“A Journey Through Western Literature” by Shahriar Zarshenas Published
According to cinemadrame News Agency, the first and second volumes of the collection “A Journey Through Western Literature” by Shahriar Zarshenas, a journalist and researcher in the fields of literature, culture, politics, and philosophy, have been published.
The books are priced at 175,000 Tomans each, with Volume One comprising 140 pages and Volume Two 148 pages. Both are now available in the book market from Soureh Mehr Publications.
About the Book
The publisher introduces the work by stating that this collection compiles Zarshenas’s teachings, meticulously gathered and written down by his students. While the origins of the discussions can be traced to his classes at the Islamic Art Specialized Training Center, the current text is presented with a high level of quality, arrangement, and order, elevating it beyond mere lecture notes.
The series posits that modern Western thought has profoundly impacted all facets of human intellect and life. Literature is highlighted as a crucial manifestation of Western thought—the best conduit for understanding the spirit and essence of any period. It’s argued that literature doesn’t just report on its times but transmits the pervasive spirit present throughout all aspects of life in its era.
Content Overview
Volume One of “A Journey Through Western Literature” is divided into two sections: “Fundamentals and Basic Concepts” and “Ancient Western Literature.” It explores topics such as “Literature and Aesthetics,” “Mythological Literature,” “Greek Literature,” “The Entry of Judaism into Western History,” and “Literary Luminaries of Rome.”
Volume Two also has two sections. The “Medieval Western Literature” part reviews “General Characteristics of Medieval West,” “French Literature,” “English Literature,” and “Germanic Literature.” The “Western Literature of the Renaissance Period” section provides explanations on subjects such as “Humanism,” “The Era of Great Orators,” “The Italian Period,” and “The Montaigne Period.”
Excerpt from the Book
An excerpt from the book notes: “English literature began to take shape with the arrival of the Angles and Saxons to the island of Britain and the renaming of the island to England. However, this literature, in its course, went through three periods: Old English, Middle English, and New English. In England, unlike Gaul (France), Latin language and culture did not have a very deep influence. In this land, the influence of the Angles and Saxons was much greater than that of other invading tribes. They changed the language of the people of this land to some extent.”
