Hegels Phenomenology of Spirit is probably his most famous work. First published in 1807 it has exercised considerable influence on subsequent thinkers from Feuerbach and Marx to Heidegger Kojve Adorno and Derrida. The book contains many memorable analyses of for example the master / slave dialectic the unhappy consciousness Sophocles Antigone and the French Revolution and is one of the most important works in the Western philosophical tradition. It is however a difficult and challenging book and needs to be studied together with a clear and accessible secondary text. Stephen Houlgates Readers Guide offers guidance on: Philosophical and historical context Key Themes Reading the text Reception and influence Further reading
