DOG AND LITERATURE

In the last 500 years, the dog has stopped being a simple companion for man to become a friend and a confidant. Its presence in our houses and our lives has produced a new category in western literature: the canine story usually formed by narration that highlight the generosity and braveness of dogs. Shakespeare mentioned many dogs on his literary work, frequently on a very anachronism way. Maybe, the most eloquent narration is the one that appears on "The Verona Knights", when Lounce describes its loyal Crab. Jack London and Zane Grey wrote fascinating stories about the canine courage and the stories of Farley Mowat, who lived with the wolfs in the north of Canada, help us understand the intelligence and we should probably say the humanity of the wild canines. The relation with the dog inspired many authors, as for example:

 ·        John Steinbeck accompanied by his dog Charley on his trip over the United States and author of Travels with Charley.

·        Elizabeth Barret Browing, whose devotion to Flush, the Spaniel gave to her by a friend, inspired many letters and poems, among them: Flush or Faunus, a poem that tells about a time which she woke up scared, thinking that she had been awoken by a faunus and felt really relieved to see Flush next to her. She thanked the god Pan: "Who, for the low creatures, conducts the high tops of love" fancy dog clothes

·        In the XX century, the Americans E. B. White and James Thurber introduced an innovation on the canine literature with their warm and funny stories about dogs that revealed affections comprehension to their hunting partners. In The Fox of Pea Pack and Other Stories, E. B. White wrote: "The Dachshound is affectionate. It wants to marry you. Go to sleep and it will get in bed with you. Sit on a chair and there it will be. Walk away and you will break its heart".