What Is Literature? Essay, Research Paper
What is Literature?
The Mirriam-Webster dictionary defines literature as: writings in prose or verse; especially
writings having excellence of form or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal
interest. This concept of thoughts and ideas on paper is a good start but does not thoroughly
define literature. Literature takes many forms and has evolved over time along with humankind.
Therefore to thoroughly define literature one must discuss the elements of literature, the history
of literature and what literature has become to today?s society.
As diverse as people themselves literature takes on many forms. The three major forms
are prose, poetry, and drama. This paper will discuss mainly prose literature. Prose is defined in
Mirriam-Webster as a literary medium distinguished from poetry especially by its greater
irregularity and variety of rhythm and its closer correspondence to the patterns of everyday
speech. Prose is also different from drama in that prose does not require the acting out of its
contents. Literature allows people to ?live? vicariously. That means that is used to pass ideas and
emotion of a unique situation to people who would otherwise not be able to experience them.
This is the main purpose of all literature. Literature does this through both real situations which
have happened, called non-fiction and imagined situations, called fiction. These situations allow
people to satisfy their innate desire to solve problems. The source of these ?problems? in
literature is called conflict. Imagery allows a writer to compare the unique situation they are
writing about to a situation that may be closer to what the reader has experienced. Symbols are
images that are used to represent otherwise intangible ideas, for example, the river of life.
Literature delivers these situations through stories. Stories have a plot which is the method to
how the story will be told. Stories also help to pass on lessons through time which allows people
to access the knowledge of history. This passing of information is essential to grow as a species.
Without literature man would just be another animal foraging for food.
Literature has evolved with man. It has not even always been written. Before the
development of language, literature took the form of pictures. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and
cave drawings depicting series of events were the first of these. Once language had developed
people started to put their ideas into words. People are not the only being to create literature,
according to Hebrew history even God has produced literature, i.e. the Ten Commandments. The
ancient Greeks produced many stories of their Gods and of great adventures. Aesop?s fables, and
Homer?s the Iliad and the Odyssey, which were epics, are some of the more notable ancient Greek
works. Sophocles, Plato and Aristotle also contributed significant works. These were the first
literary giants. The first work which could be called a novel was written by a Roman named
Petronius Arbiter, who died in approximately 66 AD(?Literature?) It was called ‘Satyricon’ and
was a story about the society at that time which was written humorously. In the middle ages
mankind did not make many advances. The lack of access to literature by the vast majority of the
population did not promote the sharing of ideas. The Arthurian legends were the most famous
pieces of literature to arise from this period. In about 1450 AD Johannes Gutenberg invented the
printing press and changed the face of literature.
Modern day literature is considered to have started during the Renaissance. Many works
started to appear. The most notable authors of the Renaissance include Cervantes, Shakespeare,
and Swift(?Literature?). Prose novels were easier to distribute due to the printing press. During
the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries many works that are considered classics today were
written. These works centered on the social themes of society. In the Twentieth century novels
took on a new form of mainly entertainment. Fiction was broken down into several subcatagories
including mystery and science-fiction. Non-fiction has also taken on many forms such as
biographies and how-to books. Even poetry and drama has changed taking forms in modern
songs and in movies and television.
It would take a large work of literature to try to define what literature is. Literature is a
reflection of mankind. It is our emotions, our trials, our triumphs and all our real or imagined
experiences written down so that what has happened will be remembered. Literature is written so
that humans can try to repeat our successes and learn from our failures. Literature may change
but it is necessary to our evolution as a species.
Jacobs, Henry, E. and Roberts, Edgar, V. Literature. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1998
?Literature.? Compton?s Encyclopedia. Online ed. 05 June 2000. FTP:
comptonsv3.web.aol.
?Printing.? Encyclopedia. Online ed. 05 June 2000. FTP:
www.encyclopedia/interstitialCoSlth.html
.
Другие работы по теме:
My Life As A Poet Essay Research
Paper Are the philosophical, educational, and sociological theories of childhood reflected in literature for children? If so, how? To what extent does Aesop contribute to our understanding of many early children’s books?
What Is Literature Essay Research Paper Midyear
What Is Literature? Essay, Research Paper Midyear Exam-Essay Literature is an interpretation and an analysis of experience that allows people to get a sense of the way life can be without having to brave anything in reality. They are able to learn the lessons from a certain circumstance without having to deal with the real-life outcomes.
Hate Literature Essay Research Paper Hate literaturematerialism
Hate Literature Essay, Research Paper Hate literature/materialism currently exists on the internet, and is expanding at a high rate, causing disturbance to society. Although the internet is known to be a free base to express opinions, thoughts, and general information, exploiting that particular use can be rather dangerous, especially when offending one’s culture.
Beowolf Essay Research Paper 5 Paragraph EssayBeowulf
Beowolf Essay, Research Paper 5 Paragraph Essay Beowulf, the first piece of Angelo Saxon literature, truly a masterpiece in itself. Beowulf unfortunately has no author, but was translated and re-written by Vinerable Bede. Beowulf was a hero much like the hero’s we have here today. Grendel on the other hand was an evil villain, like the ones in the movies.
Ancient Romans Essay Research Paper Western Civilization
Ancient Romans Essay, Research Paper Western Civilization has been influenced in many different ways. Ancient Romans were a major part of influencing modern western civilization. The ways that they influenced this was by engineering, architecture, literature. Engineering included aqueducts and roads.
Parent Relationships Essay Research Paper In many
Parent Relationships Essay, Research Paper In many of the works of literature I have read in this particular class, I noticed that many of the characters are parents. Which leads me to ask the following questions? How are parent/child relationships represented in early literature and how do these representations compare with representations, either real or literary, in our society?
Asoka Essay Research Paper AsokaAsoka was the
Asoka Essay, Research Paper Asoka Asoka was the third member of the Mauryan dynasty and the grandson of the founder of the first Indian empire, Chandragupta Maurya of Magadha. Some say Asoka was the most powerful monarch to embrace Buddhism. Asoka was born in 304 B.C. and came to power in 270 B.C. after a short struggle in which one of his brothers was killed.
AngloSaxon Literature Essay Research Paper Contrary to
Anglo-Saxon Literature Essay, Research Paper Contrary to what this ignorant student once said, Anglo-Saxon literature is very important, and many people care about it. Anglo-Saxon literature has lots to offer, and is very valuable to the modern reader. Only a very jaded person suffering from great lassitude wouldn t see that.
Maya Angelou 4 Essay Research Paper Maya
Maya Angelou 4 Essay, Research Paper Maya Angelou is a remarkable Renaissance woman who is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature. As poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, she continues to travel the world, spreading her legendary wisdom.
Literature Is Dead
– Negative Essay, Research Paper WARNING: This is a Speech! Please feel free to use this as you choose if the opportunity arises. Ladies and Gentlemen: What person in their right mind could even reflect on literature as being dead? Certainly not I! Could you imagine a world without books, or plays? Could you imagine a world without words, knowledge or religion? I truthfully can?t! Nor should you!
Chrysanthemums Essay Research Paper Over the past
Chrysanthemums Essay, Research Paper Over the past few months in class we have learned about many aspects of literature. Some examples of them are characterization, setting, style, tone, allegory, theme, and symbolism. I chose to write this essay about the symbolism aspect that is featured in so many great works of literature.
Literature And Society Essay Research Paper Literature
Literature And Society Essay, Research Paper Literature and Society The society we live in today is shaped and influenced by many aspects of life such as tradition, culture, laws, and communication. Together, all these factors make up a group of people all working towards a common goal, with similar interests.
American Sign Language Essay Research Paper Emily
American Sign Language Essay, Research Paper Emily Dickinson and Uncle Walt Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman are two of literature’s greatest innovators, they each changed the face of American literature. they are also considered one of literature’s greatest pair of opposites. Dickinson is a timid wreck loose.
Literature And Life Essay Research Paper Evan
Literature And Life Essay, Research Paper Evan Banks Reading Literature Henricson Literature: The Window to the Fallacies of my World I have never been a person totally content with life. I have always sought more and thirsted for some kind of meaning to the seemingly meaningless things that society forces me to do.
Victorian Literature Essay Research Paper Victorian literatureThe
Victorian Literature Essay, Research Paper Victorian literature The first decades (1830s to 1860s) of Queen Victoria’s reign produced a vigorous and varied body of literature that attempted to come to terms with the current transformations of English society, but writers in the latter decades (1870s to 1900) withdrew into AESTHETICISM, a preoccupation with sensation as an end in itself.
Watership Down 2 Essay Research Paper Watership
Watership Down 2 Essay, Research Paper Watership Down as Good Literature Watership Down, by Richard Adams, is considered good literature because of the literary techniques and because of the plot. Several literary techniques are used to pull the reader in and the plot is a well constructed to hold their attention.
Lord Byron And His Literature Essay Research
Paper Lord Byron and His Literature Lord Byron was a man whose passion for life seemed unequaled by any of the other Romantic figures. Byron?s personal character, though not entirely so, could be seen in his literature as well as his life.
Metacognitive Essay Essay Research Paper Going into
Metacognitive Essay Essay, Research Paper Going into British Literature and Composition, I had no idea what to expect. I thought all I would be doing was writing essays, indeed there was allot of essay writing,
Literature Values Essay Research Paper The Value
Literature Values Essay, Research Paper The Value of Literature Literature can have many and different values on a person. It is all depending on the story and the value or moral issue the author wants, you, the reader to get out of it. The value literature had on me was actually hard to put into words. But to understand the value of literature you must know the definition of value and literature.
Love In Literature Essay Research Paper There
Love In Literature Essay, Research Paper There are many different interpretations and feelings about love being a beautiful thing and love being an ordinary thing depending on ones past. Two
Arthurian Romance Essay Research Paper Arthurian RomanceArthurian
Arthurian Romance Essay, Research Paper Arthurian Romance Arthurian romance has been changed over and over again throughout the years in order to keep up with the audience of the moment. Throughout history Arthurian romance was and still is being used in many different forms. The Celtic s Arthurian romance was much different from that of the French.
Early American Literature Essay Research Paper Early
Early American Literature Essay, Research Paper Early American literature consisted mainly of diaries, journals, short stories, and Indian creation stories. Since some of the language used was of older English and other languages, early American literature was difficult to read.The first story I read was Spanish Explorers in the New World.
Early American Lit Essay Research Paper American
Early American Lit Essay, Research Paper American Literature consisted of many well known writers. These writers wrote excellent pieces of literature which are widely read today. These writers wrote about some aspect of American life, and they depicted America very well. Some of these writers are Stephen Crane and Robert E.
Hamlet 3 Essay Research Paper HamletThe work
Hamlet 3 Essay, Research Paper Hamlet The work that I wish to discuss is Tom Stoppard’s play “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” as a scholarly work in regards to William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which is included in Sven Birket’s Literature: The Evolving Canon.
Armenian Literature Essay Research Paper Armenian LiteratureBefore
Armenian Literature Essay, Research Paper Armenian Literature Before the introduction of Christianity into Armenia in the 3rd century AD, Armenian literature was Assyrian or Medo-Persian in character. After that date, however, the language, literature, and finally the alphabet of Greece appeared in Armenian writing, although eastern Armenia retained the Syriac alphabet.
American Literature Romanticism Essay Research Paper In
American Literature: Romanticism Essay, Research Paper In American Literature, Romanticism came during the New England Literary movement called Transcendentalism. “Transcendentalism is a belief in spiritual truth beyond sense perception and material success.” It is said to be a theory that highlights the transcendent as the realistic reality.
Ballroom Of Romance Essay Research Paper First
Ballroom Of Romance Essay, Research Paper First, there is the concept of ?tragic courting.?It appears that throughout both Irish film and literature, there is a prominence of tragic couples in the fruitless journey for happiness. For exampl, in ?The Ballroom of Romance,? Bowzer Egan looks to court the ?still-single-after-all-these-years? Bridy (or Bridie; whichever is the correct spelling).
What Is Literature Essay Research Paper Literature
What Is Literature Essay, Research Paper Literature is an interpretation of experience and an analysis of the findings made into a perfect unity. Literature allows people to experience without having to brave it in real life. They are able to learn the lesson from a certain circumstance without having to deal with the real-life outcomes.
What Is English Essay Research Paper English
What Is English? Essay, Research Paper English, well what is English? We all know that it is a language. But, what is the study of english? It is the study of literature in the english language. People attend english classes. This may be to learn the English Language or to learn about english literature or writing.