Mann: Buddenbrooks

by Hugh Ridley

This textbook series is ambitious in scope. It provides concise and lucid introductions to major works of world literature from classical antiquity to the twentieth century. It is not confined to any single literary tradition or genre, and will cumulatively form a substantial library of textbooks on some of the most important and widely read literary masterpieces. Each book is devoted to a single work and provides a close reading of that text, as well as a full account of its historical, cultural, and intellectual background, a discussion of its influence, and a guide to further reading. The contributors to the series give full consideration to the linguistic issues raised by each text, and, within the overall framework of the series, are given complete freedom in the choice of their critical method. Where the text is written in a language other than English, full account is taken of readers studying the text in English translation. While critical jargon is avoided, important technical terminology is fully explained and thus this series will be genuinely accessible to students at all levels and to general readers.

140 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 1987

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started reading this during a group read of Buddenbrooks. I did finish the novel, but not this book.

I think, from the parts I read and scanned, and from its description as part of a "textbook series", that the audience for the book would not be real wide; but if a person were (a) reading the novel, and (b) either (i) a Junior in college or higher, majoring in Literature of some sort, or (ii) a fairly accomplished reader with an interest in literary criticism, I would think most of the book could be valuable.

For such readers a solid 4, maybe even a 5, is warranted. For myself it's closer to a 3 1/2.

The chapters of general interest include "1 Life and works", "2 Retrospect on the nineteenth century", "3 The evolution of the novel", "8 The Buddenbrooks' decline: a typical story?", "9 Literary background and reading public" (maybe).

The other chapters are more aimed at analysis of the novel from a "lit-crit" point of view: "4 The theme of decline", "5 Stages in decline", "6 Thomas Buddenbrook", "7 Narrative technique" and "10 Buddenbrooks and the 'crisis of the novel'". These chapters were less interesting to me, but for a college student or certain others, might well be the most interesting.

There's an extensive section of Suggestions for Further Reading, including Biographical studies; Critical studies; Literary and social background; and Early reviews of Buddenbrooks. There is unfortunately no index.

A similar book is Buddenbrooks Family Life as the Mirror of Social Change by Martin Swales.

[Albie Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instant favourite that I will want to read again and again.