The Challenge of World Literature
On January 31st, 1827, the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe shocked his secretary by uttering a new word: world literature. Goethe had just read a Chinese novel and concluded that Europe needed to rethink its relation to the rest of the world. Humanity was entering a new phase: the phase of world literature.

Coined in provincial Weimar, the idea of world literature soon caught the imagination of Marx and Engels and was subsequently used by those seeking to promote national literatures, from Yiddish to South Asia, within an international context. What can we learn from this history? And what does the term world literature mean today?

The guest speaker for this event is Martin Puchner, the Byron and Anita Wien Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Harvard University.

This lecture will be followed by a drinks reception in the Blackwell Hall, Weston Library, 6-7pm.
Date: 5 November 2019, 17:00
Venue: Weston Library, Broad Street OX1 3BG
Venue Details: Lecture Theatre
Speaker: Professor Martin Puchner (University of Harvard)
Organising department: The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities (TORCH)
Organiser contact email address: anbara.khalidi@humanities.ox.ac.uk
Part of: The Princeton University Press Lecture Series in European History and Culture
Topics:
Booking required?: Required
Booking url: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/princeton-university-press-lecture-series-1-challenge-of-world-literature-tickets-76261455065
Booking email: anbara.khalidi@humanities.ox.ac.uk
Cost: Free
Audience: Public
Editor: Anbara Khalidi