Harvard Univ prof speaks on power of storytelling
LUCKNOW: Professor Martin Puchner of Harvard University, USA, spoke on the power of storytelling and its three stages of emergence at an event here on Friday.
In city after attending the Jaipur Literature Festival, Prof Puchner gave a public lecture on ‘Storytelling from Mesopotamia to the Moon’ at Lucknow University’s Malviya Hall.
The event was organised by the university’s department of English & Modern European Languages.
Prof Puchner said the epics set in Mesopotamia, South Asia and ancient Greek formed the first stage of storytelling.
“The second stage includes religious scriptures, which serve as the basis for presentday political debates too,” he said.
The third stage of storytelling, according to him, included “cultures that gave rise to charismatic teachers such as Buddha, Socrates and Confucius, and their preaching of an elevated way of existence”.
Puchner said that writing first began with bureaucratic communication from powerful kings who entered other people’s territories and scribbled messages on stones to assert their supremacy.
Stressing on the power of the written word, he said that sacred scriptures were worshipped and revered even today.
“Although charismatic teachers like Buddha, Jesus and others were critics of writing, their teachings were documented by their disciples and are worshipped today,” he said.
During the lecture, Puchner also talked about his latest book -- ‘The Written World: The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, Civilization’.
The book emphasises the power of literature in shaping people, civilisations and the world history.
It explores 16 selected stories from over 4,000 years of world literature.
Prof Martin Puchner is the ‘Byron and Anita Wien Professor of English and Comparative Literature’ at Harvard University.
He is also the general editor of the Norton Anthology of World Literature and the Norton Anthology of Western Literature.
Earlier, Meenakshi Pawha, coordinator and facilitator of the lecture, welcomed Prof Puchner and the dignitaries. Prof VP Singh, head of the department of English and Modern European Languages introduced the chief guest to the audience that comprised students, teachers and university officials.