The document provides an overview of world literature, defining it as written works that embody outstanding characteristics of national literatures. It discusses key writers from various regions, such as William Shakespeare, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and Nelson Mandela, along with their notable works that tackle universal themes such as love, struggle, and humanitarian values. The document encourages readers to critique a chosen author's work, focusing on themes, style, characterization, and story elements.

1. Overview of Selected Writers from
World Literature

2.  To be able to define what constitutes world
literature
 To become familiar with some of the works
of exemplary writers in world literature
Learning Objectives

3.  Knowing what constitutes world literature, as
well as the exemplary works of writers in world
literature
Key Understanding
 What constitutes world literature?
 Who are some of the exemplary writers of
world literature and what are some of their great
works?
Key Questions

4. What is World Literature?
World Literature refers to any written
literary genre that exemplifies the most
outstanding characteristics of particular
national literatures. It is harder to define and
only few regional or national writers can also
be classified as belonging to world literature.

5. Elements of World Literature
• Tackles universal theme to which wider
audiences/readers can relate or identify with
 love and romance
 family and marriages
 individual struggles toward success (Cinderella and
underdog stories)
 humanitarian values
 coping with tragedy (wars, famine, disasters, etc.)
 life cycles

6. English World Literature
William Shakespeare
(England) was a poet and
playwright considered as “the
father of the modern English
language”. He is credited for
pioneering the couplet and the
Shakespearean sonnet style.
Image Credit: https://covers.openlibrary.org/w/id/405165-M.jpg

7. Shakespeare and Modern Dramas
Today in any part of the globe, people are
addicted to English soap operas, Hispanic
telenovelas and Koreanovelas. But it can be
rightfully said that with his 37 plays tackling
any topic under the sun (the most popular
being Romeo and Juliet), Shakespeare invented
all of these modern dramas that entertain
TV and movie audiences nowadays.

8. Literary Reflection
Shakespeare, in his stage play As You Like It,
popularized these verses: “All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players; They have
their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time
plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.”
In a journal notebook, make an
interpretation of the possible meanings of the
verses.

9. French World Literature
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
was an aristocrat, pilot, poet
and writer whose novella The
Little Prince is now a much
loved classic extolling the
virtues of love, inner beauty
and friendship. This novella is
the source of the famous
quote: "One sees clearly only with
the heart. What is essential is
invisible to the eyes."
Image Credit:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/05/Littleprince.JPG

10. African World Literature
Nelson Mandela was
imprisoned for decades
during the apartheid (racial
segregation by classes). But
after his release, he became
the president of South Africa
from 1994 to 1999. All of his
struggles can be read in his
autobiography/memoir Long
Walk to Freedom.

11. Asian World Literature
Rabindranath Tagore (India)
was the first Asian to win the
Nobel Prize in Literature in
1913 for his book anthology of
more than a hundred Bengali
verses, the Gitanjali (Song
Offerings). It is incomparable
for the beauty of its imagery as
a form of devotion to God and
in appreciation for the wonders
of nature.
Image Credit:
https://laxminarayanweb.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/gitanjali.jpg

12. Mexican World Literature
Octavio Paz was a diplomat,
poet and writer who won the
Miguel de Cervantes Prize (1980)
and the Nobel Prize (1990) for
literary excellence. His poem
Piedra del Sol (Sunstone) is cited by
critics for its unique surrealist
style, while his anthology of
essays The Labyrinth of Solitude is
noteworthy for its profound and
deep analysis of Mexican society.
Image Credit: http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388265409l/11702.jpg

13. American World Literature
Ernest Hemingway was a
popular short story writer and
novelist who as a war journalist
wrote firsthand accounts of
both WW1 and WW2. Farewell
to Arms recounts the former,
while For Whom The Bell Tolls
depicts the latter. The Old Man
and the Sea won for him both the
Pulitzer (1953) and the Nobel
(1954) awards for literary
excellence.

14. Russian World Literature
Anton Chekhov was a
Russian physician, playwright
and writer who according to
experts is one of the greatest
in the short story genre. Two
of his last works were The
Cherry Orchard, which tackles
social change, and A Marriage
Proposal, which explores
courtship and marriage both
with a touch of humor and
comedy that amuses audiences.
Image Credit: http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334702425l/5693.jpg

15. Choose one among the authors discussed in
this presentation and make a critique about
any of their works. How was the universal
theme portrayed in your chosen work? Also
comment on the style, characterization,
setting and story elements ‒ plot, climax,
tension, denouement.
Culminating Activity