Today we will talk about English literature, a broad term that is used in many educational settings.
It refers to the body of work written or spoken in the English language. It includes prose poetry and oral traditions. You know, literature in English involves the reading and analysis of written materials of different kinds including fiction and nonfiction works in English.
A Short Note On English Literature throws light on literature’s definition, significance, and a few literary works. So let us dig deep inside, and let us read on.
So, do you know the definition of literature?
Let us define Literature
Literature is a term used to describe written and sometimes spoken material, it is derived from the Latin word, meaning writing, formed with letters, literature most commonly refers to works of the creative imagination including poetry drama fiction nonfiction, and in some instances journalism and song.
Furthermore, literature represents the culture and tradition of a language or a people. The concept is difficult, the accepted definition of literature is constantly changing and evolving.
Importance of Literature, A few points
Reading and studying literature is very important for various reasons, some of these are outlined below first thing literature improves your command of the language, it teaches you about the live cultures and experiences of people in other parts of the world.
It gives you information about other parts of the world which you may never be able to visit in your lifetime. It entertains you and in your free time, it makes you a wiser and more experienced person by forcing you to judge or sympathize with or to criticize the characters you read about.
It helps you compare your own experiences with the experiences of other people. It gives information which may be useful in subjects, for example in geography science history social studies and so on. Literature, in general, is very important to all readers, although you may not take the literature in English as an examinable subject.
Especially for students at school, literature improves their command of the English language. Teachers of the English language should encourage their students to read literature widely by using their community libraries. Among other things, it improves your command of the English language if you read it at your maximum.
A Few Famous Literary Works
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men
Since the narration is straightforward and uses plain, direct English, this book is ideal for those who are still learning English. Not only does this novel have an intriguing plot, but it also provides a glimpse into life during the Great Depression in 1937. With just 30,000 words, the book is also very short (a typical novel is around 80,000).
It’s a good idea to read the dialogue aloud because it’s written in dialect, which means it’s supposed to sound like an accent from a specific place.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm
Animal Farm by George Orwell is a simple allegory for Communist Russia. Since it was published recently, the writing style is approachable, and the vocabulary is more recognizable to contemporary audiences. George Orwell was also known for his use of consistency in his prose, never using a long word when a short word would suffice.
An allegory is a novel, painting, or poem that can be interpreted as containing a secret moral or political message. Understanding the author’s literary strategies will aid in your overall understanding of the plot.
Ernest Hemmingway’s The Sun Still Rises
Hemmingway is perhaps the most well-known American author who was educated in English-speaking schools. The book is short, and Hemmingway writes in a straightforward, direct narrative style that is easy to follow even if you are not a native English speaker.
A helpful hint: Try to concentrate not just on the words on the screen, but also the story’s overall message. Both your understanding and perception skills will improve as a result of this.
A Few Poetic Works
A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver
Not a poetry collection, but as a beginner, I believe that understanding how poems work on the page at a fundamental level is critical. Oliver is the clearest primer on prosody I’ve read to date, and she uses poems to illustrate her points and describe some of the more difficult beginner’s resources like meter and enjambment.
Poems By Elizabeth Bishop
Elizabeth Bishop is my last suggestion. Her eye and ear are beautifully unconventional. Her poems strike a lovely balance between insight (as Williams does) and direct statements. Her mastery of stanza forms, as well as her talent for natural language, make her poems stand out. You will never forget “The Moose,” “Crusoe in England,” or “One Art” if you read them.
Rose by Li-Young Lee
This was one of the first poetry books I read, and it taught me how to navigate narrative with elegance and restraint. With this novel, I learned how to write about family. It was instrumental in teaching me how to pay attention to those around me and those private moments that we sometimes overlook. His lines float from image to image, revelation to revelation, and as a first album, it prepared me for The City In Which I Love You, his even more beautiful second collection.
These are a few and there are so many, which are beyond the space of this short blog. Do explore them all, and try to collect the taste of literature, these are the sparkles and stories of great people of old times. Get a taste of a few of them to color up and strengthen your literary language.
