(((((LITERATURE)))))

Literature is a term used to describe written and sometimes spoken material. Derived from the Latin
word literature meaning "writing formed with letters," literature most commonly refers to works of the
creative imagination, including poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction, journalism, and in some instances,
song.

��What Is Literature?

Simply put, literature represents the culture and tradition of a language or a people.

The concept is difficult to precisely define, though many have tried, it's clear that the accepted
definition of literature is constantly changing and evolving.

For many, the word literature suggests a higher art form; merely putting words on a page doesn't
necessarily mean creating literature. A canon is the accepted body of works for a given author. Some
works of literature are considered canonical, that is, culturally representative of a particular genre.

��Why Is Literature Important?

Works of literature, at their best, provide a kind of blueprint of human civilization. From the writings of
ancient civilizations like Egypt, and China, to Greek philosophy and poetry, from the epics of Homer to
the plays of Shakespeare, from Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte to Maya Angelou, works of literature
give insight and context to all the world's societies. In this way, literature is more than just a historical or
cultural artifact; it can serve as an introduction to a new world of experience.

But what we consider to be literature can vary from one generation to the next. For instance, Herman
Melville's 1851 novel Moby Dick was considered a failure by contemporary reviewers. However, it has
since been recognized as a masterpiece and is frequently cited as one of the best works of western
literature for its thematic complexity and use of symbolism.
By reading Moby Dick in the present day, we can gain a fuller understanding of literary traditions in
Melville's time.

��Debating Literature

Ultimately, we may discover meaning in the literature by looking at what the author writes or says, and
how he or she says it. We may interpret and debate an author's message by examining the words she
chooses in a given novel or work or observing which character or voice serves as the connection to the
reader.

In academia, this decoding of the text is often carried out through the use of literary theory using a
mythological, sociological, psychological, historical, or other approaches to better understand the
context and depth of a work.

Whatever critical paradigm we use to discuss and analyze it, literature is important to us because it
speaks to us, it is universal, and it affects us on a deeply personal level.

(lɪtrətʃəʳ)

Word forms: plural literatures

1. variable noun

Novels, plays, and poetry are referred to as literature, especially when they are considered to be good or
important.

...classic works of literature.

synonyms: writings, letters

2. uncountable noun

Literature is written information produced by people who want to sell you something or give you advice.

I am sending you literature from two other companies that provide a similar service.

Some companies have toned down the claims on their promotional literature.
Synonyms: information, publicity, leaflet, brochure

LITERATURE

● Folklore - traditionally derived and orally transmitted literature

● Folktales - reflect the people's beliefs handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth

● Epilogue - conclusion or final part of non-dramatic literary work

● Genre - distinctive type of literary composition such as epic, tragedy, comedy & novel

● "Quo Vadis" - means "where are you going"

● hieroglyphics - oldest forn of egyptian writing

● Allegory - narrative whose meaning is beneath the surface

● Elegy - a meditated poem of grief

● Sonnet - verse w/14 iambic pentameter lines

● Epic - long poem w/c depicts the adventure of a great hero who reveals his country's aspirations;
narrates heroic deeds and supernatural happenings w/local actor in w/c people sing/chant

● Soliloquy - speech made by a person who reveals his thoughts

● Manuel Arcilla - "How my brother Leon brought home a wife"

● Washington Irving - "The Legend of a Sleepy Hollow"

● Fall of the house of usher - hypochondriac living in morbid fear

● Cyrano de Bergerac - poet & soldier noted for his Peculiar nose

● "The Illiad of Homer" - great epic poem whose plot centers around the anger & wrath of Achilles
against agamemnon

● "The Bells" - "If eyes are made for seeing, then beauty is its own excuse for being"

● Cacophony - literary term w/c means harsh & discordant sounds introduced for poetic effect
● George Bernard Shaw - know for his excellence of characterization, swiftness of narrative & clarity of
style.

● Edgar Allan Poe - greatest American writer of horror and detective stories

● Rabindranath Tagore - best known for his collection of poems called Gitanjali/song offerings

● Robert Frost - ranked as one of the best modern American poets.

● Geoffrey Chaucer - Morning Star of English Literature

● Mark Twain - "Samuel Clemens"

● Harriet Stowe - "Uncle Tom's Cabin"

● Charles Darwin - Origin of species

● Lazlo Biro - invented the ball point pen

● Harry Potter - epic kind of story

VOCABULARY

Emulate 〰 imitate

Vouchsafe 〰 grant

Abeyance 〰 suspended

Denigrate 〰 malign

Furtive 〰 sneaky

Remonstrate 〰protest

Corroborate 〰confirm

Gullible〰easily deceived

Germane〰relevant

Plebeian〰common

Vulpine〰cunning

Spendthrift〰spender
Impolitic〰unwise

Terse〰concise

Parsimonious〰stingy

Stupefy〰make numb

Pariah〰outcast

Wizened〰shrivelled

Dubious〰doubtful

Incriminates〰accuse

Frivolous〰worthless

Susceptible〰inclined

Impertinent〰irrelevant

Ostracized 〰excluded

Conglomeration〰diffusion

Cacophonous〰loud and unpleasant

Carnal〰worldly

Aplomb〰composure

Candor 〰honesty

Contemptuous 〰 scornful

Feeble 〰 weak

Inevitable 〰 certain