This book deals with those in the middle, the men and women who do not write literature, but rewrite it. It shows how rewriting – translation, anthologization, historiography, criticism, editing – influences the reception and canonization of works of literature. It also shows how rewriting manipulates works of literature to various ideological and poetological ends. Firmly placing the production and reception of literature within the wider framework of a culture and its history, Lefevere provides a revalorisation of literature’s social and historical context in a post-Marxist sense. He also gives a controversial view of such literary sacred cows as “originality,” “inspiration,” and “aesthetic excellence.” The book ranges widely across various literatures, including Classical Latin, French, and German.