A Companion to the Philosophy of Literature

This diverse collection of essays represents the most recent critical thinking concerning the philosophical study of literature. Contributed by an international team of eminent scholars drawn from the fields of both literature and philosophy, the great majority of essays are newly commissioned for this volume, supplemented by a few indispensable works of recent scholarship. All are rich in literary examples and analytical precision. For ease of course use, the essays are helpfully grouped within the major subdivisions of the field, among them “Relations Between Philosophy and Literature,” “Emotional Engagement and the Experience of Reading,” “Literature and the Moral Life,” and “Literary Language.”

By bringing together such an extraordinary collection of influential and thought-provoking essays, A Companion to the Philosophy of Literature reveals the deep and expansive nature of philosophical and literary studies – and the inextricable bonds they share.