Western literature refers to the literature of the Indo-European languages, as well as several languages geographically or historically related to the Indo-European languages (Basque, Hungarian, and so forth). Western literature is considered one of the defining elements of Western civilization. Literature is literally acquaintance with letters as in the first sense given in the Oxford English Dictionary (from the Latin littera meaning an individual written character (letter)). The term has generally come to identify a collection of texts, mainly novels, drama and poetry. ... The Indo-European languages are a group of several hundred languages and dialects (specifically 443 according to the SIL estimate), including most of the major language families of Europe, as well as many languages of Asia, which belong to a single superfamily. ... For alternative meanings for The West in the United States, see the U.S. West and American West. ...

The best of Western literature is considered to be the Western Canon. The list of works in the Western Canon varies according to the critic's opinions on Western culture and the relative importance of its defining characteristics. The Western canon is a canon of books and art (and specifically one with very loose boundaries) that has allegedly been highly influential in shaping Western culture. ...

Western literature includes literature in many languages; among the most important are English literature, Spanish literature (both including American literature), French literature, German literature, Italian literature, Greek literature, Latin literature, Russian literature, Persian literature, Hindi literature, and Sanskrit literature. Please consult the separate entries for more specifics on literature in each language. The term English literature refers to literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; Joseph Conrad was Polish, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Edgar Allan Poe was American, Salman Rushdie is Indian. ... Spanish literature may refer to: literature composed in the Spanish language literature of Spain in any of the languages of Spain It may include Spanish poetry, prose and novels. ... French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak other traditional non-French languages. ... German literature comprises those literary texts originating within Germany proper and written in the German language. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... At the moment this page contains a list of links. ... The literature of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire written in the Latin language. ... Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union. ... Persian literature is literature written in Persian. ... Literature in Hindi, the language spoken by the majority of people in India. ... Literature in Sanskrit, Indias oldest language, and the mother language of several modern languages in India. ...