INTRODUCTION

TO LITERATURE
RENIEL M. DOMINGO
DEFINE LITERATURE…
 Bwalya .L (2006) the term Literature is a latin word ‘litera’ which means
Writing

 ‘Literature as a proper noun refers to a whole body of literally work, world

wide or relating to a specific culture (Wikipedia, 2008).

 Webster : It is the totality of preserved writings belonging to a given language

or people.
 Scylar (1998: 83) defines literature as “ any writing on a subject: the body of published work
concerned with a particular subject.”

 Pollanen (1997) which says that ‘literature refers to published writings in a particular style on a
particular subject.

 Encarta (2009) which says that Literature is the use of well-chosen words to tell a story through
narrative, involving characters in conflict, or to express an emotion or idea through artfully
arranged images.
 Hancock (2006) also defines literature as being written works of fiction and non fiction in
which compositional excellence and advancement in the art of writing are higher priorities than
are considerations of profit or commercial appeal. Similar to this definition is the one by Davids
(1983) whilch says that literature is a creative writing of artistic value.

 Kafimbwa (2005) argues that the difficulty in defining literature lies in the fact that literature
exists in many forms.

 Wikipedia (2009) provide evidence this argument by mentioning the various forms of literature.
It consists of those writings which interpret the
meanings of nature and life, in words of charm
and power, touched with the personality of the
author, in artistic forms of permanent interest.

-Henry Van Dyke

 According to Aristotle,
“Literature as other activities
through religion, science and
philosophy.”
 Literature is a description of human experience
that has dimensions of personal and social as well
as well as the knowledge of humanity that is
parallel to the form of life itself.

-Lefevere
 “Literature is a work of fiction that is the result of
creation by a spontaneous surge of emotion that is
capable of expressing the aesthetic aspects of both the
aspects of language as well as aspects of meaning.”

According Mukarovsky, E.E. Cummings, and Sjklovski

LITERATURE In PANITIKING PILIPINO written by
Atienza, Ramos, Salazar and Nazal, it says that

“true literature is a piece of written work which is

undying. It expresses the feelings and emotions of
people in response to his everyday efforts to live, to
be happy in his environment and, after struggles, to
reach his Creator.”
 History is not part of literature.

Literature and history are closely interrelated. History can also be written and this too, is literature.
Events that can be written down are part of true literature. Literature, therefore, is part of history.
TEN MAJOR POINTS IN THE
STUDY OF LITERATURE
1. Good literature is of timeless significance.
2. The literary text contains its own meaning within itself.
3. The best way to study the text is to study the words on
the page.
4. The text reveals constants and universal truths about
human nature.
5. The text can speak to the inner truths of each men.
TEN MAJOR POINTS IN THE
STUDY OF LITERATURE
6. The purpose of literature is the enhancement of life and the
propagation of human values.
7. Form and content are fused together, and are integral parts of
each other.
8. A Literary work is sincere.
9. It shows us our true nature of our society without preaching.
10. What critics do is interpret the text so that the reader can get
more out of reading the text.
Is there such a thing as "bad" literature?
STANDARDS OF LITERATURE
1. Artistry
2. Suggestiveness
3. Intellectual value
4. Spiritual value
5. Permanence
6. Universality
7. Style
ARTISTRY
It has an aesthetic appeal to everyone and thus
possesses a sense of beauty. Artistry describes
literature that is aesthetically appealing and
reveals or conveys hidden truth and beauty.
INTELLECTUAL VALUE
It stimulates critical thinking that enriches
the mental processes of abstract and
reasoning, making man realizes the
fundamental truths of life and its nature.
3. SUGGESTIVENESS
It unravels and conjures man’s emotional
power to define symbolism, nuances,
implied meaning, images and message,
giving and evoking above and beyond the
plane of ordinary life and experiences.
4. SPIRITUAL VALUE
It elevates the spirit thus have the
power to motivate and inspire drawn
from the suggested morals or lessons of
the different literary genres.
5. UNIVERSALITY
It appeals to everyone regardless of
culture, race, sex and time which are
considered significant.
6. PERMANENCE
It endures across time and draws out
the time factor. Timeliness, occurring
at a particular time, and timeliness
remaining invariably throughout time.
7.STYLE
Style refers to the distinct way the
author expresses his or her thoughts.
Words can be used in unique, creative,
and entertaining ways that make the
work memorable.
TREES – Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
LITERARY COMPOSITIONS THAT
HAVE INFLUENCED THE WORLD
1. The Bible or the Sacred Writings
2. Koran
3. The Iliad and the Odyssey
4. The Mahab-harata
5. Canterbury Tales
6. Uncle Tom’s Cabin
7. The Divine Comedy
8. El Cid Campeador
9. The Song of Roland
10. The Book of the Dead
11. The Book of the Days
12. One Thousand and One Nights or The Arabian Nights