The Rabelais Encyclopedia (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780313310348)

The French humanist Rabelais (ca. 1483-1553) was the greatest French writer of the Renaissance and one of the most influential authors of all time. His Gargantua and Pantagruel, written in five books between 1532 and 1553, rivals the works of Shakespeare and Cervantes in terms of artistry, complexity of ideas and expression, and historical importance. Rabelais is read in numerous courses in French Literature, Renaissance Studies, and Western Civilization, and his writings continue to attract the attention of scholars and general readers alike. The first work of its kind, this encyclopedia is a comprehensive guide to his life and writings.

Included are several hundred alphabetically arranged entries by expert contributors. These entries discuss his characters, his overt and veiled references to historical and Renaissance figures and events, his literary and philosophical allusions, his major themes, and the key events and influences that shaped his career. The entries cover such topics as education, religion, censors and censorship, humanism, death, and warfare. Entries cite works for further reading, and the encyclopedia closes with a selected, general bibliography.

Author: Elizabeth Zegura
ISBN-10: 0313310343
ISBN-13: 9780313310348
Publisher: Greenwood
Language: English
Published: 09/30/2004
Pages: 293
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.86lbs
Size: 10.30h x 7.24w x 1.00d

Review Citation(s):
American Reference Bks Annual 01/01/2005 pg. 514
Choice 04/01/2005 pg. 1373