Europe in British Literature and Culture

This volume discusses the long history of British-European cultural and literary interactions since the early modern period.

Petra Rau (Edited by), William T. Rossiter (Edited by)

9781009425490, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 June 2024

454 pages
23.5 x 15.9 x 3.3 cm, 0.84 kg

'[A] sprawling account of Europe's influence, covering both canonical and non-canonical ground.' Juliette Bretan, The Times Literary Supplement

How has Europe shaped British literature and culture – and vice versa – since the Middle Ages? This volume offers nuanced answers to this question. From the High Renaissance to haute cuisine, from the Republic of Letters to the European Union, from the Black Death to Brexit -- the reader gains insights into the main geographical zones of influence, shared intellectual movements, indicative modes of cultural transfer and more recent conflicts that have left their mark on the British-European relationship. The story that emerges from this long history of cultural interactions is much more complex than its most recent political episode might suggest. This volume offers indispensable contexts to the manifold and longstanding connections between British and European literature and culture. This book suggests that, however the political landscape develops, we will do well to bear this exceptionally rich history in mind.

Part I. Zones of Influence: 1. The Mediterranean William T. Rossiter
2. France Thomas Hinton
3. Central Europe Richard Robinson with Julian Preece
4. Ireland Eugene McNulty and Ellen Howley
5. Scandinavia Elettra Carbone
6. The Balkans and Ruritania Alex Drace-Francis
Part II. Pan-European Moods and Movements: 7. Renaissance David Rundle
8. The Enlightenment Dorinda Outram
9. Romanticism Rüdiger Görner
10. The Gothic Victor Sage
11. Modernism Sanja Bahum
Part III. Cultural Transfers: 12. Early Modern print technologies Thomas Roebuck
13. Diplomacy Tracey A. Sowerby
14. Grand tours and sentimental journeys Zoë Kinsley
15. Folk and fairy tales Andrew Teverson
16. Translation William T. Rossiter and Duncan Large
17. More or less English: British Writers Abroad Barbara Korte
18. Holocaust education and commemoration in Britain Sue Vice
19. Critical and literary theory Hans Bertens
20. Culinary longings: French food on British tables Petra Rau
Part IV. Anxious Neighbourhoods, Uncertain Futures: 21. Blockade communications: British cultural diplomacy and the wartime border Adam Piette
22. Britain as the 'Asylum of Nations': contested migrations, 1789–1960 David Glover
23. Great games: diplomacy and espionage in British fiction Allan Hepburn
24. Border crises: Brexit, pandemic, war in Europe Petra Rau and William T. Rossiter.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: general [DSB]