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Define Great Literature

Discussion in 'Archive: The Amphitheatre' started by PadmeA_Panties, Aug 29, 2007.

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  1. PadmeA_Panties

    PadmeA_Panties Jedi Youngling star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 25, 2003
    I would like to see everyone define GREAT LITERATURE.

    The range of viewpoints should be interesting. Please list examples.
     
    PadmeA_Panties, Aug 29, 2007
    #1
  2. darth_frared

    darth_frared Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 24, 2005
    it touches your soul... jonathan franzen wrote a good essay about what reading is, it's available in his essay collection 'how to be alone', but i guess that places is more in a communicative situation rather than, what everyone is always looking for, objective evaluation criteria.

    i'm a fan of the sweeping gesture and epic narrative (although i don't like the epicness of 'world according to garp' type novels) so my vote in the great lit stuff goes to sardonic humour in 'the corrections' (also franzen) and explorations with kerouac and understanding of the human condition with dostoyevsky. zadie smith gets the obligatory nod to women writers with anything she's written.
     
    darth_frared, Aug 30, 2007
    #2
  3. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 1998
    It's completely subjective, I would guess.
     
    Zaz, Aug 30, 2007
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  4. Chancellor_Ewok

    Chancellor_Ewok Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2004
    I agree. Everyone has a different definition of what makes a great books, but my criteria are very simple. A great piece of writing will do one or both of the following:

    1.Transcend the time in which it was written to become timeless.

    2.Transcend the audience for which it was writting to become ageless.
     
    Chancellor_Ewok, Aug 30, 2007
    #4
  5. PadmeA_Panties

    PadmeA_Panties Jedi Youngling star 4

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    Oct 25, 2003
    Thats why I'm asking for everyone's opinion. Zaz, what would be your personal opinion of what defines great literature?
     
    PadmeA_Panties, Aug 30, 2007
    #5
  6. Esperanza_Nueva

    Esperanza_Nueva Jedi Grand Master star 6

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    Feb 23, 2003
    To put my opinion in very broad and simple terms, great literature promotes critical thinking and/or inspires the imagination.
     
    Esperanza_Nueva, Aug 30, 2007
    #6
  7. Mar17swgirl

    Mar17swgirl Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Dec 26, 2000
    I think Espy and Ewok sum it up rather nicely...
     
    Mar17swgirl, Aug 30, 2007
    #7
  8. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

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    Nov 28, 2000
    Great literature is defined by those with the good taste, erudition, and refinement to properly make such judgments. Due to the inherent nature of things, this makes such choices somewhat subjective--i.e. disliking a so-called "great work" does not mean that one does not have the sufficient qualities to enjoy it.

    I tend to prefer the Establishment-type definition of the literary canon because it allows a large number of people--all of whom are eminently qualified--to pool together their judgments. So while opinions must always be subjective, the educated opinions of qualified persons can prove to be greater than the sum of their parts and create the closest thing there might be to objective literary criticism.

    Even so, this sort of judgment depends on contemporary conditions and the passage of time as well. I would say for a modern work, there is no real way to judge it objectively as great literature or not--it will have to have stood the test of time first.
     
    GrandAdmiralJello , Aug 30, 2007
    #8
  9. Rogue1-and-a-half

    Rogue1-and-a-half Manager Emeritus who is writing his masterpiece star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2000
    Great literature has the same definition as great art of any medium.

    If it touches the soul and expands the mind, it is great literature. If it makes you feel and makes you think.

    Genre, style, etc . . . all goes by the wayside when you really feel something.
     
    Rogue1-and-a-half, Sep 3, 2007
    #9
  10. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 1998
    I don't know, Rogue, sometimes I can tell something is great, but it doesn't move or interest me.
     
    Zaz, Sep 7, 2007
    #10
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