Literature

Learning Outcome
At the end of the lesson, the students should:

1. appraise the importance of understanding

literature to real life events or situations;
2. differentiate the general types of literature;
3. discuss how literature and history are
interrelated with each other;
4. distinguish genres and forms of literature; and,
5. use appropriate critical approach to the given
text.
 Revisiting Prior Knowledge
Instructions. Recall your prior knowledge about literature and answer the
questions in the diagram as quick as you can. Limit your answer in 3-5 sentences
only. Write your answer inside each box.
 What is literature?
• From Latin word litera which means letters which deals with
ideas, thoughts, and emotions of man, thus, literature can be
said as the story of man (Kahayon, 1998).

• FromFrench phrase “belles-letters” which means beautiful

writing(Barugo, et al, 2004)

• A term used to describe written or spoken materials

• Refers to the work of creative imagination including works of

poetry, drama, and fiction
• A faithful reproduction of man’s manifold
experiences blended into one harmonious
expression.

• It is man’s life story including struggles, ideas,

failures, sacrifices, and happiness(Ang, 2006).
• Broadly speaking, "literature" is used to
describe anything from creative writing to
more technical or scientific works, but the term
is most commonly used to refer to works of the
creative imagination, including works of poetry,
drama, fiction, and nonfiction.

• As a definition, literature is an art that aims at

producing beauty in writing and pleasure in the
reader.
• Literature represents a language or a people:
culture and tradition.

• But, literature is more important than just a

historical or cultural artifact. Literature
introduces us to new worlds of experience.

• Literature is an interpretation of life. The

writer of literature is not only interested in
facts , but also in the beauty of these facts.
• Deals with ideas, thoughts and emotions of
man. Man’s loves, grieves, thoughts,
dreams, and aspirations coached in
beautiful language is Literature.
• Helps understand the real spirit of a nation.
• “Literature expresses the feelings of people
to society, to the government, to his
surroundings, to his fellowmen, and to his
Divine Creator.”- Brother Azurin
• “Literature is anything that is printed, as
long as it is related to the ideas and
feelings of people, whether it is true or just
a product of one’s imagination.
• “True literature is a piece of written work
which is undying. It expresses the feelings
and emotions of people in response to his
everyday effort to live, to be happy in his
environment and, after struggles, to reach
his Creator.”---Atienza, Ramos, Salazar, and
Nazal (Panitikang Pilipino)
 Reasons for studying literature
• Enjoyment
• Imagination and inspiration
• Vicarious experiences
• Literary heritage appreciation
• Moral and artistic preference
People read literature for information, for
amusement, for higher and keener pleasure, for
cultural upliftment and for discovery of broader
dimensions in life(__. Nuggets, 2004)
 Literature and History
• Literature and History are closely interrelated.
In discovering the history of race, the feelings,
aspirations, customs, and traditions of a
people are sure to be included...which are
written in literature.
• History can also be written, and this too is
literature. Events that can be written down are
part of true literature, therefore, literature is
part of the history.
 Literary Compositions that have influenced
the world
1. The Bible or the Sacred Writings
2. Koran
3. The Iliad and the Odyssey (Greek epic by Homer)
4. The Mahabharata (Indian epic by Vyasa)
5. Canterbury Tales (English(England) tales by Geoffrey Chaucer)
6. Uncle Tom’s Cabin (American novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe)
7. The Divine Comedy (Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri)
8. El Cid Compeador (Spanish epic by Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar)
9. The Song of Roland (French epic poem by Turoldus or Turold)*
10.The Book of the Dead (ancient Egyptian funerary text)*
11.The Book of the Days (Analects of Confucius, ancient Chinese book)
12.One Thousand and One Nights or the Arabian Nights (Middle Eastern and
South Asian stories and folk tales, compiled in Arabic during the Islamic
Golden Age)
 Learning Activity 2. Word Hunt.
• See Module