1st Edition

Just Literature Philosophical Criticism and Justice

By Tzachi Zamir Copyright 2020
    110 Pages
    by Routledge

    110 Pages
    by Routledge

    In Just Literature, Tzachi Zamir introduces the idea of 'philosophical criticism' as an innovative approach to interpreting literary texts.





    Throughout the book, Zamir uses the theme of justice as a case study for this new critical approach. By using ‘philosophical criticism’, Zamir posits that a stronger grasp of the idea of justice can increase one’s understanding of literature, and thus its value. He offers philosophical readings of works by Dante, Shakespeare, Toni Morrison, J. M. Coetzee and Philip Roth to explore the relationship between aesthetic and epistemic value. Zamir argues that, while literature and philosophy remain separate entities, examining the two in tandem may help inform the study of both.





    Offering an inventive twist on an established dynamic, this book is essential reading for any student or scholar of literature or philosophy.

    Introduction  Part 1  1. The Point of Reading  2. Justice and Literature  Part 2  3. Bonds of Justice  4. Pity and the Moral Role of Sadness  5. Fallen Angels  Coda  Appendix: Compassion and Pity

    Biography

    Tzachi Zamir is Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.