ThiscollaborativeliteraryhistoryofEurope,thefirstyetattempted,unfoldsthroughtensequencesofplaceslinkedbytrade,travel,topography,language,pilgrimage,alliance,disease,andartisticexchange.Theperiodcovered,1348-1418,providesdeepcontextforunderstandingcurrentdevelopmentsinEurope,particularlyasinitiatedbythedestructionanddisastersofWorldWarII.WebeginwiththegreatestofallEuropeancatastrophes:the1348bubonicplague,whichkilledonepersoninthree.Literarycultureshelpedspeedrecoveryfromthisunprecedented“groundzero“experience,providingsolace,distraction,andnewidealstoliveby.QuestionsofwhereEuropebeginsandends,thenasnow,anddisputesoverwhomtruly“belongs“onEuropeansoilareexplored,ifnotsolved,throughwriting.AwarthatwouldlastforacenturyconvulsedmuchofwesternEurope.DivisionsbetweenOrthodoxandRomanCatholicChristianitiesendured,andin1378theWestdividedagainbetweenpopesofAvignonandRome.ArabicliterarycultureslinkedFesandGranadatoJerusalemandDamascus;PersianandTurkishwritingsbegantoflourishsouthandwestofConstantinople;JewishintellectualstreasuredArabictextsaswellasHebrewwritings;Armeniancolophonsprovedunique.From1414-18westernnationsgatheredtohealtheirpapalschismwhilealsoexchangingliterary,humanist,andmusicalideas;visitorsfromtheEasthopedforcommitmenttowiderEuropeanpeace.Freedfromnationstatehistoriography,asbequeathedbythenineteenthcentury,these82chaptersfreshlyassessthefreemovementofEuropeanliteratureinallitsvariety,localpeculiarity,andregenerativepower.
language travel DISEASE EXPERIENCE EUROPE LANGUAGE TRAVEL disease
