Literary Animal: Evolution and the Nature of Narrative
Search in google:
Literary critics and psychologists from North America, Oceania, and Britain debate whether evolutionary theory in any of its myriad forms can convincingly shed light on how literature changes. The chafing between naturalism and social constructivism is apparent in the essays. The topics include the psychological foundations of drama as revealed in Hamlet, evidence of special design in the reverse-engineering of narrative, and a modest manifesto and testing the hypotheses of feminist fairy tale studies. No index was agreed upon. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Foreword from the Scientific SideviiForeword from the Literary SidexiiiIntroduction: Literature-a Last Frontier in Human Evolutionary StudiesxviiPart IEvolution and Literary TheoryLiterature, Science, and Human Nature5Evolutionary Social Constructivism20From Lacan to Darwin38What Happens in Hamlet? Exploring the Psychological Foundations of Drama56Human Nature and Literary Meaning: A Theoretical Model Illustrated with a Critique of Pride and Prejudice76The Problem of Romantic Love: Shakespeare and Evolutionary Psychology107Male Bonding in the Epics and Romances126Part IIThe Evolutionary Riddle of ArtEvolutionary Theories of Art147Reverse-Engineering Narrative: Evidence of Special Design177Part IIIDarwinian Theory and Scientific MethodsQuantitative Literary Study: A Modest Manifesto and Testing and Hypotheses of Feminist Fairy Tale Studies199Proper Hero Dads and Dark Hero Cads: Alternate Mating Strategies Exemplified in British Romantic Literature225Crossing the Abyss: Erotica and the Intersection of Evolutionary Psychology and Literary Studies244Afterword259Works Cited265Contributors301
