European literature refers to the literature of Europe.
European literature includes literature in many languages; among the most important of the modern written works are those in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, German, Italian, Modern Greek, Czech and Russian and works by the Scandinavians and Irish.
Important classical and medieval traditions are those in Latin, Ancient Greek, Old Bulgarian, Old Norse, Medieval French and the Italian Tuscan dialect of the renaissance.
In colloquial speech, European literature often is used as a synonym for Western literature.
European literature is a part of world literature.
Famous quotes containing the words european and/or literature:
“Americans want action for their money. They are fascinated by its self-reproducing qualities if it’s put to work.... Gold-hoarding goes against the American grain; it fits in better with European pessimism than with America’s traditional optimism.”
—Paula Nelson (b. 1945)
“[The] attempt to devote oneself to literature alone is a most deceptive thing, and ... often, paradoxically, it is literature that suffers for it.”
—Václav Havel (b. 1936)