TY - BOOK AU - Lamartine,Alphonse de TI - Cours familier de Littérature - Volume 05 AV - PN PY - 2010/// CY - Salt Lake City, UT PB - Project Gutenberg KW - Literature -- History and criticism KW - French literature -- History and criticism KW - France -- Politics and government -- 1789-1900 N1 - Release date is 2010-01-10; Produced by Mireille Harmelin, Christine P. Travers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr); Original publication data not identified N2 - "Cours familier de Littérature - Volume 05" by Alphonse de Lamartine is a collection of literary essays written in the mid-19th century. This work engages with the foundational texts of Western literature, beginning with a detailed examination of Homer's epics, the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey," alongside reflections on the influence of ancient literature on contemporary society. Lamartine presents complex themes on the power of literature and its impact on human morals and culture. The opening of the work presents a preamble where Lamartine addresses critics who have attacked his literary publication, defending its neutrality in political and religious matters while expressing his passion for literature. He reflects on the nature of criticism and the responsibilities of a writer, framing the discussion within the context of his forthcoming essays. Lamartine introduces the first topic with a focus on the significance of Greek literature and a historical perspective on Homer's works, highlighting how these texts serve as a bridge to understanding humanity and civilization throughout history. (This is an automatically generated summary.) UR - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30918 ER -