From Plato to postmodernism : the story of Western culture through philosophy, literature and art / Christopher Watkin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Watkin, Christopher.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Civilization, Western.

Physical Description:

vii, 247 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Bristol : Bristol Classical Press, 2011.

Summary:

The story of Western culture through philosophy, literature and art

From Plato to Postmodernism presents the cultural history of the West in one concise volume. Nearly four thousand years of Western history are woven together into an unfolding story in which we see how movements and individuals contributed to the philosophy, literature and art that have shaped today's world.

The story begins with the West's Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian origins, moving through the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Enlightenment and Romanticism to twenty-first century postmodernity. Key names like Moses, Michelangelo, Mozart and Marx are set in context and their main contributions highlighted. Illustrations and comprehensive glossary help explain important terms such as 'gothic', 'baroque', 'stream of consciousness' and 'the death of God', and clarify movements such as Neoplatonism, Renaissance humanism and existentialism.

For students, this book bridges the gap between what is taught in schools and the cultural knowledge required at university, providing an indispensable grounding in the story of Western culture. For all readers, it offers an invitation to take an enjoyable tour through the fascinating history of Western thought, literature and art. Book jacket.

Contents:

The roots of Western culture: Greece and Rome

The roots of Western culture: Christianity

From catacombs to cathedrals : the Middle Ages

Man the measure of all things: the Renaissance

Into the modern age: reformation and scientific revolution

Reason and its limits: the enlightenment and romanticism

Old certainties, new crises: the death of God, modernism and existentialism

Evolving ideas of humanity: Darwin, Marx, Freu and feminism

What comes after the new? Postmodernism and postmodernity.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 232-238) and index.

ISBN:

9780715638286

0715638289

OCLC:

751714907