Things Reborn is a remarkable collection of twenty-nine essays spanning over four decades of rigorous scholarship by Sukanta Chaudhuri, one of the most distinguished scholars of the Early Modern period. Written between 1984 and 2016, these essays represent a sustained and insightful engagement with the European and English Renaissance, as well as its intellectual and cultural resonance in colonial Bengal during the nineteenth century.

Bringing together a vast array of literary, philosophical, and artistic influences, Chaudhuri’s work explores the intellectual currents that shaped the Renaissance and its enduring legacy. He examines canonical figures such as Virgil, Petrarch, Dante, Langland, Erasmus, Shakespeare, and Bacon, shedding new light on their contributions to literature, humanist thought, and the evolving discourse of modernity. Beyond individual figures, the collection delves into the broader terrains of early modern philosophy, philology, science, and the arts, offering a multidisciplinary perspective on one of the most transformative periods in history.

A unique aspect of this volume is its exploration of Bengal’s engagement with Renaissance ideas in the nineteenth century, tracing the ways in which European humanism and classical traditions influenced the cultural and intellectual landscape of colonial India. By bridging the Renaissance’s European origins with its global afterlife, Chaudhuri presents a richly layered understanding of historical continuity, adaptation, and renewal.

This collection is not only an indispensable resource for specialists in Renaissance and Early Modern studies but also for those interested in the evolving methodologies and future directions of literary scholarship. Erudite yet accessible, Things Reborn reaffirms the Renaissance as a living tradition, continually reshaped by new contexts and interpretations.