Kojo Laing, Robert Browning and Affiliative Literature: Relational Worlds

This book compares the Victorian British poet Robert Browning and the twentieth-century Ghanaian poet and novelist Kojo Laing, highlighting their shared focus on multi-scalar transregional cartographies, connections, and translation. It challenges critical practices that separate them and emphasizes the importance of exploring transnational, cross-cultural, and cross-temporal imaginative relationships in their texts. The book proposes a fresh understanding of the relationship between texts and (post-)colonial contexts, texts and other texts, and a version of "world literature" that emphasizes the relational worlds generated by these texts.

Format: Hardback
Length: 221 pages
Publication date: 14 December 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This captivating book delves into the profound connections between the Victorian British poet Robert Browning and the twentieth-century Ghanaian poet and novelist Kojo Laing. Through a meticulous comparison of their works, it reveals the intricate web of multi-scalar transregional cartographies, points of connection, and translation that permeate their texts. What sets this book apart is its unwavering commitment to challenging critical practices that seek to compartmentalize writers like Laing and Browning, instead emphasizing the importance of recognizing the transnational, cross-cultural, and cross-temporal imaginative relationships that their texts themselves generate. By juxtaposing their distinct perspectives on various shared and congruent contexts, the book offers an innovative approach to understanding the intricate interplay between texts and (post-)colonial contexts, texts and other texts.

Browning and Laing's shared penchant for foregrounding trans- and post-national cartographies of relation and difference, as well as their similarly translational aesthetics, demand a rigorous exploration of the disciplinary boundaries between English literature, comparative literature, literature, and comparison. It compels us to acknowledge the ways in which literature itself engages in comparisons and affiliations, challenging us to reimagine our understanding of literary hierarchies and interconnections. Furthermore, this book proposes a version of "world literature" that aims to highlight the relational worlds (linguistic, imaginative, ethical) that texts themselves generate. It recognizes the enduring relevance of writers from different times and places, highlighting the ways in which their works overlap and intersect.

In conclusion, this book is a groundbreaking exploration of the literary landscapes of Robert Browning and Kojo Laing, shedding light on the intricate connections between their works and challenging our preconceived notions of literature, culture, and identity. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the complexities of transnationalism, comparative literature, and the power of imagination to bridge gaps across time and space.

Weight: 432g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031187759
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023