|
LITR 4328: American Renaissance .png){kind=small} |
Model
Assignments |
 |
Bradley Tarpey
The Hierarchy of Literature
An interesting trend that finds itself reoccurring in human nature is our
desire to rank and separate similar things into their own separate categories.
This desire for hierarchy finds itself as common place in nearly all walks of
life, and one that I wish to analyze is its presence in the world of literature.
Scholars of the literary world have separated literature into three categories:
classic, popular, and representative. The goal of this informal split is to
separate works of literature from pieces that are to be enjoyed, and pieces to
be appreciated. Although this differentiation is undoubtedly insulting to some
works, this separation does serve an applicable purpose in dividing works into
sections so that deeper discussions can be had over what it is that separates
works within the family of literature. This separation presents a question: can
a classical work be pleasurable? And can a “flash in the pan” style work be
appreciated for its deeper observations? By looking at each classification in a
more detailed manner, we will delve deeper into what warrants that section of
literature its respective title, and see if it is possible for a work to be both
instructing and entertaining.
In a fitting beginning, we will first observe classical literature.
Classical literature primarily serves as a source of education, with
entertainment often times taking a backseat. The works are often older and
throughout time have found themselves in a canonical status within the world of
literature. These classical works are often defined by their ability to stand
above the test of time, with their messages and themes not being bound to the
era that they were written in. With this being assumed, it then be said that
classical works are often revered for their glimpse into the timeless qualities
of the human experience. One such example of a classical work is Ralph Waldo
Emerson’s “Nature.” “Nature” is not timeless due to Emerson’s argument for
Transcendentalism, but instead for the ideas that Emerson presents to the reader
to live a life beyond oneself, engulfed in the world and nature that surrounds
them. This argument can be made and appreciated even now, it is not bound by the
world that Emerson wrote his work in. It is this quality that defines classical
literature, a timeless tool that is used to educate.
Next, we will look to popular literature. This subsection of literature
is recognizable for its ability to be enjoyed, without ever having to consider
its deeper meanings. This type of literature often times is plagued by a short
life span, once it has fallen from the public eye it fades into irrelevance.
This fade into irrelevance presents a challenge when observing popular works of
literature from the American Renaissance, as for it to still be available today
it must have had some classical characteristics. It is this dilemma that exposes
the bridge that exists between classical and popular, as there are times where a
popular work can grow to become classical. Two such examples of this are the
works of Edgar Allan Poe and Harriet Beecher Stowe’s
Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In the case of
Poe, his poems could be criticized for having a formulaic approach, or for being
merely sensationalized fodder for enjoyment. As time progressed, Poe’s work
became appreciated and eventually has found himself in the world of classical
literature. Our other author who made this jump is Stowe. With slave narratives
being a hot commodity during the time period,
Uncle Tom’s Cabin appeared to fit in
to the latest trend. As we discovered in our in-class presentation, Uncle Tom’s
Cabin experienced a level of success that I personally did not know was possible
for that time period. Although as time passed, with Stowe’s work reaching such a
wide audience, Uncle Tom’s Cabin would go on to influence the opinions of so
many people against slavery that it has become a classical piece of literature
due to its historical significance. In both of these examples, these popular and
enjoyable works eventually grew to a status where they could also be used as
instruction. Due to their enjoyment, they were able to reach a much wider
audience than the traditional classical literature, and thus had a significant
impact on the world.
Finally, we have the representative literature. These works are
characterized by the narrow audience that they are read by and effect. They are
normally written by a member of an underrepresented community, and as such are
written with that audience in mind. One strength of representative literature is
strongly outlined by Dorothy Noyes in her 2012 final exam when she writes, “By
reading representative literature by authors like Frederic Douglass or Sojourner
Truth we are not only reading the words of influential minorities, but are
reading a reflection of the human condition, and a journey involving struggles
and pain, but ultimate fulfillment.” (Noyes) Noyes articulately illustrates the
passion that representative literature is often written with. Representative
literature often times serves as a common voice amongst a group of individuals
who must struggle to even be heard. This phenomenon often times creates an
opportunity where representative literature can blend into the world of
classical or popular. Where some causes fizzle out and die, the representative
literature can more closely resemble popular to a certain crowd. Whereas in
other cases, representative literature can stand as classical literature to some
communities, while others communities never even know it existed.
Classical, popular, and representative literature all hold a meaningful
place in the literary world. If the purpose of literature is to both entertain
and educate, these self-imposed classifications provide a way to easily
differentiate between works. Where most of the strife comes from in these
divides is the idea that popular literature is somehow lesser literature. This
is not a feeling that I subscribe to, each classification of literature is a
positive in their own ways. Literature is a device that can be experienced in a
variety of ways, each having their own merit. Classical literature can help one
develop a greater understanding of the world and of themselves. While popular
literature gives the reader the ability to relax and enjoy a work that
captivates their imagination. Finally, representative literature gives the
reader a glimpse into a point of view that they had not previously experienced,
a moment that is rarely anything but a positive. Ultimately, these three
classifications provide a concise way to divide one of mankind’s greatest
inventions, literature.
