French Literature in the Perspective of Literary Historiography

Literary History has changed its objectives during the last few decades. In theory as well as in literary analysis strictly demarcated approaches have given way to a worldwide perspective. The openness to the world and the ongoing dialogue with the ‘other’ resonates in recent French Literature. Academic critique can accompany and guide these evolutions. This article focuses on three central concepts: transculturalité, colinguisme and transmédialité. Special attention will be given to the 18th century French-English author William Beckford and the final word is spoken by Edouard Glissant.