What is Literature?

What is Literary Theory ?

What is literary Criticism?
elhabiblouai@yahoo.co.uk

Prof. Louai
2023-2024
 Definitions

Etymology:

The word literature derives from the Latin word littera, 'a letter of the
alphabet.' The Latin word for literature was simply the plural, litterae, and in
this basic sense literature embraces everything written with the letters of
the alphabet (https://community.plu.edu/)

Early 15c., "book-learning," from Latin literatura/litteratura "learning, a

writing, grammar," originally "writing formed with letters,"
from litera/littera "alphabetic letter" also "an epistle, writing, document;
literature, great books; science, learning" (see letter (n.1)). In English
originally "book learning" (in which sense it replaced Old English boccræft);
the meaning "activity of a writer, the profession of a literary writer" is first
attested 1779 in Johnson's "Lives of the English Poets;" that of "literary
productions as a whole, body of writings from a period or people" is first
recorded 1812. (https://www.etymonline.com/word/literature)
 Origins of Literature

 Literature (from the Latin Littera meaning 'letters' and

referring to an acquaintance with the written word) is
the written work of a specific culture, sub-
culture, religion, philosophy or the study of such written
work which may appear in poetry or in prose. Literature,
in the west, originated in the
southern Mesopotamia region of Sumer (c. 3200) in
the city of Uruk and flourished in Egypt, later
in Greece (the written word having been imported there
from the Phoenicians) and from there,
to Rome. Writing seems to have originated
independently in China from divination practices and
also independently in Mesoamerica and elsewhere.
Categories and Classifications of Literature