In order to learn to understand the main trends in the development of any cultural sphere, many works should be read. But before proceeding, it is worth compiling a list of references. A lot of books have been written on the history of literature. Some are created by professional literary scholars. Others are their adapted counterparts, designed for a wide range of readers. Preference should be given first.
One volume, even a very voluminous one, cannot cover a significant layer of culture. Therefore, when compiling a list of literature on the history of literature, it is necessary to follow periodization.
Ancient literature
Why read the works of authors who lived more than twenty centuries ago? It is impossible to overestimate the enormous influence of ancient literature on contemporary prose and poetry. The great Pushkin once said: "We all left the temple of Homer." The classic had in mind the works of the ancient Greek poet, which for a long time had been studied by all more or less educated people. The most learned of them even read Homer's poems in the original.
Many years have passed since the death of Pushkin, a lot has changed. Significant transformations also affected fiction. Nevertheless, mythological motifs and plots from the works of ancient Roman and ancient Greek authors in various fields of culture are still present today. And therefore, a person who wants to be considered an educated person should know at least the names of the main representatives of ancient culture. Well, those who want to deeply study this topic should make a list of references. On the history of literature of Antiquity, mainly educational materials were created for future philologists. The most famous of them:
- I. M. Tronsky "History of Ancient Literature".
- I. F, Annensky "History of Ancient Drama."
- B. A. Gilenson “History of Ancient Literature”.
- A. F, Losev "History of ancient aesthetics."
- M. L. Gasparov "Literature of European Antiquity".
Of course, all these works should be read only by those who plan to spend most of their lives somewhere far from civilization and social life. For example, at the department of classical philology of one of the state universities. All books cannot be read. You can only choose from them those that are actually necessary. Therefore, having compiled a list of literature on the history of literature and breaking it into parts according to periodization, it is enough to read one work from each section.
Ancient Russian literature
The period from XI-XVII in the culture of Russia became special. In these centuries, special genres developed in literature. There are no analogues in world culture. This is a chronicle, and a military story, and life. A great cultural monument of this period is the "Word of Igor's Campaign". Reading these works is quite difficult for the perception of modern man. But in order to get acquainted with the main features of such literature, you can read the "History of ancient Russian literature." The author is N.K. Gudziy.
Medieval literature
The development of literature is inextricably linked with historical events and the characteristic features of the social life of a particular period. The Middle Ages - the time is gloomy and joyless. In any case, such a view has a modern person about him. But even in this era, works were created that have survived to this day. You can learn about them from the book of V. M. Zhirmunsky “History of Foreign Literature. Middle Ages and the Renaissance. " In this textbook, as the name implies, we are talking about the next stage in the development of culture.
Renaissance
During this period, literature was particularly developed. The main feature of the works of the authors of this era is the idea of humanism, which has become fundamental in the culture of Europe as a whole. However, in each country, writers and poets created their creations under the influence of national characteristics. You can learn about the characteristic features of the works of these authors from the textbook of the Soviet literary critic B. And Purishev. The book is called Foreign Literature. Renaissance".
Classicism
This term refers to the artistic style and aesthetic direction in culture. Classic literary works are primarily plays, dramas and odes. Representatives of this trend in Russia were Lomonosov, Derzhavin, Fonvizin. Anyone who considers it necessary to delve into the wisdom of creating works in these genres should study the work of Russian critic L. V. Pumpyansky, "On the History of Russian Classicism."
The history of Russian literature of the XIX century
In just one century, an unprecedented rise took place in the culture of Russia. This was especially true for literature. This century is famous for its galaxy of brilliant poets and writers. Among them are Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky and many others. Of course, there are many books devoted to this period. The most popular is the “History of Russian Literature of the 19th Century” by V. I. Korovin. This book is published in three volumes, each of which is devoted to certain trends and features of the development of poetry and prose in Russia.
20th century literature
In the last century, so many crucial events took place in the world that this could not but affect the culture. Literature of the 20th century acquired special forms. In Russia, this period can be divided into several small segments, each of which includes a number of talented authors. If we talk about the literature of Germany, England, France and the USA, then many textbooks are devoted to this topic. One of them is “Foreign Literature XX”. The author - L. G. Andreev. And such a topic as “Literature of the 20th century in Russia” is disclosed in the textbook of S. I. Kormilov. His book covers the period from the 20s to the 90s. The title of the textbook is “The History of Russian Literature of the 20th Century”.
Modern domestic prose
It includes works that were created during the period considered by the Russian theoretician Kormilov. Modern prose is a relative concept. Representatives of this period in the development of literature include both the authors who write today and those who worked half a century ago. But if by the phrase “Modern prose” we mean the writers who are now publishing their books, then the work on the study of this period will be written no earlier than thirty to forty years later.
Children's literature
Literature for the youngest readers arose as a separate trend in the 17th century. And therefore, the topic "History of Children's Literature" is not as extensive as any other discussed in this article. In Russia, prose for children began to develop actively during the time of Peter the Great. A significant contribution was made by such authors as Derzhavin, Karamzin, Sumarokov. The history of children's literature is a young science. Not many works have been devoted to her. Nevertheless, one of them can be called “Our Children's Literature” by F. Toll.