Foundations of Early Literature

Before We Begin Reading... You now have some of the historical background knowledge needed to begin reading literature from the ancient Middle East and ancient India; however, before you proceed any further, you now need background in literary information regarding the time period.

What Part Did Literature Play in Early Societies?   In early societies, literature was at the center of life. – –Literature connected people to their cultures’ strongest beliefs, traditions, and values. – –Literature functioned as a means: to explain the world’s mysteries, to sing praise and express one’s faith, to impart wisdom, and to record great deeds and landmark events.

From Oral to Written Literature   The world’s earliest literature was oral— passed along by word of mouth from one person to another and from one generation to the next.   This literature was always connected with some important activity: singing, storytelling, religious or social ritual, prayer, teaching, or even magic. – –What is the problem with oral literature?

The Progression from Oral to Written Literature   However, as civilizations progressed, they began to use writing to preserve their literature. – –This had the advantage of giving works a stable and lasting form. – –But, it often separated the works from the activities they were related to, so that it is harder for us today to fully appreciate their importance.

Early Literary Forms You Need to Know Before Proceeding:   Early literature took different forms to serve different purposes: Myths—are traditional stories, often about gods and goddesses, that serve to explain natural phenomena, the human situation, or the origin of a belief or ritual.

Early Literary Forms Continued: Heroic literature—records and celebrates the great deeds of heroes and heroines. Heroic literature can be in two forms: – –Legends—stories handed down from the past, especially one that is popularly believed to be based on historical fact. Though legends often incorporate supernatural elements and magical deeds, they claim to be the story of a real human being and are often set in a particular time and place (these characteristics separate a legend from a myth).

– –Epics—a long narrative poem on a serious subject, presented in an elevated or formal style. It traces the adventures of a great hero. Most epics share some or all of the following characteristics: 1. 1.The hero is a figure of high social status and often of great historical or legendary importance The actions of the hero often determine the fate of a nation or group of people The hero performs exceedingly courageous, sometimes even superhuman, deeds that reflect the ideas and values of the era Supernatural beings and events complicate the plot The setting is large in scale, involving more than one nation and often a long and dangerous journey through foreign lands The main character often gives long, formal speeches The poem treats universal ideas, such as good and evil, life and death.

Early Literary Forms Continued: Sacred verse—such as hymns, prayers, and psalms, expresses religious faith and is usually written to be chanted or sung Wisdom literature—instructs or advises human beings about wise and moral behavior Sometimes is takes the form of memorable sayings, like proverbs At other times, brief stories are used to illustrate moral messages, like parables.

Early Literary Forms Continued: Folk tales—focus on ordinary people having extraordinary experiences. Often they feature magic, exaggeration, and humor.

Haven’t I Heard This Story Before?   Common elements such as situations, characters, or images that appear again and again in literature (and art) are called archetypes. – –Archetypes reflect universal characteristics of human experience— they apply to all people, regardless of time and culture.

Example of an Archetype:   Quest story: – –Stories about quests may be common because a quest is a good analogy for life.   A journey to the underworld or to the bottom of the sea can stand for a person’s exploration of hidden parts of his or her psyche.

Now You Are Ready to Read Literature from the Oldest Civilizations Known... Starting with Mesopotamia and The Epic of Gilgamesh