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Western canon

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The neutrality of this article is disputed.

Western canon is a term used to describe a canon of books and art, and specifically a set with very loose boundaries of books and other art that, in general, have been most influential in shaping Western culture. The selection of a canon is important in educational perennialism.

The process of listmaking -- defining the boundaries of the canon -- is endless. One of the notable attempts in the English-speaking world was the Great Books of the Western World program that grew out of the curriculum at the University of Chicago developed in the middle third of the 20th century. University president Robert Hutchins and his collaborator Mortimer Adler developed a program that offered reading lists, books, and organizational strategies for reading clubs to the general public.

Since at least the 1960s there has been an intensely political debate over the nature and status of the canon. It has been attacked as a compendium of books mainly by "dead white men" that do not represent the viewpoints of other people (i.e., most people in the world). Others, notably Alan Bloom in his 1987 book 'The Closing of the American Mind', have fought back vigorously.

Authors such as Yale Professor of Humanities Harold Bloom have spoken strongly in favor of the canon, and in general the canon remains as a represented idea in most institutions, though its implications continue to be debated heavily.

Works which are commonly included in the canon:

Works of fiction

Epic poems

Other poetry

Drama

The novel

Pre-19th century

19th century

20th century

The conspicuous absence of works not generally considered mainstream literature should be noted here (e.g. crime fiction, science fiction), in addition to recently published works.

Non-fiction works

Religion

Science

Philosophy

Economics

Politics

History

Authors whose works which are commonly included in the canon: Please keep this list unless the list of works becomes sufficient to render it superfluous.) (Also for authors whose entire corpus has been influential.)

(or move to book list once satisfied the appropriate works have been entered

Works which directly address the canon (pro or con):

See also

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