What is Literature?

Simply the answer of the question ‘What is literature?’ is anything that is written or printed is known as literature.
This idea is given by R.J.Rees; and according to this definition of literature newspapers, brochures and books are a kind of literature; but on other side there is many great litterateurs like ‘Paradise lost’, ‘Dr. Faustus’ ,‘Othello’ and many others..

Here we find confusion that what should be considered as literature?

1. Communication of feelings

           If we ask doctor about Heart than answer he will say that it is the organ which pumps blood through vessels and the answer of the same question from poet will be something like that the Heart is the place of secret, Happiness, pain and other emotions.

Literature is a writing which expresses and communicates feelings, thoughts and attitude towards life, it communicates feelings not fact and emotion not information.

2.  Permanence

We know that nothing is immortal but man can be alive by his feelings which he communicates through literature-but the condition is only that feeling should have the quality of permanence and it should be universal.

3. Literature should be life enhancing

Individual’s feeling or experience is not enough for literature; but literature is something which convince us, which connect us with poet or writer and in this manner literature should be life enhancing.

4. Quality of literature

As everything, literature also counts quality, individual’s feeling or experience should be express in literature with effect and for that quality is important. The experience should be quality experience, should not be quantity experience.

5. Creativity in literature

In literature originality also required, originality then consists not of inventing new themes but of seeing and expressing old unalterable themes in new way. Great authors like Shakespeare and many others has shown old characters, old situation and old stories in a new and fascinating way.

6. Craftsmanship

Writing is not only a matter of idea and inspiration but also of Practice and Technique. There are no any official courses for poets or novelists like doctor and lawyer. Literature cannot be mastered without effort and practice.

In short technique or craftsmanship is the art of  "The right words at the right place", it is something which makes good literature.

7.  Moral consciousness

In literature the words ‘good’ and ‘evil’ has really meaning. It has the meaning which lies beyond the idea of right and wrong that happened to be excepted at one particular time and place, there is meaning beyond the idea, inspiration and word which refers place and time. 

Conclusion:

   

            As per above ideas about literature; we can conclude that Literature is not only writing but one's thoughts and feelings described skillfully.