Literary Desire
Talia Mercer
Translator A AI
Publisher: Publifye
Summary
“Literary Desire” explores the multifaceted nature of human desire as depicted in literature across various cultures and historical periods. Challenging the notion of desire as a universal constant, the book argues that it is a socially and historically contingent phenomenon, shaped by power, gender, and class. The analysis connects literary representations with broader cultural understandings of desire, offering a unique perspective on how societal values influence individual aspirations. Did you know that literary traditions have grappled with the question of desire for centuries? Or that understanding how desire is shaped by culture allows us to critically assess the values and assumptions embedded within literary texts? The book examines the construction of desire within specific cultural contexts, the ethical implications of pursuing or suppressing desire, and the relationship between desire and narrative structure. It progresses from establishing a theoretical framework in the introduction to exploring specific manifestations of desire in different literary traditions, such as classical Greek tragedy and modern novels. Each chapter focuses on close readings of selected texts, analyzing how desire functions within the narrative and what it reveals about the characters and their world, supported by literary theory, historical context, and philosophical insights. The conclusion explores the practical implications of this study, such as understanding the power of motivations behind certain desires.
Available since: 05/05/2025.
Print length: 53 pages.
