Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture [Paperback]

Johan Huizinga (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 1, 1971 | ISBN-10: 0807046817 | ISBN-13: 978-0807046814

In Homo Ludens, the classic evaluation of play that has become a “must-read” for those in game design, Dutch philosopher Johan Huizinga defines play as the central activity in flourishing societies. Like civilization, play requires structure and participants willing to create within limits. Starting with Plato, Huizinga traces the contribution of Homo Ludens, or “Man the player” through Medieval Times, the Renaissance, and into our modern civilization. Huizinga defines play against a rich theoretical background, using cross-cultural examples from the humanities, business, and politics. Homo Ludens defines play for generations to come.

"A happier age than ours once made bold to call our species by the name of Homo Sapiens. In the course of time we have come to realize that we are not so reasonable after all as the Eighteenth Century with its worship of reason and naive optimism, though us; "hence moder fashion inclines to designate our species asHomo Faber: Man the Maker. But though faber may not be quite so dubious as sapiens it is, as a name specific of the human being, even less appropriate, seeing that many animals too are makers. There is a third function, howver, applicable to both human and animal life, and just as important as reasoning and making—namely, playing. it seems to me that next to Homo Faber, and perhaps on the same level as Homo Sapiens, Homo Ludens, Man the Player, deserves a place in our nomenclature. "—from the Foreward, by Johan Huizinga

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A must-read for anybody with serious interest in games and play. It is the classic work in the field, still more informative than any of the modern books on the subject.” —Chris Crawford, author of Chris Crawford on Game Design

“A fascinating account of ‘man the player’ and the contribution of play to civilization.” —Harper’s

“A writer with a sharp and powerful intelligence, helped by a gift of expression and exposition which is very rare, Huizinga assembles and interprets one of the most fundamental elements of human culture: the instinct for play. Reading this volume, one suddenly discovers how profoundly the achievements in law, science, poverty, war, philosophy, and in the arts, are nourished by the instinct of play.” —Roger Caillois, editor of Diogenes

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (June 1, 1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807046817
• ISBN-13: 978-0807046814
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,798 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #70 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Game Programming

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

95 of 95 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece February 21, 2001

By Jasper Milvain

Format:Paperback

Huizinga's genius is to find the idea of play hiding like a spider in the most unlikely places. The medieval "judicial duel", where justice was done by fighting? Clearly a development of ancient forms of combat - and that combat itself was always highly stylised and ritualised, which show, according to Huizinga, that they themselves were "play" forms. He demonstrates with convincing scholarship that Greek tragic drama and religion were also born from play.

The important thing for the reader to understand is that Huizinga does not think that play is in any way trivial or less than serious. In fact, he argues that play is a wider, more all-embracing concept than seriousness. Because the idea of seriousness excludes play, whereas the idea of play can very well be taken seriously. In the latter portion of his book, he laments the fact that play has been ripped from its organic place at the heart of communities and transferred to commercialized spheres of sport.

Contrary to what another reviewer says here, Huizinga was not writing in the 1950s but in 1938. A time when the old ideals of nobility and chivalry even in war had been exploded. A time when the very idea of play was something worth cherishing, something to attempt to preserve for a more fortunate future.

This is a masterpiece of deeply humanist historical and cultural analysis. If it annoys poststructuralists, well, its the poststructuralists who have the problems.

Steven Poole, author, Trigger Happy: Videogames and the Entertainment Revolution

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential September 7, 2004

By Brian D'Amato

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm sure the translation is as poor as everyone says, but for God's sake, this is one of only three or four absolutely essential twentieth-century books on the history of games and gaming. It's insightful and humorous even in English, so just imagine how good it is in Dutch. Along with Murray, Bell, Conway, et al, this is a necessary assignment for anyone who wants to talk about the subject. Five stars. Five! Five! Five!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THE classic book on play January 31, 2009

By Chris Crawford

Format:Paperback

I am surprised that this book has garnered mixed reviews. I consider it the most important book about play, and I write that as the author of a number of books on game design.

Why is this book so important? First, it clearly differentiates between play and games; there is a great deal of play-activity that does not constitute game-playing. That differentiation is lost on many people. Second, it explores the concept of play from an astounding number of directions. The strongest analysis is the linguistic analysis, which considers how many different languages address the concept of play. The word "play" is one of the semantically broadest words in the English language. From terms such as 'gun play' to 'play' as a theatrical production to 'play' as the freedom of movement of a mechanical part to 'player' as a device that plays a recording, the notion of play has spread broadly and deeply into many different cultures, and the special emphases that different cultures place on the meaning of play itself reveals much about the concept. What we call a 'bastard' in English is a 'spielkind' in German: a "play-child". The Japanese language has an entire formal sublanguage for addressing certain sensitive topics. "I am sad to learn that your father is playing at being dead" would be a literal translation of this kind of language. What does that say about the concept of play in the human mind?

Huizinga offers many other brilliant insights into the nature of play in the human species. His observations on the idea of demarcating territory in which certain rules of play apply -- a royal court, a court of law, or a basketball court -- are eye-opening. We humans have a subjunctive sense that we explore with variations on play.

Also impressive is the range of angles he uses to zero in on the concept of play. He considers play in art, poetry, law, war, language, and play as a civilizing process. Play has become a substitute for direct violent conflict. We civilized humans deflect our bloodlust into athletic games. Imagine the emotional intensity of spectators applied to political conflict; we're tear ourselves to pieces!

Play is also immensely valuable as an educational process. The fact that all carnivorous mammals engage in play communicates the value of play in the upbringing of the young.

It's true that some of the material delves into topics now considered somewhat musty. I confess that sometimes I was happy to have put a chapter behind me. But the book is short and the tedious sections are quickly passed by.

I consider this book a must-read for anybody with serious interest in games and play. It is the classic work in the field, still more informative than any of the modern books on the subject -- including my own!