Friday, January 30, 2009

BC: Hippolytus to The Clouds

10-second Literature Reviews

428 BC. Hippolytus. Euripides. Greek. Play. Hippolytus enrages Aphrodite by scorning the love of women. She revenges by having Phaedra, his father’s wife, fall in love with him She hangs herself, leaving a note that Hippolytus violated her. Theseus curses Hippolytus, who dies after his horse is frightened by a bull. Artemis tells Theseus the truth. He laments. Hippolytus forgives him with his dying words.

427 BC. The Children of Heracles. Euripides, Greek. Play. Eurystheus, king of Argos, who forced Heracles to perform the 12 labors, persecutes his children after Heracles’ death. They are championed by old Iolaus, who is young for a day. Eurystheus is killed. Ulterior meaning: Athens championed Heracles, Sparta’s ancestor; Sparta should not be fighting Athens.

425 BC. Hecuba. Euripides. Greek. Play. Wife of Priam, mother of Hector, Hecuba sees all 50 of her children die except her daughter Polyxena, and her son Polydorus. Polymestor kills them. In revenge, she blinds him, kills his sons. Both antagonists are reduced to the same bestial level.

423 BC. The Knights. Aristophanes. Greek. Play. Topical and, therefore, less interesting to a modern audience. Remarkable for the freedom to attack the powerful Athenian demagogue Cleon.

423 BC. The Clouds. Aristophanes. Greek. Play. Equates Socrates with the Sophists, noted for the ability to use argument to prove any point. Socrates, however, believed that argument was only useful to arrive at the truth. A farmer’s son enrolls in Socrates’ school, the Thinkery, to learn to evade creditors through shrewd argument. However, the son turns his talent against his father. The old man regrets turning away from the old virtues and sets fire to the Thinkery.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

BC: Alcestis to Oedipus Rex

10-second Literature Reviews

438 BC. Alcestis. Euripides. Greek. Play. Alcestis, wife of Admetus, agrees to replace him in death after no one else will. Drunk, comic Heracles rescues her from Hades. Implies question about Athens’ attitude toward women.

431 BC. Medea. Euripides. Greek. Play. One of the most complex heroine/villainesses in dramatic literature. Changes from a woman overwhelmed with sorrow to a woman dominated by the fury of revenge against Jason who has deserted her. As her ultimate revenge, she icily kills their two children on whom Jason dotes.

430 BC. The History. Herodotus. Greek. First use of the word “history.” History of the Persian Wars. Largely anecdotal. Less emphasis on historical accuracy.

430/400 BC? History of the Peloponnesean War. Thucydides. Greek. Athens vs. Sparta. Not as colorful as Herodotus but historically more accurate.

429 BC. Oedipus Rex. Sophocles. Greek. Play. Relentlessly, Oedipus seeks the murderer of his father, Laius. Learns that he is guilty. Further, he has unknowingly married his mother. She commits suicide. He blinds himself with her brooch.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

BC: The Persians to Antigone

10-second Literature Reviews

472 BC. The Persians. Aeschylus. Greek. Play. Only extant Greek tragedy dealing with recent history rather than myth. Shows compassion for Xerxes who was responsible for defeat at the hands of the Greeks.

467 BC. Seven Against Thebes. Aeschylus. Greek. Play. War between the sons of Oedipus for the throne of Thebes. Martial in spirit. Eteocles vs. Polynices. They meet in single combat and kill each other.

460 BC? Prometheus Bound. Aeschylus. Greek. Play. Prometheus knows who will overthrow Zeus. Won’t tell. Plunged into Tartarus. Men’s relations to the gods.

458 BC. Oresteia. Aeschylus. Greek. Trilogy. The Agamemnon recounts the murder of Agamemnon. The Libation Bearers, tells of the vengeance of Orestes, killing Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. The Eumenides recounts Orestes’ trial in which he is shown not to have shed the blood of kin since the blood of the family passes through the father, not the mother.

441 BC. Antigone. Sophocles. Greek. Play. In defiance of Creon, Antigone buries brother Polyneices. She’s condemned to be buried alive. Creon regrets too late. Her fiance (his son Haemon), Antingone and Eurydice, his wife, commit suicide.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

BC: Greek Epic Cycle to The Suppliant Women

10-second Literature Reviews

700-600 BC. Greek Epic Cycle. Anonymous. Poetry. Trojan war stories not covered in the Iliad or Odyssey. Other stories as well, including Theogonia, Titanomachia on the creation and early history of the world. Also, Cypria on the theft of Helen; and Aetheopis, Iliu Parva, Ilias Persis, Nostoi which are continuations of the Iliad. Telegonia is on the death of Odysseus. Also includes stories on Thebes, Heracles, Theseus, and the Argonauts.

600-300 BC. Upanishads. Anonymous. Hindu. Treatises. Treatises on the nature of man and the universe; part of the Vedic writings. Supreme Godhead, completely attributeless, is uncommunicable, but “realizable.” Individual self (Atman) is also the universal self (Brahman) but unaware of the identity. Phenomenal world of appearance exists on relative plane, appears to be real but isn’t. Yoga (physical and spiritual discipline) necessary to effect union of Atman and Brahman.

600-500 BC. Analects. Confucius. China. Nonfiction. Collection of sayings of Confucius, anecdotes about him and his disciples. Brief, unsystematic pronouncements on ethics, government, ritual, literature. Fundamental part of education in traditional China.

500 BC. Ramayana. Valmiki. India. Epic Poetry. Ranks with Mahabharata. 24,000 stanzas. Rama is the 7th incarnation of the deity Vishnu. Rama wins his wife Sita by bending god’s bow; lovers separated, reunited. She is sent away because of concern for her chastity and raises Rama’s sons. In the end, they are reunited again, but continuing doubts about her faithfulness to Rama while kidnapped causes Earth Mother to take her back to herself, away from Rama and the other doubters.

490 BC. The Suppliant Women. Aeschylus. Greek. Play. Father flees Egypt with fifty daughters; King of Egypt demands that his 50 sons marry them. All but one son is murdered by the daughters on their wedding night. First of a trilogy. Others lost.

Monday, January 26, 2009

BC: The Vedas to Spring and Autumn Annals

10-Second Literature Reviews

1000-500BC. The Vedas. Anonymous. Hindu. Religious. The four most sacred books of Hinduism. Collectively called The Samhitas. Rig Veda is the Veda of the Stanzas, including prayers, hymns in verse. The Veda of Liturgical Formulas includes prayers in prose. The Veda of Melodies includes prayers for musical chanting. The Athara Veda includes magical spells and incantations. The Brahmanas includes prose interpretation. The Aranyakas includes treatises on meditation. Finally, the Upanishads includes speculative treatises.

800 BC. Works and Days. Hesiod. Greek. Poem. Moral maxims and precepts on farming. Source of information on primitive beliefs concerned with everyday life. Addressed to his brother who had cheated him of much of his share of the family property.

800 BC. Iliad. Homer. Greek. Epic Poetry. 24 books. Focus on the withdrawal of Achilles from the contest with Troy, with the disastrous effects of this act. Concentrated not on the siege but on the effects of one man’s anger. He is a noble figure who embraces death. Includes battle formulas. The principal figures are individualized. Includes humorous scenes, moving scenes and has human significance. One can find anachronisms. Written in dactylic hexameter. There is an essential unity of concept. Written about four centuries after the war.

800 BC. The Odyssey. Homer. Greek. Epic Poetry. First novel. Flashbacks. Dramatic structure and consistent style. Largely a collection of folk tales. Has continuity and coherence by attributing the adventures to a single hero. Hercules, in contrast, never has any unifying point. Just a series of tales.

722-418 BC? Spring and Autumn Annals. Anonymous. China. Chronicle. Chronicle of the feudal state. Terse, dry in style. One of the Chinese Five Classics.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Biblical Literature: Apocrypha (3)

10-Second Literature Reviews

Biblical Literature: The Apocrypha (3)

Susanna and the Elders. Susanna accused of adultery by Jewish elders who had attempted her chastity. Innocence proved by Daniel. Elders put to death. Literary gem in support of morality. Joseph story in reverse. Also shows God loyal to individuals as well as to chosen people as a whole. Didactic story, not an historical incident. Builds suspense: How will author extricate heroine from her plight?

Daniel, Bel, and the Snake. Bel was the supreme Babylonian god of earth and atmosphere. Bel symbolizes male generative power. Same as Baal. Daniel exposes Bel as an image, not a living god. Not historical.

The Prayer of Manasseh. Manassah was the most evil of all kings of Judah. Chief cause of Yahweh’s punishment of Israel through the Babylonian conquest. Supposed to have repented. Explains how evil king could have such a long and quiet reign.

The First Book of the Maccabees. History. Period between the testaments. Jewish wars of resistance against Syrian power, 175-135 BC. Narratives of military campaigns and 6 poems. Describes four heroes: Mattathias, Judas, Jonathan, and Simon.

The Second Book of the Maccabees. Not a sequel to the First Book of the Maccabees. Different account of the same crisis from a different point of view. Flamboyant, emotional Greek style. Emphasis on spectacular, miraculous, gruesome. Focus on only one hero: Judas Maccabeus. Preserves heroic image of the hero. Ignores his final defeat and death. Viewpoint of Hasidians, most deeply devoted to the Mosaic Law.

End of the Apocrypha.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Biblical Literature: Apocrypha (2)

10-Second Literature Reviews

Biblical Literature: The Apocrypha (2)

The Wisdom of Solomon. Most important of apocryphal books. Does not use brief, pithy, didactic epigram. More in style of literary essay. Different in purpose from Proverbs. Not designed to prepare young men for service in stable, homogeneous environment. Tries to preserve transplanted way of life and thought in alien environment, i.e., Hellenistic Egypt where Jews were in danger of losing their identity.

Ecclesiasticus or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach. By sage or wisdom teacher who lived in Jerusalem in 2nd century BC. Wisdom literature. Essays, brief discourses. Revised edition of his oral teaching? Diverse content. No brief summary is possible. Man-centered and practical wisdom, but “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Identifies wisdom with the law. Learning, study, interpretation, exposition of Scriptures.

Baruch. Three parts. Prays on behalf of Jerusalem’s conquerors. Equates wisdom with possession of the Torah, i.e., the Pentateuch. Lamentation for captivity of Zion’s children.

Letter of Jeremiah. Rambling, repetitious attack on idols and idol worship. Appeal not to succumb to worship of Babylonian deities.

Prayer of Azariah or the Song of the Three. Additions to the Book of Daniel. Azariah (nicknamed Abednego) in fiery furnace—prayer. Blessing God, not thanksgiving. Willingness of Almighty to receive blessing from man is significant. Song of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego in fiery furnace.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Biblical Literature: Apocrypha (1)

10-Second Literature Reviews

Biblical Literature: The Apocrypha (1)

Ezdra I. Last days of Judean kingdom, fall of Jerusalem, Babylonian exile. Reorganization of Jewish state under Ezdra. No mention of Nehemiah.

Ezdra II. Comparable to Daniel and Revelations and other apocalypses. Fantastic imagery; dominant concern with human suffering. Anguished contemplation of disaster that had already run its course?

Tobit. Afflictions of pious Israelite. Adventures of dutiful son who makes journey in company of disguised angel and returns with bride and means to restore his father’s health and wealth. Portrayal of ancient Jewish family life. Religious teachings characteristic of stage in development of post-exilic Judaism.

Judith. Judith slays Holofernes, leader of opposing army. Gets him drunk, cuts off his head, leaves enemy camp with his head in a bag. With leader dead, enemy scatters in disarray. Like Esther, glory in ruthless destruction of an enemy accomplished by a beautiful woman. Excellent example of ancient short story.

Esther, Additions. Six passages not found in Hebrew text. Purpose: add details and add religious element lacking in original. Not very successful; still vindictive and does not raise religious tone of story.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

10-Second Literature Reviews

Ancient Literature: Old Testament (7)

Micah. Predicts fall of Israel and Judah, but sees hope of redemption in Messiah.

Nahun. Short, poetic book. Prophesies bloody destruction of Nineveh in graphic detail.

Habakkuk. Questions actions of a god who uses wicked enemy to punish sinful people. Foresees final triumph over evil by forces of righteousness and faith.

Zephaniah. Before Babylonian captivity. Apocalyptic vision: warns of Day of Judgment. Exhortation to repent; prophesies restoration of Israel.

Haggai. After Israelites returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity. Rebukes people for not rebuilding Temple. Encourages them to begin.

Zechariah. Time of restoration of Temple, 430 B.C. Contains same message as Haggai. Part 2 after death of Alexander the Great. Visions of Israel’s future, the Messiah.

Malachi. Last book of the Old Testament. After rededication of Temple in Jerusalem, 516 BC. Economic hardships of people and moral laxness. Criticizes priesthood. Reproves people for general indifference, apathy and for adultery and marriage to heathens. Foretells Judgment Day.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Ancient Literature: Old Testament (6)

Hosea. Life of Hosea with his unfaithful wife, i.e., God’s trials with sinful Israel. Catalog of Israel’s idolatrous impieties. Call to repentance. Promise of God’s blessing.

Joel. Plague of locusts and terrible drought. Repentance, fasting urged. Foretells return of God’s love and restored wealth of land.

Amos. Foretold destruction of Israel because of corruption, immorality, social injustice. Five visions, last of which promised redemption and rebuilding of Israel after all sinners have died “by the sword.”

Obadiah. Foretells destruction of Edom, enemy of Israel; prophesies deliverance of Israel.

Jonah. Disobeys Jehovah’s command to preach in Nineveh. Takes ship in opposite direction. God sends tempest. Sailors throw Jonah into sea. Swallowed by whale. Vomited on land. Told to go to Nineveh again and this time he goes.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Ancient Literature: Old Testament (5)

10-Second Literature Reviews

Ancient Literature: Old Testament (5)

Isaiah. Foresees Babylonian Exile. Urges Jews not to lose their faith. Foretells Nehemiah’s return to Jerusalem. The life of the Messiah is foretold in Isaiah.

Jeremiah. Fall of city to Babylonians. True root of religion is heart, not Temple. God promises restoration of Israel and “new covenant.”

Lamentations. Jeremiah? Acrostics. Laments misery, suffering from destruction of Jerusalem. Offers repentance for sins of people.

Ezekiel. Prophet during Babylonian exile. Moral responsibility of Jews in captivity. Calls for return to godliness and faith.

Daniel. Continued praying to his own God during Babylonian captivity. Cast into den of lions. Interpreted dreams of Nebuchadnezzar and handwriting on Belshazzar’s wall.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Ancient Literature: Old Testament (4)

10-Second Literature Reviews

Job. Greatest poetic drama in the Old Testament. Undeserved suffering and God’s justice. Is suffering always punishment for sin? Job tested. Wealth vanishes. His children die. He is smitten with boils. Does not “curse God and die.” Faith is rewarded.

Psalms. 117 hymns. Many ascribed to David.

Proverbs. Maxims and pithy statements about sin and righteousness. Common sense, observation. Solomon?

Ecclesiastes. All is vanity. Rejoice in labor, the gift of God. Despairing tone. To everything a season.

The Song of Songs. Love idyll. Oriental love poem? Allegory of union between Christ and the Church?

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Ancient Literature: Old Testament (3)

Kings, I and II. History of Israel from last years of David to Babylonian Exile. Glories of the reign of Solomon. Decline of Southern Kingdom, destruction of Temple, 586 BC.

Chronicles I and II. Israel under David and Solomon. Genealogies back to Adam. David’s death, succession of Solomon. Building of Temple in Jerusalem; wisdom of Solomon. Reign of Rehoboam to destruction of Jerusalem and Babylonian captivity. Book ends as Ezra begins, with charge of Cyrus to restore worship in Jerusalem.

Ezra. Led band of 1500 Jews back to Jerusalem after Babylonian captivity. With Nehemiah tells of journey and attempts to reestablish temple and morally purify Jewish community.

Nehemiah. Jewish patriot. Persian king Artaxerxes appointed him governor of Judea. Reforms instituted by Nehemiah and Ezra. Rebuilding of walls of Jerusalem after Babylonian captivity, reading of Law of Moses by Ezra, public confession of sin, and dedication of walls.

Esther. Haman secures decree to kill all Jews and hang Mordecai. Persian king has married Esther who exposes Haman’s plot. Haman hanged on the gallows he had erected for the hanging of Mordecai. Feast of Purim celebrated in commemoration of this event.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Ancient Literature: Old Testament (2)

Joshua. Successor of Moses. Israelites fearful of Canaanites. Condemned to wander for 40 years for lack of faith. Joshua led conquest. Walls fell at sound of trumpets.

Judges. Tribes of Israel between Joshua and Samuel. Attempts to subdue and settle land.

Ruth. Ruth was a Moabite. Her Israelite husband died and she followed his mother to Bethlehem. She became a gleaner in the fields and married the wealthy Boas. From this marriage came the line that led to David.

Samuel I and II. Samuel was a religious, political reformer of early Israel. Consecrated to Temple service by mother. Heard Jehovah’s voice in the night. Forced to yield to people’s demand for a king. Saul. Prophesied loss of liberty. Anointed David as future king.

Saul and David. Saul was the first king of Israel. Repeated conflicts with the Philistines. Moods of despair. Jealous of David. Tried to have David killed. Prophecy of defeat from Witch of Endor. Suicide. David, the Shepherd King. Author of Psalms? Friendship for Jonathan, Saul’s son. Killed Goliath. Became second king of Israel. David’s guilty love for Bathsheba; grief over revolt of his son Absalom.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Ancient Literature: Old Testament (1)

Genesis. Creation, fall of man, expulsion from the Garden of Eden, flood, dispersion. Accounts of the lives of Patriarchs of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph.

Exodus. Escape by Jews from bondage in Egypt, led by Moses. Finally reach Canaan. Covenant with Yahweh. Moses’ birth, departure from Egypt, beginning of journey to Palestine. Ten Commandments.

Leviticus. Basic compendium of Jewish law. Instructions to priests on procedures for sacrifices. Ritual practices, rules of ethics, penalties for transgressors.

Numbers. Trip through wilderness, Mt. Sinai to Moab, on border of Promised Land. Mosaic law; Moses portrayed as prophet to whom God speaks directly.

Deuteronomy. Reiterates Mosaic law; death of Moses.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Ancient Literature: Bible

10-Second Literature Reviews.

Ancient Literature: Bible

Hebrew Canon. 24 books. 3 divisions. First, the Law or Torah, the first 5 books, the Pentateuch. Second, the 8 books of the Prophets. Finally, the “Writings,” including the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra and Chronicles.

Christian Bible. 39 books. 17 historical books, from Genesis to Esther. 5 poetical books from Job to the Song of Solomon. Prophetic books from Isaiah to Malachi.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Ancient Literature: 3000 BC to 1400 BC

10-Second Literature Reviews

Ancient Literature: 3000 BC to 1400 BC.

3000-2000BC? Gilgamesh. Babylon. Epic. Gilgamesh learns that no mortal can know the secret of eternal life. He learns to accept death as inevitable.

2100BC? War of the Gods. Anonymous. Babylon. Epic. Babylonian epic poem. Myth of creation of the world and establishment of the divine hierarchy One of the oldest known creation myths. Striking parallels to Greek myth.

1700-1400BC? The Poem of Baal. Anonymous. Canaan. Myth growing out of Canaanite rituals: fertile vs. infertile seasons; death, revival of young god. Baal vs. the god of death, Mot. Mot wins. Baal resurrected.

1500BC. Rig Veda. Anonymous. India. Hymns. 1028 hymns in 10 books or mandalas; divinely revealed to ancient seers.

1400BC. Poem of Aqhat. Anonymous. Canaan. Epic. Seasonal rites. Death and resurrection.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

What Is Literature? (4)

10-second Literature Reviews
Compiled By RayS.

I read once that some authors have written books because no one else had written what they wanted to read.

I did not “write” this book, of course. But I compiled it because, as an English major, I always wished that I had had available a brief overview, in chronological order, of the world’s major literary works. Such standard reference works as Benet’s’ Reader’s Encyclopedia and the Oxford Companions are not in chronological order, and even their brief summaries of literary works are not short enough for my purpose of an overview that can be read in a reasonably short time.

These “10-second reviews” are certainly not meant to be comprehensive. They can do no more than give an idea of the subject and flavor of the literary work. But they give the reader an idea of the flow of literature over the centuries, from the ancient past to relatively modern times (the mid-1950s).

The next question is, “What is literature?” Here are some more thoughts on the subject by some pretty respectable literary critics and writers:

Coleridge: “Without that acquaintance with the heart of man…I am deeply convinced that no man, however wide his erudition, however patient his antiquarian researches, can possibly understand, or be worthy of understanding, the writings of Shakespeare.” Bate, Criticism: The Major Texts, p. 391.

Arnold: “…and what actions are the most excellent…those…which most powerfully appeal to the great primary human affections: to those elementary feelings which subsist permanently I the race, and which are independent of time.” “Preface” to Poems. Bate, Criticism: The Major Texts, p. 446.

Dr. James Billington, Librarian of the Library of Congress: “But it was a wonderful bit of advice, ‘Go read War and Peace,’ because it taught me early in life that if you want to really learn about something, it’s better to read yesterday’s novel than today’s newspaper…where you get some wisdom, some perspective on things.” Lamb, ed., Booknotes, p. 131.

RayS. For me, great literature—fiction, nonfiction prose, poetry and drama—provokes thought, deepens my understanding of the nature and possibilities of life, raises questions that require serious reflection, and, even when tragic, enhances appreciation of living. I summarize in this blog works that continue over the years to provoke these responses in readers.

Welcome to an overview of the world’s great literature.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

What Is Literature? (3)

Compiled By RayS.

I read once that some authors have written books because no one else had written what they wanted to read.

I did not “write” this book, of course. But I compiled it because, as an English major, I always wished that I had had available a brief overview, in chronological order, of the world’s major literary works. Such standard reference works as Benet’s’ Reader’s Encyclopedia and the Oxford Companions are not in chronological order, and even their brief summaries of literary works are not short enough for my purpose of an overview that can be read in a reasonably short time.

These “10-second reviews” are certainly not meant to be comprehensive. They can do no more than give an idea of the subject and flavor of the literary work. But they give the reader an idea of the flow of literature over the centuries, from the ancient past to relatively modern times (the mid-1950s).

The next question is, “What is literature?” Here are some more thoughts on the subject by some pretty respectable literary critics and writers:

“[Literature]…may lead to questions that you spend your life trying to answer.” N. Franklin, The New Yorker, December 15, 1997, p. 64.

“Special attention [according to Samuel Johnson] should be given to those [works] that have persisted beyond a particular age or locality, for what the majority of intelligent and discriminating people persist in valuing over different periods of time can greatly assist us toward a flexible standard for judging what will continue to appeal.” Bate, Criticism: The Major Texts, p. 205.

“A true classic is an author who has enriched the human mind….” Sainte-Beauve in Bate, Criticism: The Major Texts, p. 492.

“…Cervantes and Molieres: practical painters of life…who laughingly embrace all mankind, turn man’s experience to gaiety, and know the powerful working of a sensible, hearty, and legitimate joy.” Sainte-Beauve in Bate, Criticism: The Major Texts, p. 495.

“Richards had reasserted…the ancient classical belief that art acts formatively in enlarging one’s sensibility, deepening one’s sympathies, and inducing a more organized and harmonious ability to experience life.” Bate, Criticism: The Major Texts, 574.

To be continued.

Monday, January 5, 2009

What Is Literature? (2)

10-second Literature Reviews
Compiled By RayS.

I read once that some authors have written books because no one else had written what they wanted to read.

I did not “write” this book, of course. But I compiled it because, as an English major, I always wished that I had had available a brief overview, in chronological order, of the world’s major literary works. Such standard reference works as Benet’s’ Reader’s Encyclopedia and the Oxford Companions are not in chronological order, and even their brief summaries of literary works are not short enough for my purpose of an overview that can be read in a reasonably short time.

These “10-second reviews” are certainly not meant to be comprehensive. They can do no more than give an idea of the subject and flavor of the literary work. But they give the reader an idea of the flow of literature over the centuries, from the ancient past to relatively modern times (the mid-1950s).

The next question is, “What is literature?” Here are some more thoughts on the subject by some pretty respectable literary critics and writers:

“Someone once said—and I am quoting most inexactly—‘A writer who manages to look a little more deeply into his own soul or the soul of others, finding there, through his gift, things that no other man has ever seen or dared to say, has increased the range of human life.” F. Scott Fitzgerald in F. Scott Fitzgerald on Writing, p. 20.

“So shall we come to look at the world with new eyes….” Emerson, Nature, p. 48.

“To have great poets, there must be great audiences too.” Walt Whitman in Plimpton, ed. The Writer’s Chapbook, p. 90.

“…[Euripides] could so write as to show the hideousness of cruelty and men’s fierce passions, and the piteousness of suffering, weak, and wicked human beings, and move men thereby to the compassion which they were learning to forget.” E. Hamilton, The Greek Way, p. 262.

“Literature is the art of writing something that will be read twice; journalism, what will be grasped at once.” Plimpton, ed. The Writer’s Chapbook, p. 256.

To be continued.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

10-Second Literature Reviews
Compiled By RayS.

I read once that some authors have written books because no one else had written what they wanted to read.

I did not “write” this book, of course. But I compiled it because, as an English major, I always wished that I had had available a brief overview, in chronological order, of the world’s major literary works. Such standard reference works as Benet’s’ Reader’s Encyclopedia and the Oxford Companions are not in chronological order, and even their brief summaries of literary works are not short enough for my purpose of an overview that can be read in a reasonably short time.

These “10-second reviews” are certainly not meant to be comprehensive. They can do no more than give an idea of the subject and flavor of the literary work. But they give the reader an idea of the flow of literature over the centuries, from the ancient past to relatively modern times (the mid-1950s).

The next question is, “What is literature?” Here are some thoughts on the subject by some pretty respectable literary critics and writers:

“…great literature, whose meanings…can never be totally grasped because of its endless power to ramify in the individual mind.” Loren Eiseley, The Star Thrower, p. 274.

“…the reader’s happy conviction that Tolstoy enables him to see everything as if for the first time.” Bloom, The Western Canon, p. 336.

“The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life." William Faulkner in Cowley, ed., Writers at Work, p. 139.

“What are stories but attempts to fix the permanence of the moment, to salvage it from the rushing impermanence of time?” Mellow, quoting Hawthorne in Hawthorne in His Times, p. 8.

Joseph Conrad defined literature more clearly, more vividly than any man of our time: “My task is by the power of the written word to make you hear, to make you feel—it is, before all, to make you see.” Quoted in F. Scott Fitzgerald on Writing, p. 6.

To be continued.