What is Literature?

What is Literature? 

Literature is the artistic expression of life through language. It reflects the realities, emotions, and thoughts of humanity while also shaping them. As a student of English literature in both my undergraduate and postgraduate studies, I have explored a variety of texts and genres that show the many sides of human life and experiences.

Before I entered college, I thought literature was just about studying novels, poems, and short stories. My understanding was limited to what we had learned in school—short novels, simple poems, and stories that were easy to remember. I didn’t know that literature could be so vast and varied.

When I started college, I came across different types of literature, like American literature, and heard many authors' names for the first time. At one point, I felt so overwhelmed that I thought of giving up. But as time went on, I began to understand literature better. My perspective changed, and I realized that novels, poems, and short stories are not just for reading—they show us society’s values, cultures, and emotions. Literature became a way for me to see the world in a new light.

B.A. Perspectives on Literature

During my B.A. studies, literature opened my eyes to the universal nature of human experiences, showing how emotions, societal values, and historical contexts are all connected. One of the key texts I studied was Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield. Through David’s struggles, I learned about resilience, self-discovery, and the pursuit of happiness. The novel also gave me insight into the socio-economic challenges of the Victorian era, helping me understand how individual stories can reflect broader societal issues.

Similarly, Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion taught me about identity, class, and transformation. The play’s humor and critique of social norms showed me how literature can question societal structures while still being enjoyable to read. These works taught me that literature not only mirrors life but also challenges and inspires change.

Poetry was another important part of my B.A. studies. Poems like Wordsworth’s Three Years She Grew and Robert Burns’ A Red, Red Rose helped me appreciate the beauty of nature and the depth of human emotions. These poems feel timeless because they explore themes that resonate with people across generations.

Studying metaphysical poetry, especially John Donne’s The Good-Morrow, introduced me to literature that combines deep emotions with intellectual complexity. Donne’s poetry taught me how literature can provoke thought and offer multiple layers of meaning, blending passion and intellect in a way that stays with the reader.

M.A. Perspectives on Literature

During my M.A. studies, my understanding of literature grew deeper and more detailed. Literature became more than just a reflection of life; it became a tool to analyze and understand the world. For example, studying Shakespeare’s Macbeth helped me see how literature reflects the concerns of its time, such as the fears and ambitions of the Elizabethan era, while also addressing universal themes like power, guilt, and morality.

T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land introduced me to the fragmented nature of modern life. The poem’s themes and unique structure taught me how literature adapts and experiments with form and language to express the complexities of the human experience. I learned that literature evolves to meet the needs of each generation while holding on to its essence.

Victorian literature, such as Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles, gave me insight into how literature critiques social norms and gives a voice to the oppressed. It helped me see how stories can challenge systems of injustice and highlight personal struggles.

Postcolonial literature, like Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, showed me how literature can preserve cultural identity while resisting colonial oppression. This taught me that literature is not limited to one purpose—it can educate, entertain, and empower all at once.

My M.A. studies also included literary theory, which helped me analyze texts more deeply. Concepts like Rasa, Dhvani, and Alankar connected me to Indian aesthetics, while Western theories like Derrida’s deconstruction broadened my perspective. These theories revealed that literature, across cultures, speaks to universal human emotions and challenges.

Plays like T.P. Kailasam’s The Curse of Karna explored themes of friendship, duty, and morality, teaching me about the complexity of human relationships. Novels such as J.M. Coetzee's Foe and Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea reshaped my understanding of classic works by highlighting marginalized voices, showing me how literature can question dominant narratives.

Finally, theories like eco-criticism and deconstruction helped me see literature as a dynamic medium, shaped by cultural, political, and environmental contexts. Through these studies, I realized that literature is not static—it continuously grows and adapts to address the challenges of its time.