6 décembre 2022
What Are Two Definitions of Literature
Posted by under: Non classé .
Literature is overall a collection of written works, but it is also used more closely for writings that are specifically considered an art form, especially prose literature, drama, and poetry. [2] In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include oral literature, much of which has been transcribed. [3] Literature is a method of recording, preserving and transmitting knowledge and entertainment, and can also play a social, psychological, spiritual or political role. Etymologically, the term is derived from the Latin literatura/litteratura « to learn, write, grammar », originally « to write with letters », from litera/littera « letter ». [6] Nevertheless, the term has also been applied to spoken or sung texts. [7] [8] Advances in printing technology have allowed for an ever-increasing distribution and dissemination of written works, which now include electronic literature. Literary works are all literary works; These are all works expressed in printed or written form (with the exception of dramatic or musical works). [138] Whatever critical paradigm we use to discuss and analyze it, literature is important to us because it speaks to us, is universal, and touches us on a deeply personal level. Many works of philosophy are classified as literature. The dialogues of Plato (4th century BC) are written with great narrative skill and in the finest prose; The meditations of the 2nd century Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius are a collection of seemingly random thoughts, and the Greek in which they are written is eccentric. However, both are classified as literature, while the speculations of other philosophers, ancient and modern, are not.
Some scientific works remain as literature long after their scientific content has become obsolete. This applies in particular to natural history books, where the element of personal observation is of particular importance. An excellent example is Gilbert White`s Natural History and Antiquities of Selbourne (1789). Non-fiction may fall into the general category of literature as « any collection of written works, » but some works fall under the narrower definition « because of the excellence of their writing, originality, and general aesthetic and artistic merits. » [125] A fundamental question of literary theory is, « What is literature? » – although many contemporary theorists and scholars believe that « literature » cannot be defined or that it can refer to any use of language. [79] Some studies suggest that people who read literature have more empathy for others because literature puts the reader in another person`s shoes. Empathy for others leads people to socialize more effectively, resolve conflicts peacefully, work better together in the workplace, behave morally, and perhaps even advocate for making their community a better place. In ancient English literature, there was once a tendency to attribute various proverbs to Solomon that were not included in the Bible. There are few women poets who write in English whose names are remembered until the twentieth century.
In the nineteenth century, some names that stood out were Emily Brontë, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Emily Dickinson (see American Poetry). But while women are generally absent from the European canon of romantic literature, there is one notable exception, French writer and memoirist Amantine Dupin (1804-1876), better known by her pseudonym George Sand. [72] [73] During her lifetime, she was one of the most popular writers in Europe,[74] who was more famous in England in the 1830s and 1840s than Victor Hugo and Honoré de Balzac,[75] Sand is considered one of the most outstanding writers of European Romanticism. Jane Austen (1775 – 1817) was the first great English writer, while Aphra Behn was one of the first female playwrights. Literature is a form of human expression. But not everything expressed in words – even if it is organized and written – is counted as literature. Writings that are primarily informative—technical, scientific, journalistic—would be excluded from the rank of literature by most, but not all, critics. However, some forms of writing are generally considered to belong to literature as art. Individual attempts within these forms are supposed to succeed when they possess something called artistic merit and fail when they do not.
The nature of artistic merit is less easy to define than to recognize. The writer doesn`t even need to pursue it to reach it. On the contrary, a scientific narrative could be of great literary value and a pedestrian poem at all. Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article on literature A notable example of censorship is James Joyce`s novel Ulysses, described by Russian-American writer Vladimir Nabokov as a « divine work of art » and the greatest prose masterpiece of the 20th century. [142] It was banned in the United States from 1921 to 1933 for obscenity. Today, it is a central literary text in English-language literature courses around the world. [143] Research also suggests that reading literature can help increase empathy and understanding of others` experiences, which could lead to better behavior in the real world. The King James Version of the Bible has been called « the most influential version of the most influential book in the world, in the most influential language today, » « the most important book in English religion and culture, » and « the most famous book in the English-speaking world. » Prominent atheist figures such as the late Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins praised the King James Version as « a giant step in the maturation of English literature » and « a great literary work » respectively, with Dawkins then adding: « A native English speaker who has never read a word of the King James Bible borders on the barbarian. » [96] [97] Oral literature is an ancient human tradition found « in every corner of the world. » [13] Modern archaeology has revealed evidence of human efforts to preserve and transmit art and knowledge that depended wholly or partially on an oral tradition, across different cultures: as mentioned above, prose generally uses the aesthetic qualities of language much less than poetry. [99] [100] [107] However, developments in modern literature, including poetry in free verse and prose, tend to blur distinctions, and the American poet T.S.
Eliot has suggested that while « the distinction between verse and prose is clear, the distinction between poetry and prose is not clear. » [108] There are novels in verse, a kind of narrative poetry in which a novel narrative is told through poetry rather than prose. Alexander Pushkin`s Eugene Onegin (1831) is the most famous example. [109] The legal and literary movement focuses on the interdisciplinary link between law and literature. He was deeply versed in Saxon literature and published a work on the antiquity of the English Church. Yet in scientific studies, especially in anthropology or history, the word literature is used more broadly to describe everything a particular society or group has ever written. For example, a researcher might study « Persian literature, » which would include even banal, non-artistic writings created by a citizen of the Persian Empire, such as food lists.
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