Rabelais and His World
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1965
512
Book • Nonfiction
France • Renaissance
1965
Adult
18+ years
Rabelais and His World by Mikhail Bakhtin centers on a detailed analysis of François Rabelais’s novels, particularly the Gargantua and Pantagruel series. Bakhtin argues that Rabelais’s work, grounded in European folk humor, has been misunderstood by critics. Introducing the concepts of "carnival" and "grotesque realism," Bakhtin explores the social dynamics, bodily imagery, and folk language in Rabelais's writing against the backdrop of Renaissance culture.
Informative
Mysterious
Contemplative
Fantastical
Humorous
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Mikhail Bakhtin's Rabelais and His World is widely celebrated for its innovative analysis of Rabelais' work and exploration of the carnivalesque as a social concept. Reviews commend its intellectual depth and influence on literary criticism. However, some readers find Bakhtin's dense prose challenging and the theoretical concepts complex. Overall, it remains a vital scholarly resource.
Fans of literary criticism, folklore, and Renaissance studies will relish Rabelais and His World by Mikhail Bakhtin. Readers who appreciate dense, scholarly works like The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell or Mythologies by Roland Barthes will find Bakhtin's exploration of carnival and the grotesque particularly compelling and enriching.
1,537 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
512
Book • Nonfiction
France • Renaissance
1965
Adult
18+ years
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