hunters' traditions and epics -- Traditions of the Soninke -- Sunjata and the traditions of the Manden -- Segou and the Bamana -- Traditions of the Fula -- Emergent traditions.
Petrarch by
A world confused -- The young exile -- Lofty column, verdant bay -- The days of the tribune -- Year of death -- Guest of princes, friend of Caesar -- Last Days -- Historical works -- Devotional works -- Personal commentary -- The triumphs -- The rhymes -- The enduring Petrarch.
Machiavelli's Prince by
Why did Machiavelli write the Prince - and why did religious and political authorities find it so threatening? Five hundred years on, this book tries to answer these questions. In the first detailed, chapter-by-chapter reading of the Prince in any language, Erica Benner shows that the book is a masterpiece of ironic writing. Machiavelli's style is deliberately ambiguous: he often seems to say one thing, but gives readers clues that point toward a very different message. Beyond its 'Machiavellian' surface, the Prince has a surprisingly moral purpose. It teaches readers how to recognize hidden dangers in political conduct that merely appears great or praiseworthy - and to mistrust promises of easy solutions to political problems. This highly engaging new interpretation helps readers to see beyond the Prince's deceptive first appearances.
The Cambridge Companion to Montaigne by
Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), the great Renaissance skeptic and pioneer of the essay form, is known for his innovative method of philosophical inquiry which mixes the anecdotal and the personal with serious critiques of human knowledge, politics and the law. He is the first European writer to be intensely interested in the representations of his own intimate life, including not just his reflections and emotions but also the state of his body. His rejection of fanaticism and cruelty and his admiration for the civilizations of the New World mark him out as a predecessor of modern notions of tolerance and acceptance of otherness. In this volume an international team of contributors explores the range of his philosophy and also examines the social and intellectual contexts in which his thought was expressed.
Miguel de Cervantes by
Presents biographical information along with critical analysis of the themes, symbols, and ideas that appear in the author's works.
Art and Myth of the Ancient Maya by
"This nuanced account explores Maya mythology through the lens of art, text, and culture. It offers an important reexamination of the mid-16th-century Popol Vuh, long considered an authoritative text, which is better understood as one among many crucial sources for the interpretation of ancient Maya art and myth. Using materials gathered across Mesoamerica, Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos bridges the gap between written texts and artistic representations, identifying key mythical subjects and uncovering their variations in narratives and visual depictions. Central characters-including a secluded young goddess, a malevolent grandmother, a dead father, and the young gods who became the sun and the moon-are identified in pottery, sculpture, mural painting, and hieroglyphic inscriptions. Highlighting such previously overlooked topics as sexuality and generational struggles, this beautifully illustrated book paves the way for a new understanding of Maya myths and their lavish expression in ancient art." -- Book jacket
Hamlet - William Shakespeare by
"In Shakespeare's powerful drama of destiny and revenge, Hamlet, the troubled prince of Denmark, must overcome his own self-doubt and avenge the murder of his father. This invaluable new study guide to one of Shakespeare's greatest plays contains a selection of the finest contemporary criticism of Hamlet."--Publisher's description.