Literary Representations of Pandemics, Epidemics and Pestilence

This book explores the vulnerability of life and the trauma of death in literature about epidemics from India and around the world, critically engaging with stories and narratives that present human suffering and resilience, inequality, corruption, the ruin of civilizations, and the rituals of grief and remembrance. It covers a wide spatio-temporal trajectory, analysing the writings of Fakir Mohan Senapati, Suryakant Tripathi Nirala, Jack London, Albert Camus, Margaret Atwood, Sarat Chand, Pandita Ramabai, and Christina Sweeney-Baird.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 23 December 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Disease, pestilence, and contagion have played a central role in human experiences and narratives throughout history. In this comprehensive exploration, the book delves into the intricate articulations and representations of life's vulnerability or the profound trauma of death in literature about epidemics from India and across the globe. Through a critical lens, the book examines stories and narratives that have grappled with pandemics or epidemics in the past and in contemporary times, seeking to understand how these texts portray human beings confronting upheaval, fear, and uncertainty.

The literature analyzed in this book spans a wide range of places and times, delving into themes of human suffering, resilience, inequality, corruption, the collapse of civilizations, and the rituals of grief and remembrance. The chapters in this volume cover a diverse spatio-temporal trajectory, analyzing the writings of renowned authors such as Fakir Mohan Senapati, Suryakant Tripathi Nirala, Jack London, Albert Camus, Margaret Atwood, Sarat Chand, Pandita Ramabai, and Christina Sweeney-Baird, among others. This book offers readers a captivating glimpse into both grounded and fantastical realities where disease and death collide with human psychology, challenging philosophical, political, and social values.

This book appeals to students of English literature, social science, gender studies, cultural studies, psychology, society, politics, and philosophy. Additionally, general readers will find it intriguing as it encompasses authors from diverse geographical backgrounds. By exploring the intersections of disease, mortality, and human resilience, this book provides valuable insights into the complex tapestry of human experiences and offers a deeper understanding of the human condition in times of crisis.

Weight: 328g
Dimension: 155 x 235 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032278568