Plot Summary

Rabelais and His World

Mikhail Bakhtin
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Rabelais and His World

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1965

Book Brief

Mikhail Bakhtin

Rabelais and His World

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1965
Book Details
Pages

512

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Period
Setting

France • Renaissance

Publication Year

1965

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

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

Reviews & Readership

4.4

1,537 ratings

82%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

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.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Rabelais and His World?

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.

4.4

1,537 ratings

82%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

512

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Period
Setting

France • Renaissance

Publication Year

1965

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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