How to Write a Revolution

Dr. Martin Puchner 
Professor of Drama, English, and Comparative Literature, 
Harvard University 

Dr. Puchner’s presentation focuses on “The Formation of a Genre,” a chapter about “The Communist Manifesto” from his book, “Poetry of the Revolution: Marx, Manifestos, and the Avant-Gardes.” He explores ways that literature can contribute to revolutions, specifically the contributions of manifestos. His analysis of this form of writing is not from the propaganda viewpoint, but rather through the lens of literary studies. Dr. Puchner shows how these documents translated the ideas and philosophy behind revolutions into action. He states that Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, with their 1848 publication of “The Communist Manifesto,” created the genre of the manifesto. 

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Recorded: October 23, 2012