Relation between Literature and Society

We all know that literature mirrors society. What happens in a society is reflected in literary
works in one form or another. The literal meaning of literature is the art of written work in different
forms, such as, poetry, plays, stories, prose, fiction, etc. It may also consist of texts based on information
as well as imagination. A society is a group of people related to each other through their continuous and
uninterrupted relations. It is also a group of likeminded people largely governed by their own norms and
values. Human society, it is observed, is characterized by the patterns of relationship between
individuals who share cultures, traditions, beliefs and values, etc. If one looks at the history of society,
one will find that the nature of different societies has gone through changes from the Palaeolithic period
to the present age of Information Technology. The people’s living style, faiths, beliefs, cultures, etc.,
have never remained uniformly consistent. With the passage of time, owing to changes taking place in
environment and with emergence of new technologies, we observe that the societies have not
remained stubborn with regards to their norms and values, the reflections of which can be found in
different forms of literature.

Different societies have used and are still using different languages for the fulfillment of
individuals and societies‟ aspirations. Sometime it is noticed that many charges are labelled against
literature as well as society. A literary writing is banned because an opposite section of society finds it
mirroring beliefs and norms against that society.

The influence of literature on society is felt directly or indirectly. Thus Miss Stowe's "Uncle Tom's
Cabin' was directly responsible for a movement against slavery in literature and life in USA of those days.
The novels of Dickens had an indirect influence in creating in society a feeling for regulating and
removing social wrongs, calling for necessary reforms. Sarat Chandra's novels have gone a long way in
breaking conservatism as regards women in our society. It is, however, clear that if we are interested in
literature, and its influence is bound to move us amply. Literature is made out of the lore of life. No
doubt, the realistic artist brings to a focus the oddities and cruder aspects of life overmuch. But to know
life fully, not only the bright side but also the seamy and dark side of life is to be known. Thus, society
creates literature. It may be described as the mirror of the society. But the quality and nature of the
reflection depends upon the writer's attitude of mind, whether he is progressive in his outlook or
reactionary.

We all know that literature mirrors society. What happens in a society is reflected in literary
works in one form or another. The literal meaning of literature is the art of written work in different
forms, such as, poetry, plays, stories, prose, fiction etc. It may also consist of texts based on information
as well as imagination. A society is a group of people related to each other through their continuous
and uninterrupted relations. It is also a group of likeminded people largely governed by their own norms
and values. Human society, it is observed, is characterized by the patterns of relationship between
individuals who share cultures, traditions, beliefs and values etc. If one looks at the history of society,
one will find that the nature of different societies has gone through changes from the Palaeolithic period
to the present age of Information Technology. The people‟s living style, faiths, beliefs, cultures etc. have
never remained uniformly consistent. With the passage of time, owing to changes taking place in
environment and with emergence of new technologies, we observe that the societies have not
remained stubborn with regards to their norms and values, the reflections of which can be found in
different forms of literature. Kalidas ,a great poet ,ever born in Indian history, is first afraid of the
uncertain attitude of the people, but then pleads his own points of views that provide us union of the
old and the new.

Literature in a society is not only banned or attempted to be banned because of mirroring the
norms and values, not found in conformity with that society, it is sometime marginalized or vehemently
opposed due to another form of language it is written by ,and which is different from what people have
been using. In the context of depicting or portraying the Epics in a language commonly used by the
people during that period, examples of strong opposition by a different section of society.

Introduction of Literature

That literature is a reflection of the society is a fact that has been widely acknowledged.
Literature indeed reflects the society, its good values and its ills. In its corrective function, literature
mirrors the ills of the society with a view to making the society realize its mistakes and make amends. It
also projects the virtues or good values in the society for people to emulate. Literature, as an imitation
of human action, often presents a picture of what people think, say and do in the society. In literature,
we find stories designed to portray human life and action through some characters who, by their words,
action and reaction, convey certain messages for the purpose of education, information and
entertainment. It is impossible to find a work of literature that excludes the attitudes, morale and values
of the society, since no writer has been brought up completely unexposed to the world around him.
What writers of literature do is to transport the real-life events in their society into fiction and present it
to the society as a mirror with which people can look at themselves and make amends where necessary.
Thus, literature is not only a reflection of the society but also serves as a corrective mirror in which
members of the society can look at themselves and find the need for positive change. It is necessary to
take a close look at some works of literature, in order to understand how literature actually reflects the
society.

A literary man is as much a product of his society as his art is product of his own reaction to life.
Even the greatest of artists is sometimes a conscious, sometimes an unconscious exponent of his time-
spirit. The time-spirit is the total outcome, the quintessential accretion of all the political, social,
religious and scientific changes of a particular age. The historical aspect of literature therefore, minor or
unimportant though it may be for aesthetic purpose, cannot be totally ignored. Thus literature reflects
his zeitgeist or the Time-Spirit. No writer can escape influence of his age. Every man, according to
Goethe‘s statement, is the citizen of his age as well as of his country. Renan remarked: ―One belongs to
one‘s century and race, even when one reacts against one‘s century and race.‖ Thus literature always
expresses the thoughts and sentiments of human mind which are closely connected with and
conditioned by the age. The influence of the age on the human mind is due to the fact that the latter is
constantly influenced by the spirit of the age and reacts to it vividly and vigorously. The reflection of the
age depends on the quality of the mind in which it is reflected. If a work of literature is to be judged by
the quality of this reflection, it is apparent that it depends on the quality and nature of the reflecting
mind. Literature means something that is written for refreshing and inspiring the mind. It records the
thoughts and feelings of great minds. It attracts in two ways—through its matter and through its
manner. The matter must be such that those who read it are interested in some way. The manner must
be such as will be pleasing to the reader and adds to his fund of knowledge. We live in a society. There
are relations and interrelation between men who live in the society. We like to hear about our fellow
men who live in society, their thoughts and feelings, their likes and dislikes. Naturally, if we have the
power of language to express the feelings, we are well on the way to creating literature. In other words,
the subject matter of literature is society in some form or the other.

Patriotism and Nationalism (How does one learn) – in relation to literature

Patriotism or national pride is the feeling of love, devotion and sense of attachment to a
homeland and alliance with other citizens who share the same sentiment. This attachment can be a
combination of many different feelings relating to one's own homeland, including ethnic, cultural,
political or historical aspects. It encompasses a set of concepts closely related to nationalism.[1][2][3]
Some manifestations of patriotism emphasise the "land" element in love for one's native land and use
the symbolism of agriculture and the soil[4][5] – compare Blut und Boden. By 'patriotism' I mean
devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life, which one believes to be the best in the world
but has no wish to force upon other people. Patriotism is of its nature defensive, both militarily and
culturally. Nationalism, on the other hand, is inseparable from the desire for power.

Nationalism and patriotism in filipino context

What does Nationalism mean? From the Philippines, its stronghold, nationalism is a devotion of
love for one’s country. Nationalism means to give more importance to unity by way of a cultural
background, including language and heritage. It implies to a person that his country is the most superior
among other countries and he will defend it no matter what. What does Patriotism mean? Patriotism is
a devotion to one’s country for no other reason than being a citizen of that country. It is a common
virtue that pertains to the love for a nation, with more emphasis on values and beliefs. One who is
patriotic will be ready to make any sacrifice for his country. He will never live selfishly for himself alone.
A soldier for instance makes the supreme sacrifice of his life for the sake of his country.

Patriotism vs. Nationalism Nationalism and patriotism are often used interchangeably, meaning
one for the other. There is, however, a wide distinction between nationalism and patriotism as political
concepts. Nationalism, etymologically, means love, care for, preservation and patronage of one’s native
land and everything in it—the country of birth of a national, whether it be Filipino or otherwise. To be a
Filipino nationalist, therefore, the ethnological ramifications of nationalism must all be present in one’s
being. This implies a heartfelt dedication for the love, care, and preservation of the Philippines and
everything that is identified with it: the Philippine territory, the inhabitants, Philippine sovereignty, its
government, all things that represent and symbolize the country; the aspirations, hopes, dreams and
needs of the Filipino people. Patriotism vs. Nationalism The famous poet Rabindranath Tagore, himself a
great patriot, said that patriotism is more important than nationalism. A patriot loves his own country,
but he does not hate the people of other countries. A nationalist might consider his own nation
important and hate the people of other nations. A patriot is international in his outlook. He is broad-
minded and tolerant. He is a citizen of the world. A nationalist may be narrow-minded. He may think in
terms of his own country and hate all those who are not his countrymen.

Patriotism vs nationalism

While the words patriotism and nationalism were once considered synonyms, they have taken on
different connotations. While both are the feelings of love people feel for their country, the values upon
which those feelings are based are very different. Feelings of patriotism are based on the positive values
the country embraces—like freedom, justice, and equality. The patriot believes that both the system of
government and the people of their country are inherently good and work together for a better quality
of life.

In contrast, feelings of nationalism are based on a belief that one’s country is superior to all others. It
also carries a connotation of distrust or disapproval of other countries, leading to the assumption that
other countries are rivals. While patriots do not automatically denigrate other countries, nationalists do,
sometimes to the point of calling for their country’s global dominance. Nationalism, through its
protectionist beliefs, is the polar opposite of globalism. Historically, the effects of nationalism have been
both positive and negative. While it has driven independence movements,

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1425. AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS,
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COURSES ON THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL,

Given the characteristic of Literature and the hazards of translation, is rep act realistic? Why or why not?