Tragic Views of the Human Condition: Cross-Cultural Comparisons between Views of Human Nature in Greek and Shakespearean Tragedy and the Mahabharata and Bhagavadgita

‘In this multi-faceted and comprehensive study, Lourens Minnema explores subject-matter of wide appeal: tragedy and human nature. The reader is immediately engaged by a direct and accessible style, and will benefit from a wealth of absorbing detail and stimulating analysis. This work is a successful demonstration of the value, scope and potential of cross-cultural comparison.’ —Martin Ovens, Philosophy Tutor, Member of Wolfson College, University of Oxford, UK

‘Minnema forges a powerful way to bring textual traditions from Eastern and Western cultures into dialogue and mutual edification. Erudite and insightful, Minnema makes real contributions to philosophy, literature, philology by restoring to the human sciences the most important questions concerning humanity. This is the most original reading of the Bhagavad-Gita in the last few decades. Minnema avoids the mind-numbing mechanics of text-historical methods and bravely asks intelligent questions – questions these texts themselves grapple with, not questions generated in academic laboratories. This book is a pleasure to read.’ —Vishwa Adluri, Adjunct Assistant Professor in Religion and Philosophy, Hunter College, The City University of New York, USA