Medical Storyworlds: Health, Illness, and Bodies in Russian and European Literature at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

Elena Fratto's book "Medical Storyworlds" explores the relationship between literature and medicine in the early 20th century, showing how authors and characters challenged the rhetoric and authority of medicine and public health in telling stories of mortality, illness, and well-being. It bridges the medical humanities, European literary studies, and Slavic studies and offers a new lens on medical ethics and bioethics.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 02 November 2021
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Medicine, often perceived as a purely scientific or objective field, possesses a fundamentally narrative essence. Just as an author weaves meaning around fictional events, a doctor or patient weaves a narrative to describe the course of an illness and the treatment pursued. How have literary and medical storytelling intersected and shaped each other throughout history?

In her book, Medical Storyworlds, Elena Fratto delves into the intricate relationship between literature and medicine at the turn of the twentieth century. During this period, novelists were exploring innovative narrative forms, while the modern medical establishment was taking shape. Fratto explores how Russian writers like Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Bulgakov responded to contemporary medical and public health prescriptions, engaging in dialogue with French and Italian authors such as Romains and Svevo, as well as influential texts by figures like Paul Broca and Cesare Lombroso. Through nuanced readings of these works, Fratto uncovers how authors and characters challenge the rhetoric and authority of medicine and public health, offering alternative perspectives on mortality, illness, and well-being.

By bridging the fields of medical humanities, European literary studies, and Slavic studies, Medical Storyworlds provides a novel lens through which to examine contemporary debates in medical ethics and bioethics. It demonstrates how narrative theory and canonical literary texts can offer valuable insights into these complex issues, challenging our understanding of human agency and free will. Through its exploration of the intersection between medicine and literature, Medical Storyworlds sheds light on the ways in which storytelling can shape our perceptions of health and illness, and contribute to the broader discourse on the ethical and social implications of medical practices.

Weight: 384g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231202336