comparative literature

American  

noun

1. the study of the literatures of two or more groups differing in cultural background and, usually, in language, concentrating on their relationships to and influences upon each other.

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Example Sentences

When I graduated from UC–Berkeley with my “useless” comparative literature degree, into one of the bleakest job markets in recent American memory, I thought to myself, There must be a loophole somewhere.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

In his shrewd 2022 study, “Seduced by Story,” Peter Brooks, a professor emeritus of comparative literature at Yale, described the “narrative takeover” of contemporary life.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

In the 1970s, he taught English and comparative literature at his alma mater, Columbia University.

From New York Times • May 10, 2024

“I think there’s a lot of confusion and murkiness in this process,” said Devin Griffths, a professor of English and comparative literature at USC.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2024

It is also important for students of comparative literature, because it clearly illustrates the difference between Italian and Northern treatment of an all but contemporary incident.

From Renaissance in Italy: Italian Literature Part 1 (of 2) by Symonds, John Addington