Literature and Politics
Literature and politics have enjoyed a mutually influential relationship throughout history. Keen observation and analysis of any literary work would reveal the sociological and political factors that affected the writer’s personality in creating the work. Individual impact aside, literary movements have had tremendous effect on society by establishing or eradicating social conventions and prejudices. These changes brought forth by works of literature have inflicted upon the world of politics a considerable paradigm shift. While it is not uncommon for researches to study the impact of environment on literature, there has not been sufficient exploration into the effects of literature on its time. In this essay, let us sail the unchartered seas by examining the relation between literature and politics.
Conjecture and Scrutiny
When the inspiration and evolution of a writer’s ideas are to be studied, there happens to be adequate documentary evidence to conduct the study. But, on the other hand, when tackling the effect of those ideas on the society, numerous factors which affect behavioral patterns of amorphous people must be taken into account. Hence, conjecture plays a huge part in obtaining a comprehensive knowledge about the effect of literature on politics. The downside is that any conclusion derived from this approach could be contentious. So, the foundations of the association between literature and politics must be scrutinized to arrive at unquestionable assertions.
Evolution of Literature's Purpose
Up until the middle of the 18th century, writers adhered to the notion that the purpose of literature was entertainment and instruction. The quintessential hero or heroine of an Enlightenment era literature was an epitome of virtue who was clearly modeled for emulation (Lindberg 163). Literature was treated as a means to deliver ethical principles to the people. Renowned German poet Friedrich Schiller attested to this statement saying, “Literature is the means by which the thoughtful and worthier elements of the society diffuse the light and wisdom over the masses”. At the turn of the century, there was visible reduction in obvious didacticism, but that situation did not last long. With the advent of Naturalism, didacticism once again dominated the psyche of the writers. But the writers used it as a tool to expose the unbearable social circumstances. Works of the foremost authors of the time were labeled “sewer literature” by dismayed critics who failed to recognize the positive spirit of those works. By pointing out specific problems in the society, the writers sought to obtain a productive solution. Shedding their image as mere entertainers, they evolved to become social reformers.
Changing Perspectives
The status quo had changed during the twilight years of the 20th century. Writers who had thus far been focusing on bringing social problems to light, started questioning the foundation on which their society was based on. They came to the conclusion that reformation of society was not sufficient and therefore there needed to be a reconstruction. The writers argued the legitimacy of the moral values of the time and elucidated that hypocrisy would be the eventual result. Germany witnessed the largest impact of this movement. German writers imagined the world as an unstable place populated by radical individuals. They depicted the dark side of life and the harsh decisions that must be made to survive it. To cite an example, in Max Frisch’s ‘Mein name sei Gantenbein’, the hero pretends to be blind by losing his identity. The author insinuates that you need to be a blind man to survive in the society of that time. Though such negative portrayal of the society was done with good intentions, it inevitably invited a lot of backlash. Many prominent scholars condemned the nihilistic tendencies of the authors’ works and called for a more balanced view of the world.
Literature as Representation and Perception
Eminent Italian journalist Italo Calvino said, “Literature is necessary to politics above all when it gives a voice to the one who doesn’t have a voice, when it gives a name to the one who doesn’t have a name, and especially to all that political language excludes or tends to exclude…Literature is like ‘an ear that can hear more than Politics’; Literature is like an eye that can perceive beyond the chromatic scale to which Politics is sensitive”. The quotation delivers two primary opinions of Italo Calvino. The first one is that literature is instrumental in representing the people who have no voice or name in politics. The second one deals with the perception of politics through literature. Calvino’s first assertion brings more emphasis on the influence of literature on politics as it states that literature is the sole component which represents the politically excluded. The politically excluded in this context are the commoners who make up the majority of the population.
Individuality and Political Influence
To understand how literature affects a society as a whole, it is important to comprehend the way it affects an individual. For an individual’s voice to be heard in the realm of politics, the person should possess some sort of economic or political power. Thus, politics reacts to the roar of the masses and heeds to the whispers of the fortunate. But the nature of literature is in contrast to that of politics. Literature is by and large the creation of a sole consciousness. And it is the writers who practice inimitable style and expression that usually draw the attention of the masses. As William Gass famously said, the most loved writers are those who “sign every word they write”. Writers have always been keen on portraying social misfits in their story, “the only people for me are the mad ones”, wrote Jake Kerouac in his passage On The Road (Kerouac 5). Human life does not have a definite model. It has infinite variations that cannot be encompassed singularly. But that is exactly what literature has strived to achieve by depicting life in all its forms. Rather than sighing at the onerous task, literature celebrates the diversity of life.
Perspective and Engagement
Coming back to the Calvino’s quote, we can understand how literature’s focus on individuality makes it “like an ear than can hear more than politics”. Politics has macroscopic characteristics and it often muffles singular voices. On the contrary, literature seeks to bring out the voices submerged in the crowd. As an illustration, let us consider La Comedie Humaine, the magnum opus of Honore de Balzac. Balzac tackled nearly 3500 characters to give a panoramic view of life in post-Napoleonic France. He used his keen observational skills to represent the society through complex and multi-faceted characters. Politics, which lacked individual indulgence received heavy dosages of individuality through literature and thus the influence of literature on politics was cemented.
Complexity and Nuance
The literary vision which boasts of radical expression and greater finesse has reached greater distances than politics has ever dared to go (Goncz). Like the chords of a piano, politics has a black or white approach to most issues. Politics often reduces the world into a two choice question and anything that appears in the grey area of the political spectrum is either ignored or buried. Literature revels in the complexity of life and seeks to portray and analyze all forms of human reality. Ambiguous details and nuances which are often overlooked by politics are enriched by the ingenuity of literature. Take Lionel Shriver’s ‘We Need To Talk About Kevin’ for instance, the story that deals with the treatment of psychopaths. In the story, Kevin, a 15 year old psychopath executes a massacre in his high school killing several people. In the eyes of Politics, the act is viewed as a severe crime and the killer’s lack of remorse is deemed perverse and repulsive. But does the perpetrator’s lack of remorse actually demonstrate his distorted mindset and therefore calls for his exculpation? (Jie). While it would be easy to dismiss Kevin as an irredeemable monster, punishing a person for his lack of consciousness almost seems cruel. It is this sort of cerebral expression that literature brings to the fore and politics sadly has no answers for it.
Literature and Political Engagement
Literature also plays a huge role in the degree of engagement of life. It spikes our senses and incites us to explore the various aspects of being. It questions our existence and propels us to find answers for it. By replenishing our sense of awareness towards life, literature drives us toward active and positive political participation (Hyman and Frye 238). This participation will not be overshadowed by self-serving needs but will be crucial in improving the current circumstances. The great people of politics who have stood the test of time have had considerable help from literature. The famous speeches of history like Lincoln’s Gettysburg speech, Martin Luther King speech and even the Democratic conference speech of Obama in 2008 helped them establish themselves as formidable figures in politics. These personalities would not have been able to achieve the political status they did without the contribution of literature in the form of speeches.
Political Literature and Boundaries
While the effect of literature on politics is undeniable, it gives rise to an important question, should literature be political? This question has been debated for many years yet a conclusive answer has been elusive. There are many who argue that political literature incites anti governmental movements which could possibly lead to anarchy. The challengers of political literature cite the famous proverb “Pen is mightier than the sword” to stress their argument that radical writers could lead people down the wrong path. While Lincoln and Luther King used literature in their speeches to inspire people, Hitler used it as a tool to build an army. Several critics of political literature have called for establishing boundaries within literature while handling the subject of politics.
The Power of Literature
Supporters of political literature have lamented the critics for their lack of vision and ignorance. They argue that in the modern age, where people are able to voice their opinion more loudly than ever before, it is illogical to regulate literature. The supporters in retaliation to the Hitler comment say that if the people of Nazi Germany were more exposed to constructive literature, there would not have been a Nazi Germany. Literature sheds light, breaks shackles, shows the way and enlightens the masses. It is an indispensable part of life that has no equivalent. So, it is not surprising that such an influential phenomenon has had effects on various fields including politics. Any efforts made to curb the influence of literature over politics would have the same result as that of boiling the ocean.
The Influence of Literature on Politics
The gifted writers of the world in all their wisdom and knowledge have bestowed upon us the blessing called as literature. It has seen many centuries in the past and will thrive to see many centuries in the future. Literature is the cornerstone of our civilization. By studying its effects on politics throughout history, we can understand that literature has the power to make or break an establishment. It had released itself from the confines of didacticism to become the voice of the people who are otherwise unheard in the political world. The writers became reformers and through their work instigated development in the society. Literature has taken advantage of the macroscopic nature of politics to smuggle intelligible ideas and principles for the betterment of the people. It has educated the world on the significance of individuality and challenged the bipolar tendencies of politics. Without literature, the mental maturity of the people would have been crippled. Politics is a field that controls the machinations of everyday life. Literature is a field that reflects the spirit of everyday life (Ryan). For these two fields to have mutual influence over each other is a boon that will enhance both fields. To sum up, literature and politics are fruits from the same tree which happen to have different tastes, but serve the same purpose. The effect literature has had on politics has truly progressed it to heights which would have been unattainable without the intervention of literature.
Works Cited
Lindberg, John D. “Literature and Politics”. Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association
1968
Kerouac, Jack. “On The Road”. Macmillan Company
1955
Goncz, Arpad. “Politics in Literature, Literature in Politics”. Georgia Review
1991
Jie, Yong. “Literature and Politics”. 3:AM Magazine
2015
Hyman, Lawrence W. and Frye, Northrop. “Literature and Politics”.
Modern Language Association. 1985
Ryan, Sally. “Literature and Ideology”. The New International
2002
