essay on literature is the reflection and not the mirror of society (1200 words)
Answers
Literature Is A Mirror Of Society
Essay
In every part of the world, literature has been more or less, mirror of society. At the earliest stage, literature invariably takes the form of poetry, while prose is a much later creation, because prose develops with matured age. Poetry is out and out a product of imagination, while prose is the fruit of intellect. The earlier from of poetry is the epic. In Italian, Greek, German, English or Indian epic we can find a clear reflection of the ancient social history of the countries. mark closely the contents of the Beowulf, the Illiad, the Odyssey, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and you will find in them a picture of the ancient life and society of the countries concerned. Even in the much later epics of England, Germany or India, you can find a similar picture of ways of life of the peoples or more recent times of those countries. Of course, poetry has more of the element of imagination than of reality, and therefore, it is not likely to be as much a faithful mirror of society as prose, or even as the drama. Next to poetry, the drama is another mirror of society. The drama is partly a creation of imagination and partly of real life. the earlier dramas in every country are a more faithful picture of society than the later dramas, probably because the creator of poetry or drama at an earlier state of human history is far more imaginative than at the later stages which are marked by the production of prose literature such as the story, the novel, the tale and other. Of course, the essay probably the only form of prose literature which is the least faithful mirror of society although some of the essayists like Charles Lamb, Stevenson, Charlyle, Huxley, Churchill and other more modern writers of prose have reflected much of their contemporary life in their works. Biographies and histories are particularly intended to serve as the mirror of society. (only 933 words)