Law and Literature: Text and Theory

Description

First published in 1996. The first anthology of its kind in this dynamic new field of study, this volume offers students the best of both worlds-theory and literature. Organized around specific themes to facilitate use of the text in a variety of courses, the material is highly accessible to undergraduates and is suitable as well for graduate students and law students. The anthology includes... Read more

First published in 1996. The first anthology of its kind in this dynamic new field of study, this volume offers students the best of both worlds-theory and literature. Organized around specific themes to facilitate use of the text in a variety of courses, the material is highly accessible to undergraduates and is suitable as well for graduate students and law students. The anthology includes important articles by key figures in the law and literature debate, and presents seven thematically arranged sections that:

Survey the various theoretical perspectives that inform the relationship of law and literature
Examine the interplay of ethics, law, and justice * Highlight the great scope and variety of the law's contributions to the creation of a world view * Illustrate various legal approaches to punishment * Detail and analyze the law's inherent capacity for the oppression of individuals and groups * Demonstrate that law is grounded in language and storytelling * Show that despite its solemnity, the law has a comic side
Each section includes excerpts from poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction. The excerpts include writings addressing the law's impact on the "outsider" (women, Native Americans, Hispanics, African Americans, and homosexuals), as well as writings by lawyers, judges, and law professors, giving the reader an "insider's" view of the legal system. The selections range from Plato to John Barth and Wallace Stevens. At this time of increased interest in the quality of legal writing, this course material illustrates the importance of language, word choice, metaphor, and narrative. It demonstrates the practical application of literary effects, techniques, and devices, and provides valuable insights into law as a vital component of the social fabric.

SPECIAL FEATURES All law schools that do not already have one in place are required to institute a course in Law and Literature. This new anthology is the first of its kind, and has been specifically designed to meet the requirements of a Law and Literature course * Selections from judges, lawyers, and professors of law give students an insider's view of the legal system * Chronological coverage-from Plato to such 20th-century writers as John Barth and Wallace Stevens-offers students a broad range of selections that examine the relationship between law, justice, ethics, and literature * Multicultural writings address the law's capacity for the oppression of individuals and groups, including women, Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and homosexuals * Law and punishment-several selections examine this area from various points of view. Suitable for courses in: Law and literature courses in law schools and undergraduate divisions as well as interdisciplinary courses in English literature. Read less

Part 1 Law and Literature; Part I Relations Between Law and Literature; Chapter 1 The Judicial Opinion and the Poem, James Boyd White; Chapter 2 How Law Is Like Literature, Ronald Dworkin; Chapter 3 Working on the Chain Gang, Stanley Fish; Chapter 4 Law and Literature, Richard Posner; Chapter 5 Convergences, Carolyn Heilbrun, Judith Resnik; Chapter 6 Economic Man and Literary Woman, Robin West; Part II Law, Justice, and Ethics; Chapter 7 Poetry; Chapter 8 Drama; Chapter 9 Prose Fiction; Chapter 10 Prose Nonfiction; Part III Law and Worldview; Chapter 11 Poetry; Chapter 12 Drama; Chapter 13 Prose Fiction; Chapter 14 Prose Nonfiction; Part IV Law and Punishment; Chapter 15 Poetry; Chapter 16 Drama; Chapter 17 Prose Fiction; Chapter 18 Prose Nonfiction; Part V Law and Oppression; Chapter 19 Poetry; Chapter 20 Drama; Chapter 21 Prose Fiction; Chapter 22 Prose Nonfiction; Part VI Law, Language, and Narrative Structure; Chapter 23 Poetry; Chapter 24 Drama; Chapter 25 Prose Fiction; Chapter 26 Prose Nonfiction; Part VII Law and Comedy; Chapter 27 Poetry; Chapter 28 Drama; Chapter 29 Prose Fiction; Chapter 30 Prose Nonfiction;

Author(s)

Biography

Lenora Ledwon holds a J.D. degree from the University of Michigan Law School and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Notre Dame. She teaches law and literature and legal writing at Mercer Law School in Macon, Georgia, and has published articles in various journals.

Critics' Reviews

"This is an interesting, well-organized work of the highest caliber." -- Bimonthly Review of Law Books

Law and Literature Text and Theory

Description

Table of Contents

Author(s)

Biography

Critics' Reviews

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