What is Literature: Defining its Meanings and Forms

Literature, what is Literature? In what is literature essay the question will be answered. If we are to critically analyse literature and study literature it is imperative to understand what constitutes literature and how we define it. 

In Terry Eagleton’s essay What is Literature? We explore the different facets of literature and the various definitions which have been used over time to explain it. Terry Eagleton first brings to light the idea that literature can be defined as ‘imaginative’ writing in terms of fiction. While this may be true for the works of Shakespeare and Milton, it does not extend to the philosophical essays of Bacon and the religious treatises of John Donne. The problem then arises of the distinction between fact and fiction. Per Eagleton, the boundaries of fact and fiction are subjective. It also brings to light the obvious question of which works of fiction and which factual works are to be considered literature. It also begs the question, if literature is to be considered as 'creative' or 'imaginative' writing, does this imply that academic writing on the topics of history, philosophy and natural sciences are uncreative and unimaginative?

Another definition of literature was given by the Russian critic Roman Jakobson. He postulates that literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. This definition of literature was used by the school of Russian literary critics known as the Formalists. The Formalists posit that literature was not pseudo- religion or psychology or sociology but a particular organization of language. They saw literature as a deviation from the norm and sought to create a stark contrast between the language of speech and that of literature. This then poses the illusion of commonality of language. Any actual language consists of a highly complex range of discourses, differentiated according to class, region, gender, status and so on, which can by no means be neatly unified into a single homogeneous linguistic community.

Eagleton also points out, the context in which the text is read or quoted informs us on its literary nature. This brings us to the next definition of literature as a 'non-pragmatic' discourse. This brings out the idea that literature uses a self-referential language. The problem with this definition is that there is more importance given to the language used rather than the subject matter. It follows thus, that literature, using the above definition cannot be objectively defined. Philosophers would say literature operates as a functional term rather than an ontological one.

To conclude definition of literature essay, we can say that literature is simply a kind of highly valued writing. This statement abandons all hope of the objectivity of what constitutes literature. 'Value' is a transitive term: it means whatever is valued by certain people in specific situations, per particular criteria and in the light of given purposes. The subjective nature of these value judgements was ridiculed by the critic I. A. Richards in his study Practical Criticism. In conclusion, literature does not exist in the concrete tangible realm and that the value-judgements by which it is constituted are historically variable, and are based on social constructs and ideologies.

Works Cited

• Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory an Introduction. University of Minnesota Press, 2008.
• Richards, I. A. Practical Criticism. Routledge & K. Paul, 1964.