Book contents
- Philip Roth in Context
- Philip Roth in Context
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Notes on Contributors
- A Note on References and Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Life and Literary Contexts
- Part II Critical Contexts
- Chapter 6 The Early Years
- Chapter 7 Portnoy and Its Aftermath
- Chapter 8 The Zuckerman Books
- Chapter 9 The Kepesh Books
- Chapter 10 The “Philip Roth” Books
- Chapter 11 The Late Novellas
- Part III Geographical Contexts
- Part IV Theoretical Contexts
- Part V Jewish American Identity
- Part VI Gender and Sexuality
- Part VII Political Contexts
- Part VIII Roth’s Legacy
- Primary Bibliography
- Selected Secondary Bibliography
- Index
Chapter 11 - The Late Novellas
from Part II - Critical Contexts
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 July 2021
- Philip Roth in Context
- Philip Roth in Context
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Notes on Contributors
- A Note on References and Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Life and Literary Contexts
- Part II Critical Contexts
- Chapter 6 The Early Years
- Chapter 7 Portnoy and Its Aftermath
- Chapter 8 The Zuckerman Books
- Chapter 9 The Kepesh Books
- Chapter 10 The “Philip Roth” Books
- Chapter 11 The Late Novellas
- Part III Geographical Contexts
- Part IV Theoretical Contexts
- Part V Jewish American Identity
- Part VI Gender and Sexuality
- Part VII Political Contexts
- Part VIII Roth’s Legacy
- Primary Bibliography
- Selected Secondary Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The last four novels Roth composed prior to his retirement—which include Everyman, Indignation, The Humbling, and Nemesis have also been lately grouped together as “Nemeses.” The novels—more accurately deemed novellas, in sharp contrast to hefty tomes likes those collected as “The American Trilogy”—are not grouped together by a common protagonist, but rather by their notable brevity and by common theme: all four deal closely with the subject of mortality.This chapter offers an expanded discussion for the rationale of grouping these novels together (and, as with the other categorizations, the pitfalls of doing so), and will provide an overview of their critical reception and commentary on how they draw upon and depart from Roth’s earlier body of work.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Philip Roth in Context , pp. 111 - 120Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021