INTRODUCTION TO

LITERARTURE
Muhammad Taufik, S.S., M.Hum
Department of English and Literature,
Adab and Humaniora Faculty,
State Islamic Alauddin University Makassar
LITERARTURE AND LITERARY STUDIES
 Theory of Literature: Ren Wellek
A Resume of Theory of Literature by Ren Wellek and
Warren
•
We have to answer some basic questions
when we study introduction English
literature or theory of literature. What is
literature? What is literary study? Are they
both different? What is the distinction?
These questions are followed by the
questions about the nature of literature, its
functions, etc. Theory of literature, as much
as possible, tries to answer these.
 What is Literature?:
It is very difficult to offer a precise definition of Literature,
but we shall give a working definition of it in line with what
we shall be studying

• Literature can be defined as ‘pieces of writing that are

valued as works of art, especially novels, plays and
poems’. (Oxford Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary).

• Literature relates to creativity and art, (Warren, 1959:

15)
• Ungkapan pribadi manusia yang berupa pengalaman,
pemikiran,perasaan, ide, semangat keyakinan dalam
suatu gambaran kongkret yang membangkitkan
pesona dengan alat bahasa. (Sumardjono dan Saini,
1983: 3)

• The scope of literature is creating creativity (Darma,

2004)
 Do you agree with this definition?

• Lit is … creative writing of recognized artistic value

• Written works, esp. those considered of superior or lasting
artistic merit
• Literature (from Latin litterae (plural); letter) is the art of written
works, and is not bound to published sources (although, under
circumstances unpublished sources can be exempt). Literally
translated, the word literature means "acquaintance with
letters" (as in the "arts and letters"). The two major
classification of literature are poetry and prose. (Wikipedia)
• Looking at the previous Dictionary definitions of Literature, we
may define Literature generally as any body of written works
that is written and produced in any country, language or age for
a specific purpose such as information, education or
entertainment to the reader, which can be fictional or
non-fictional in nature.
 Meanings of the term `literature’:

• In English we generally use the word `literature’ in two

ways. We use it WITH A DEFINITE ARTICLE or we use it
WITHOUT A DEFINITE ARTICLE.
• When we use it with a definite article, as in `I want to
read all THE literature available on swine flu’, it implies I
have read everything which has appeared in print.
• When we use it without the definite article, as in ` I have
selected literature as one of my subjects in the college’,
it implies I am studying TEXTS which have
SIGNIFICANT ARTISTIC VALUE in a particular culture,
e.g. If I am studying English literature I am studying
things like poems of Robert Frost (‘
’)or novels of Toni Morison (‘
’). Meanings of the term `literature ’
 Why study literature?

Understanding social milieu

Understanding culture
Understanding human nature & behavior
Develop historical sense
Relish aesthetics of artistic expression
By studying good literature we learn more about human
problems and difficulties
Universality of such problems and ways to overcome
them
Make ourselves better human beings
Humanity and compassion
International understanding and world peace.
•
 English Literature or Literature in
English
• We tend to use the term ` English Literature’
for all literature written on the British Isles in
English, e.g. Plays of Shakespeare, poems of
Keats or novels of Thomas Hardy Sometimes
we also study literature AVAILABLE in
ENGLISH LANGUAGE, e.g. short stories of
Indian writer in English like RK Narayan or
poems of an American poet Robert Frost We
also study literature from other languages
TRANSLATED into ENGLISH when we study
`English Literature’, e.g . Plays of Girish Karnad
or short stories of Rabindranath Tagore
‘English Literature’ or `Literature in English’
 Literary Studies

• We study literature because it is extremely

important part of our culture and society.
Literary studies is an all inclusive term for
systematic study of literary texts.
• Literary studies adds to our knowledge of
literature. Literary studies includes literary
criticism, literary history and comparative
literary studies Literary Studies
 Literary Criticism

• Literary criticism is a reasoned and

systematic discussion of literature.
• The word `criticism’ usually does not have
the negative meaning we usually associate
with the word `criticism’. Criticism is
usually of two types: Theoretical criticism
and practical criticism.
 Literary Theory

• Theory’ is usually contrasted with `practice’. By

`theory’ we imply more generalized, abstract and
conceptual discussion of literature like the
definition of `literariness’, classification of various
types of literature, relation of literature and society,
literary values and so on.
• Aristotle’s Poetics and Taufiq Ismail would be
examples of earliest theoretical criticism. Rene
Wellek and Austin Warren’s Theory of Literature
and Jonathan Culler’s Literary Theory: A Very Short
Introduction are recent examples of theoretical
criticism.
 Practical Criticism

• Practical criticism involves ANALYSIS,

INTERPRETATION and EVALUATION of
PARTICULAR literary texts, rather than
discussion of literature in general .
• Theoretical issues may be explicitly stated
or implicitly assumed in practical criticism.
 Literary history and historical
criticism
• Literary History implies history of particular
literature, e.g History of Indonesian Literature
or History of English Literature Literary history
is concerned with changes in literary norms,
periodization , dominant trends, authors, texts
of various periods and traditions.
• Historical criticism is an attempt to
understand authors and literary texts in their
cultural, social and historical context.
• Historical criticism helps in writing literary
history and literary history helps historical
criticism.