The Bellum Grammaticale and the Rise of European Literature

by Erik Butler

Book Overview

The now-forgotten genre of the bellum grammaticale flourished in the sixteenth- and seventeenth centuries as a means of satirizing outmoded cultural institutions and promoting new methods of instruction. In light of works written in Renaissance Italy, ancien r gime France, and baroque Germany (Andrea Guarna's Bellum Grammaticale 1511], Antoine Fureti re's Nouvelle all gorique 1658], and Justus Georg Schottelius' Horrendum Bellum Grammaticale 1673]), this study explores early modern representations of language as war. While often playful in form and intent, the texts examined address serious issues of enduring relevance: the relationship between tradition and innovation, the power of language to divide and unite peoples, and canon-formation. Moreover, the author contends, the "language wars" illuminate the shift from a Latin-based understanding of learning to the acceptance of vernacular erudition and the emergence of national literature.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1032929790
• ISBN13: 9781032929798
• Release Date: October 2024
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 158 Pages