What is Literature? and How it shaped me?

What is Literature?

And

How it shaped me?

Yet i find myself too modest to define "Literature". But, still with my inadequate knowledge I will try to put forth my ideas about literature. 

If someone asked me the same question “What is Literature?”, before 5 years; let me correct my words before 2 years (when I had just joined my P.G. Studies), I might answered this question according to textual definition of R. J. Rees. Oh! I must admit, I answered it the same when I had been asked this question in my Post Graduation Entrance Exams; and I got first rank too. 

But, at this instant I can differ from that; let me clear you, I do not reject the idea of Rees the way he guided foreign learners into the world of English Literature. But, now I have perhaps built up my own verdict within these two years on this specific subject.

On much grounded require I would rather say, before two years of my P.G. Studies “I just had studied the Literature not imbibed it and now I may say I have experienced it.” 

From Chaucer down to Julian Barnes; ‘Yes’ these remain my five years journey of Literature, and beyond this. Still I must say I know the little only and yet need to go farther. Because, “Literature” is not that cup of tea which everyone can have and probably not in the similar way. Where all the equations, all the sciences ends may literature starts from. If you say it can bound within the criteria I say, you may be are on wrong trip, because it has began beyond the boundaries and yet I found it endless.

I recall my P.G. lectures when our Professor used to deliver his lectures on “literature”; within every literary text he found something “unsaid” (which is more louder) and he used to draw our attention towards absence of the thing rather the displayed image of a particular text. From that onwards I started looking things in the way such.

I came across things like ‘Catharsis’, ‘Tragedies’ – ‘What actually tragedy mean to be’, ‘how far an ‘Evil’ can be sleep inside and ‘Good’ can be performed! These all literature is about.

Let me not stretch it such. ‘Yes’ I do agree that literature has changed my way of living life, the way of witnessing the things,  the way of explaining (you mostly seeing at once), the way of expressing myself or I must say the way of exploring myself.  

Before I experienced it I cried for what I lose yesterday, after experiencing it I started celebrating my achievements of today. One poem analysis on “Seasonal Poem” as task we were given by our Professor. I did not know it will lead me to the great philosophy of living life.

I analysed one poem entitled as “Autumn Blessings”, it seems paradox in the title right? We think how an autumn can be a blessed season. But, it suggest in depth meaning of it. As autumn takes away with her all the old leaves and fruits from tree, it also gives chance to new leaves and fruits to grow fresh. The same thing happens in human lives; when they lose something from past they may have some new-fangled and fresh moment in life for today and tomorrow. It gives ‘One’ chance to move further with new will and new strength.

“A Literary text must be an ice axe to break the sea frozen inside us” – Franz Kafka

I truly agree with Kafka that literature never flatters; it shapes an individual or a society. Furthermore I would say “Literature” makes people nicer and gentle. To conclude I would lastly point out that,

“It taught me to be front and absolutely genuine,

It taught me to questioned the subsist and quest from center to periphery,

It taught me to be neutral, impartial and unbiased,

It prepared me for my failure and rise for the sky,

It makes me stay earthly and touch the clouds while my feet are grounded.

It taught me to rescue my soul from the evils and survive within myself.”

Thank You...