Some theories of Literature
we expect literature to be in some
sense entertaining, or, to afford
pleasure.
WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES LITERATURE
PLEASANT?
A literary work seizes our interest and
more or less at least for a moment
makes the rest of the world fade and
vanish.
A work of art has this power to catch us
up momentarily and to delight us.
TRUTH IN LITERATURE
Art offers truth as well as pleasure.
What kind of truth?
WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR (17751864)
THERE IS A FLOWER I WISH TO WEAR,
BUT NOT UNTIL FIRST WORN BY YOU
HEART'S EASE OF ALL EARTH'S FLOWERS MOST RARE
BRING IT, AND BRING ENOUGH FOR TWO.
Is it true that the flower is the earth's rarest flower? If we want to
know about flowers hadn't we better listen to botanists than
poets? Isn't it apparent that whatever value Landor's poem has
is not in its botany?
THE NATURE OF LITERATURE:
THE IMITATIVE THEORY
Art is an imitation of something.
annaabi.ee 
