Literary Standards

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

We use the word literature, in a broad sense, to mean compositions that tell stories, dramatize situations, express emotions, and analyze and advocate ideas. Before the invention of writing thousands of years ago, literary works were necessarily spoken of sung, and they were retained only as long as living people continued to repeat them. In some societies, the oral tradition of literature still exists, with many poems and stories designed exclusively for spoken delivery.

No matter how we assimilate literature, we gain much from it. In truth, readers often cannot explain why they enjoy reading, for goals and ideas are not easily articulated. There are, however, areas of general agreement about the value of systematic and extensive reading.

The literary standards and its divisions make a piece have the quality of a particular role. Since the literary standards are important in literature, the role of it within the higher education has been very important in every literature students. They use the literary standards in their various researches and it also serves as a part of their learning outcomes in their respective literature subject.

This study will present the seven literary standards of literature namely: artistry, intellectual beauty, suggestiveness, spiritual value, permanence, universality and style. This study will also present the divisions on each of the standards. This study will present their definitions and examples which will discuss further.

Significance of the Study

This study will help us grow, both personally and intellectually. It will open doors for us. It will stretch our minds. It will develop our imagination, increase our understanding, and deepen our power of sympathy. It will help us see beauty in the world around us. It will link us with the cultural, philosophical, and religious world of which we are part. It will enable us to recognize human dreams and struggles in different times and places. It will help us develop mature sensibility and compassion for all living beings. It will nurture our ability to appreciate the beauty of natural order and arrangement-gifts that are also captured by a well-structured song, a beautifully painted canvas or a well-chiseled piece of sculpture. It will enable us to see worthiness in the aims of otherwise seemingly unworthy people. It will exercise our emotions through interest, concern, sympathy, tension, excitement, regret, fear, laughter and hope. It will encourage us to assist creative and talented people who need recognition and support. Through our cumulative experience in reading, it will shape our goals and values by clarifying our own identities-both positively, through acceptance of the admirable in human beings, and negatively, through