Overview of Selected Writers from

World Literature
 Learning Objectives

 To be able to define what constitutes world

literature

 To become familiar with some of the

works of exemplary writers in world
literature
Key Understanding
 Knowing what constitutes world literature, as
well as the exemplary works of writers in
world literature

Key Questions
 What constitutes world literature?
 Who are some of the exemplary writers of
world literature and what are some of their
great works?
What is World Literature?

World Literature refers to any written

literary genre that exemplifies the most
outstanding characteristics of particular
national literatures. It is harder to define
and only few regional or national writers
can also be classified as belonging to world
literature.
 World Literature Themes
• Tackles universal theme to which wider
audiences/readers can relate or identify with
 love and romance
 family and marriages
 individual struggles toward success
 humanitarian values
 coping with tragedy (wars, famine, disasters, etc.)
 life cycles
 English World Literature
William Shakespeare
(England) was a poet and
playwright considered as
“the father of the modern
English language”. He is
credited for pioneering the
Image Credit: https://covers.openlibrary.org/w/id/405165-M.jpg couplet and the
Shakespearean sonnet style.
 Shakespeare and Modern Dramas
Today in any part of the globe, people are
addicted to English soap operas, Hispanic
telenovelas and Koreanovelas. But it can
be rightfully said that with his 37 plays
tackling any topic under the sun (the most
popular being Romeo and Juliet),
Shakespeare invented all of these modern
dramas that entertain TV and movie
audiences nowadays.
 Literary Reflection
Shakespeare, in his stage play As
You Like It, popularized these
verses: “All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely
players; They have their exits and
their entrances, And one man in his
time plays many parts, His acts
being seven ages.”
 French World Literature
 Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
was an aristocrat, pilot, poet
and writer whose novella The
Little Prince is now a much
loved classic extolling the
virtues of love, inner beauty
and friendship. This novella
is the source of the famous
quote: "One sees clearly only
with the heart. What is
Image Credit:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/05/Littleprince.JPG

essential is invisible to the

eyes."
African World Literature
Nelson Mandela was
imprisoned for decades
during the apartheid (racial
segregation by classes). But
after his release, he became
the president of South Africa
from 1994 to 1999. All of
his struggles can be read in
his autobiography/memoir
Long Walk to Freedom.
 Asian World Literature
 Rabindranath Tagore (India)
was the first Asian to win the
Nobel Prize in Literature in
1913 for his book anthology of
more than a hundred Bengali
verses, the Gitanjali (Song
Offerings). It is incomparable
for the beauty of its imagery as
a form of devotion to God and
in appreciation for the wonders
of nature.
Image Credit:
https://laxminarayanweb.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/gitanjali.jpg
 Mexican World Literature
 Octavio Paz was a diplomat,
poet and writer who won the
Miguel de Cervantes Prize (1980)
and the Nobel Prize (1990) for
literary excellence. His poem
Piedra del Sol (Sunstone) is cited
by critics for its unique surrealist
style, while his anthology of
essays The Labyrinth of Solitude
is noteworthy for its profound
Image Credit: http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388265409l/11702.jpg and deep analysis of Mexican
society.
American World Literature
 Ernest Hemingway was a
popular short story writer and
novelist who as a war journalist
wrote firsthand accounts of
both WW1 and WW2.
Farewell to Arms recounts the
former, while For Whom The
Bell Tolls depicts the latter. The
Old Man and the Sea won for
him both the Pulitzer (1953)
and the Nobel (1954) awards
for literary excellence.
 Russian World Literature
 Anton Chekhov was a
Russian physician,
playwright and writer who
according to experts is one of
the greatest in the short story
genre. Two of his last works
were The Cherry Orchard,
which tackles social change,
and A Marriage Proposal,
Image Credit: http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334702425l/5693.jpg
which explores courtship and
marriage both with a touch of
humor and comedy that
amuses audiences.
What is 21st Century World
Literature?
21st Century World Literature refers to any written
literary genre that were written, printed and published
from the start of the new millennium.
• With the advanced technology of this new era, most
of the themes are oriented for the youth and young
professional audiences and thus the proliferation of
vampires, sorcery, space and science fiction.
• Blogging (Weblog) has been invented as an
online/digital form of journaling topics, events and
experiences.
 Asian 21st Century World
Literature  Khaled Hosseini (Afghanistan) is a
doctor turned novelist who has
produced three best sellers in the past
decade: The Kite Runner (2003), A
Thousand Splendid Suns (2007), and
And the Mountains Echoed (2013).
He is one of the few millennial
authors who still continue to tackle
universal themes as his novels are set
Image Credit:
in war-torn Afghanistan and depict
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/10/A_Thousand_Splendid_Suns.gif

war’s impact on families and society.

 Mexican 21st Century World
Literature
 Laura Esquivel’s works for
the new millennium are
Between Two Fires (2000) and
La Malinche (2006). The
former is an anthology of
essays on life, love and food,
while the latter is a time travel
adventure with La Malinche
Image Credit: https://covers.openlibrary.org/b/id/7064322-M.jpg
travelling back in time to
Hernan Cortez’ ancient
Mexico.
 American 21st Century World
Literature
 Kate DeCamillo’s (USA) 2006
young adult novel The
Miraculous Journey of Edward
Tulane won the Boston Globe and
the Parent’s Choice Awards. It
was catapulted to fame anew after
being featured many times in the
Koreanovela My Love From
Another Star most especially this
Image Credit: http://i.gr-
quote: "If you have no intention of
loving or being loved, then the
assets.com/images/S/photo.goodreads.com/books/1418778959i/264
2151._UY200_.jpg

whole journey is pointless."

 Written Work January 10

Among the universal themes of

world literature, which should be
given more emphasis in 21st
century culture? Why it is relevant
to discuss such themes in today’s
world. Answer the questions
comprehensively in one good