Literature in General

[zulexa]

There are two types of literature—applied literature and pure literature. The two terms can be properly explained by studying Darwin’s The Origin of Species, and Keats’ Ode on a Grecian Urn. The Origin of Species has certainly some literary merit in the form of expressive power, as Darwin has communicated certain information to the reader in an appropriate style. But in this case the expression is not so important as the information. Darwin expressed himself for the purpose of putting his readers in possession of a certain body of information, and thus persuading them of the cogency of a certain line of argument. Even if the expression were clumsy, the information nevertheless might be true and the argument reasonable. The literary quality of the book has served a certain specific purpose, and there are two elements in the book—the merit of Darwin’s purpose, and the merit of expressive power, which are easily distinguishable. But these two elements cannot be distinguished in Keats’ Ode on a Grecian Urn. It gives us no information which may be true or false and no argument which may or may not be cogent. In this case the expression satisfies us simply by existing as expression, and not as a means to an end. Here art does take us beyond the domain of art. This is what is called pure literature. In applied literature we have to ignore the purpose of the writer in order to appreciate its literary value as in the case of Darwin’s The Origin of Species and Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. But in pure literature we need not exclude the author’s purpose, because here the writer had no purpose except that the expression should exist for the mere sake of existing itself. Ordinarily when we speak of literature, we refer to pure literature.

[stlukesguild]

Sounds a lot like Thomas De Quincey's essay, The Literature of Knowledge and the Literature of Power:

http://supervert.com/elibrary/thomas_de_quincey/the_literature_of_knowledge_and_the_literature_of_ power

I'm not certain we must (or can) ignore the "purpose" of works of "applied literature" ala Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire any more than we ignore the "purpose" or intention of the writer of a work of "pure" literature.

[Puff]

Doesn't anyone read Dickens any more?After watching various series on TV of Oliver Twist etc etc etc , I've now read with delight Martin Chuzzlewit & Barnaby Rudge & now Little Dorrit all on my kindle , which I purchased for practically nothing. I only read for fun , so maybe I'm not qualified to join such an illustrious group of high brows . Darn no smilies here.

[mal4mac]

Harold Bloom reads the The Pickwick Papers several times a year, and chose Bleak House to represent the 'canonical novel'. And you don't get more highbrow than Professor Bloom! So you're qualified :wink5:. I've just re-read The Pickwick Papers and think I see why Bloom loves it so much! Can there a better mood raiser? Can there be a cleverer use of language? (I'm thinking especially about Sam Weller's word play.)

I'd be careful with the Kindle version, I just looked at the Amazon comments for The Pickwick Papers and all the one and two star reviews are for the bad formatting on Kindle - the Cockney slang that Sam Weller and his father use is easy enough to read, but it must be a devil to get right in the editing process. The Everyman hardback was a good edition, I found.

To use smilies click the "Go Advanced" button.

[108 fountains]

Pickwick - my favorite book ever. Here's just a small sample chosen at random from Chapter 51:

'Now young man, what of your master?'

'He's a-stopping here to-night on his vay to town, with a
couple of friends,' replied Sam.

'Is Mr. Winkle one of them?' inquired Pott, with a slight frown.

'No, Sir. Mr. Vinkle stops at home now,' rejoined Sam. 'He's
married.'

'Married!' exclaimed Pott, with frightful vehemence. He
stopped, smiled darkly, and added, in a low, vindictive tone, 'It
serves him right!'

[Puff]

what about this from Mrs Chivery,' Our John's' mother in Little Dorrit when Arthur asks about John's desponding state.
'That,' said Mrs Chivery, ' took place on that same day when to this house I see that John with these eyes return.Never been himself in this house since.Never was like what he has been since , not from the hour when to this house seven year ago me & his father , as tenants by the quarter , came ! '

[Puff]

Thank you very much ,I shall delve into Pickwick as soon as I have finished Little Dorrit. An elderly gentleman I met online & became a good friend of mine always said Pickwick put him in a good mood & made him chuckle. We all need more chuckles.