LESSON 1: Introduction to Literature

LITERATURE

- is derived from the Latin word "litera" which means "letter"

- body of written works of language, period, and culture
- a faithful reproduction of man's manifold experiences blended into one harmonious expression

Importance of Literature

- Widens people’s knowledge and visions to understand more about some great literary works, famous authors,
and their thoughts.
- Allows people to get acquainted with their ideas, their feelings, and their attitudes towards life, man, nature, and
God.
- Becomes a means of transformation, that is, indirectly it may lead the wrong back to the right path although not all
literary works are preaching and moralizing.
- Allow people to become more realistic, mature, wise, and humane. It helps understand human values, sentiments,
interests, and problems.
- Brings people closer to other human beings of the same or different nationalities, cultures, human values, etc. we
become more tolerant, balanced, and fuller.

History of Literature

Literature and history are closely interrelated. In discovering the history of a

race, the feelings, aspirations, customs, and traditions of people are sure to be
included. These are all written in literature.

With this, literature may be figments of the imagination or events, devoid of

truth that have been written down, while history made up of what really
happened.

Literary Masterpieces

A literary masterpiece is distinguished as the highest degree of literary form. To achieve this distinction, a literary work
should possess the following qualities:

1. Artistry
2. Intellectual Value
3. Spiritual Value
4. Permanence
5. Suggestiveness
6. Style
7. Universality
 1. Bible or Sacred Writing
- This has become the basis of Christianity originating from Palestine and Greece.

2. Koran
- The Muslim Bible originating from Arabia

3. Iliad and Odyssey

- These have been the source of myths and legends of Greece. They were written by Homer.

4. Mahab-harata
- The longest epic in the world. It contains the history of religion in India.

5. Canterbury
- It depicts the religion and customs of English in early days. This originated from England and was written
by Chaucer.

6. Uncle Tom's Cabin

- Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe of the US. This depicted the sad fate of slaves. This became the basis
of democracy.

7. The Divine Comedy

- Written by Dante of Italy. This shows the religion and customs of early Italians

8. El' Cid Compeador

- This shows the cultural characteristics of Spaniards and their national history.

9. The Song of Roland

- This includes the Doce Pares and Ronces Valles of France. It tells about the Golden Age of Christianity In
France.

10. The Book of the Dead

- This includes the cult of Osiris and the Mythology and theology of Egypt.

11. The Book of the Days

- This was written by Confucius of China. This became the basis of Christian Religion.

12. One Thousand and One Night of the Arabian Nights from Arabia and Persia(Iran)
- It shows the ways of government of industries and of society of Arabia's and Persians.

Nature of Good Literature

- Good literature must seem lifelike and meaningful. it is caused by its focus on the central themes of all literature:
life, truth, justice, and love

- The originality of the works of art. Instances: Hamlet and Macbeth were real historical characters but then
Shakespeare by his craftsmanship and style made out of these old figures and stories in a new and fascinating
light

- It should be life-enhancing. Matthew Arnold said about poetry as a criticism of life

Theories of Literature

1. Imitative or “Mimetic” Theory

- This theory holds that art is an imitation of something. In his Poetics, Aristotle (382-322 B.C) says that a
tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious and complete. it is not 100% imitation but a “re-creation”
or “re-presentation”.

2. Expressive Theory
- This theory holds that the artist is not essentially an imitator but a man who expresses his feelings.
According to William Wordsworth, “poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings, and “the
poet’s job is to treat things NOT AS THE ARE, but as they seem to exist to the senses, the passion.”
more than that it is an effort to pluck the blindfold from our eyes and melt the ice around our heart. It will
deepen our sensibilities.

3. Affective Theory
- Affective theory insists that the aim is not to induce a temporary emotional state. But to induce an
emotional state that will lead to action. Leo Tolstoy said that emotion is not an end but a means.
Alexander Pope said that the aim or art is to reform those whom it touches.
LESSON 2: GENRES OF LITERATURE

The art of literature is not being studied by itself alone, but also in relation to its style, form, language, and technique used
by the writers. All ambitions and intellectual individuals read to achieve a more balanced outlook in life. The expose
themselves to the different literary forms in poetry and prose of the different countries of the world.

PROSE

Prose is a literary type that is written within the common flow of conversation in sentences and paragraphs.

The subject matter is usually familiar and ordinary although it also tackles subjects on heroism, beauty, love, and common
experiences. It uses ordinary language and has a natural flow of speech. It is distinguished from poetry, which uses a
formal meter and rhyme.

1. Fiction
- Fiction in literature is any story or novel that is created from the author's imagination, as opposed to being
based on facts or real events.

2. Non-fiction
- Non-fiction in literature is a genre which encompasses essays, biographies, memoirs, and other written
works that are based on facts and real events.

FICTION

● Legends
- A legend is a traditional story that has been passed down through generations and is typically based on
historical events that are usually about origins. Legends often include elements of mythology and folklore.

● Fables
- A fable is a short story, typically with animals as characters, that teaches a moral. Fables often have an
element of humor and are an enduring form of folk literature.

● Anecdotes
- These are merely products of the writer's imagination that aim to bring out lessons to the reader. It can be
stories about animals or children.
NON-FICTION

● Essays
- An essay is a short piece of writing that focuses on a particular topic or argument. Essays are used to
express ideas, explain a point, or discuss a topic in a structured and organized way.

● Biography
- A biography is a detailed description or account of a person's life. It includes facts and information about
the person's childhood, education, family, work, and death.

● News
- This is a report of everyday events to society, government, science and industry, and accidents
happening around.

● Oration
- This is a formal treatment of a subject and is intended to be spoken in public. It appeals to the intellect, to
the will, or to the emotions of the audience.

POETRY

Poetry is a literary type written in verse.

It has measures, rhymes, lines, stanzas, and tone. It uses imaginative and often rhythmic language to express an idea,
evoke emotion, or tell a story. It is often used to convey complex emotions and ideas in an accessible and creative way.

1. Narrative
- Narrative poetry is a form of poetry that tells a story. It usually follows a plot with characters, a setting, and
a climax.

2. Lyric
- Lyric poetry is a type of poetry that expresses personal emotions or thoughts. It often includes rhyme and
meter and can be sung as a song.

3. Dramatic
- Dramatic poetry is a type of poetry that is meant to be performed in a play or theatrical setting. It often
includes elements of dialogue, monologue, and characterization.

NARRATIVE

● Epic
- An epic is a long narrative poem that celebrates the deeds of a legendary hero. It features a hero who
represents the values of a particular society, and who goes on an epic journey or quest.

● Metric Tale
- A metric tale is a story told in verse, usually composed of stanzas or lines of poetry. Metric tales are an
ancient form of storytelling, often used in traditional folklore, fables, and myths.

● Ballad
- A ballad is a type of song that tells a story and often has a repeated chorus or refrain. Ballads typically
have a slow, rhythmic structure and use simple and emotional language.
LYRIC

● Folk Songs
- These are short poems intended to be sung. The common theme is love, despair, grief, doubt, joy, hope,
and sorrow.

● Sonnet
- This is a lyric poem of 14 lines dealing with an emotion, a feeling, or an idea. These are two types: Italian
and Shakespearean.

● Elegy
- This is a lyric poem which expresses feelings of grief and melancholy, and whose theme is death.

● Ode
- This is a poem of a noble feeling, expressed with dignity, with no definite number of syllables or definite
number of lines in a stanza.

● Psalms
- This is a song praising God or the Virgin Mary and containing a philosophy of life.

DRAMATIC

● Comedy
- The word comedy comes from the Greek term "Komos" meaning festivity or revelry. This form usually is
light and written with the purpose of amusing and usually a happy ending.

● Melodrama
- This is usually used in musical plays with the opera. It arouses immediate and intense emotion and is
usually sad, but there is a happy ending for the principal character.

● Tragedy
- This involves the hero struggling mightily against dynamic forces; meets death or ruin without success
and satisfaction obtained by the protagonist in a comedy.

● Farce
- This is an exaggerated comedy. It seeks to arouse mirth by laughable lines; situations are too ridiculous
to be true; the characters seem to be caricatures and the motives undignified and absurd.

● Social Poems
- This form is either purely comic or tragic and it pictures the life of today. It aims to bring about changes in
the social conditions.
LESSON 3: LITERARY CRITICISMS

CRITICAL APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF LITERATURE

Critical approaches are different perspectives we consider when looking at a piece of literature

They seek to give us answers to these questions, in addition to aiding us in interpreting literature
1. What do we read?
2. Why do we read?
3. How do we read?

Literary criticism gives us a window into a work of literature. It gives us a particular way of understanding the text from a
specific viewpoint.

Critical Approaches to Consider

1. Reader-Response Criticism response of reader

2. Formalist Criticism form of literary work; a text is an independent entity
3. Psychological/Psychoanalytic Criticism author’s mind
4. Sociological Criticism reflection of society
a. Feminist/Gender Criticism influence of women; written by men, for men
b. Marxist Criticism role of power, politics, money
5. Biographical Criticism consider author’s life and experience
6. New Historicist Criticism history is not truly objective; interpretations, not facts

Questions to Ponder for Each Theory/Approach

● What are the benefits of each form of criticism?

● What are the potential problems with each form?
● Is there a “right” or a “wrong” form?
● Can the mode of criticism alter the entire meaning of a text?

READER-RESPONSE APPROACH

Reader + Reading Situation + Text = Meaning

● Reader-Response Criticism asserts that a great deal of meaning in a text lies with how the reader responds to it
○ Focuses on the act of reading an how it affects our perception of meaning in a text (how we feel at the
beginning vs. the end)
○ Deals more with the process of creating meaning and experiencing a text as we read. A text is an
experience, not an object.
○ The text is a living thing that lives in the reader’s imagination

2 Important Ideas in Reader-Response

1. An individual reader’s interpretation usually changes over time

2. Readers from different generations and different time periods interpret texts differently

Ultimately, how do YOU feel about what you have read? What do YOU think it means?
FORMALIST APPROACH

● Formalist Criticism emphasizes the form of a literary work to determine its meaning, focusing on literary
elements and how they work to create meaning.
○ Examines a text as independent from its time period, social setting, and author’s background. A text is an
independent entity.
○ Focuses on close readings of texts and analysis of the effects of literary elements and techniques on the
text.

2 Major Principles of Formalism

1. A literary text exists independent of any particular reader and, in a sense, has a fixed meaning
2. The greatest literary texts are “timeless” and “universal”

PSYCHOLOGICAL/PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH

● Psychological Criticism views a text as a revelation of its author’s mind and personality. It is based on the work
of Sigmund Freud.
○ Also focuses on the hidden motivations of literary characters
○ Looks at literary characters as a reflection of the writer

SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH

● Sociological Criticism argues that social contexts (the social environment) must be considered when analyzing
a text.
○ Focuses on the values of a society and how those views are reflected in a text
○ Emphasizes the economic, political, and cultural issues within literary texts
○ Core Belief: Literary is a reflection of its society.

MARXIST APPROACH

● Marxist Criticism emphasizes economic and social conditions. It is based on the political theory of Karl
Marx and Friedrich Engels.
○ Concerned with understanding the role of power, politics, and money in literary texts
● Marxist Criticism examines literature to see how it reflects
○ The way in which dominant groups (typically, the majority) exploit the subordinate groups
(typically, the minority)
○ The way in which people become alienated from one another through power, money, and politics

FEMINIST APPROACH

● Feminist Criticism is concerned with the role, position, and influence of women in a literary text.
○ Asserts that most “literature” throughout time has been written by men, for men.
○ Examines the way that the female consciousness is depicted by both male and female writers.

4 Basic Principles of Feminist Criticism

1. Western civilization is patriarchal

2. The concepts of gender are mainly cultural ideas created by patriarchal societies
3. Patriarchal ideals pervade “literature”
4. Most “literature” through time has been gender-biased.
BIOGRAPHICAL APPROACH

● Biographical Criticism argues that we must take an author’s life and background into account when we study a
text.

Three Benefits:

1. Facts about an author’s experience can help a reader decide how to interpret a text
2. A reader can better appreciate a text by knowing a writer’s struggles or difficulties in creating that text
3. A reader can understand a writer’s preoccupation by studying the way they apply and modify their own
life experiences in their works

NEW HISTORICIST APPROACH

● New Historicist Criticism argues that every literary work is a product of its time and its world
○ Provides background information necessary to understand how literary texts were perceived in their time
○ Show how literary texts reflect ideas and attitudes of the time in which they were written
● New historicist critics often compare the language in contemporary documents and literary texts to reveal cultural
assumptions and values in the text.

NEW HISTORICISTS

● Believe “history” cannot be truly objective or comprehensive because it is constantly written and rewritten
● Believe studying the historical context of a work can illuminate our biases and hopefully enable us to
understand the text (and the culture, context, ourselves) better.

HISTORICISM vs. NEW HISTORICISM

● Historians ask, “What happened?” and “What does the event tell us about history?”
New Historicists ask, “How has the event been interpreted?” and “What do the interpretations tell us
about the interpreters?”

● New Historicists do not believe that we can look at history objectively, but rather that we interpret events
as products of our time and culture and that “...we don’t have a clear access to any but the most basic
facts of history…our understanding of what such facts mean…is…strictly a matter of interpretation, not
fact”.
● Moreover, New Historicism holds that we are hopelessly subjective interpreters of what we observe.

DECONSTRUCTIONIST APPROACH

● Deconstructionists believe that language cannot accurately represent reality.

● It seeks to break down binaries - good/bad, mind/body, rational/emotional, man/woman
● They believe that literary texts cannot possibly have a single meaning.

Ex. What does this sentence mean to you?

Time flies like an arrow.

● Time (noun) flies (verb) like an arrow (adverb clause) = Time passes quickly
● Time (verb) flies (object) like an arrow (adverb clause) = Get out your stopwatch and time the
speed of flies as you would time an arrow’s flight.
 ● Time flies (noun) like (verb) an arrow (object) = Time flies are fond of arrows (or at least of one
particular arrow).

Deconstruction in the news

“It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is' is.”

REMEMBER…

● We will never look at a text STRICTLY from one standpoint or another, ignoring all other views. That is antithetical
to what we are trying to do.
● We should always keep our focus on the text and use these critical approaches to clarify our understanding of a
text and develop an interpretation of it.
LESSON 4: READING

READING
- is a cognitive process that involves decoding symbols to arrive at meaning.

THE IMPORTANCE OF READING

1. Reading is a complex mental task.

● Reading makes you utilize your brain, which in turn:
○ Improves concentration
○ Improves ability to pay attention
○ Improves ability to focus for longer periods of time
● Ex. Albert Einstein - with a reading disorder who never gave up and became a successful inventor

2. Reading improves discipline and memory.

● Making time for books everyday improves discipline and is shown to be personally rewarding over time.
● Reading helps you to use and even improve your memory by remembering details, characters, plots, and
more.
● Ex. Walt Disney - suffered from dyslexia and had a hard time reading but is one of the most influential
people in the entertainment field.

3. Reading builds self-esteem.

● Reading more expands the amount of knowledge you have.
● More knowledge leads to higher confidence.
● Higher confidence boosts self-esteem.
● Ex. Hellen Keller - first deaf and blind person to attend and graduate college; who also wrote and
published over 12 books.

4. Reading improves creativity.

● Reading about new things challenges your brain to think in new ways.
● Reading helps to develop the creative side of the brain by exposing it to unique or unfamiliar ideas.
● Ex. Martin Luther King Jr. - skipped 9th and 11th grade; entered college at the age of 15; got his PhD at
the age of 25; youngest man to ever win the Nobel Peace Price.

5. Reading improves vocabulary.

● Reading challenging books will expose you to many new words.
● With the help of a dictionary and context clues, you will be able to build your vocabulary in no time.
● Ex. Pres. Barack Obama - 44th president of the United States; he wrote 30 books.

6. Reading increases imagination.

● Reading strengthens and improves imagination by putting the brain in new situations.
● Our brain processes descriptions by putting them into mental pictures.
● This also reduces boredom and enhances activity.
● Ex. Oprah Winfrey - 11th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine; she started her own
book club, which is immensely popular today; she has her own popular magazine.

7. Reading broadens your horizons.

● Reading gives you an insight into diversity and other cultures.
● It teaches you about people, places, and events outside of your own experiences.
● It teaches you about different beliefs and ways of life that may be new to you.
● Ex. Louis Tomlinson - he loves reading books; ⅔ of 8th graders do not read at a proficient level.
 8. Reading helps develop a strong sense of character.
● Reading helps us to develop empathy by allowing us to feel what our characters feel and put ourselves in
someone else’s shoes.
● It also builds a strong sense of compassion.
● Reading establishes a better understanding of human nature.
● Ex. Rupert Grint - he is fond of reading; cast Ron Weasley at the age of 11; from 2001-2011, he starred in
all 8 Harry Potter films.

9. Reading improves school performance.

● It doesn’t just improve English/Language Arts, or even history. Avid readers got better grades across all
subjects, even math.
● Avid readers also are known to get better grades throughout middle, high school, and college.
● Ex. George Clooney - an American actor and filmmaker; he won three Golden Globe Awards as an actor,
and two Academy Awards for acting and for producing.

10. Words are our everyday tools

● You speak thousands of words everyday.
● Many people write something everyday.
● Avid readers find it easier to communicate because of their expanded vocabularies and practice of
vocabulary through reading.

QUICK TIPS AND IDEAS TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR READING TIME

● Schedule time to read

● Set yourself up for success
● Choose and use a specific reading strategy
● Monitor your comprehension
● Take notes as you read

Kathleen King’s Tips

● Read sitting up
● Keep background noise to a minimum
● Keep paper and pen within reach
● Before beginning to read, think about the purpose of the reading
● Survey the reading
● Strategize your approach
● Scan effectively
● Get a feel for what;s expected of you by the reading
● Write as you read
● If you get stuck, think and write about where you got stuck.
● Record and explore your confusion
● When the going gets difficult, and you don’t understand the reading, slow down and reread sections.
● Break long assignments into segments
● Read prefaces and summaries
LESSON 5: THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON (Luke 15: 11-32)

PARABLE
- A brief story that is meant to teach a lesson or illustrate a moral truth.
- A parable is more than a simple story. Each detail of the parable corresponds to some aspect of the problem or
moral dilemma to which it is directed.

Definition of Terms
1. Prodigal - wasteful; exceedingly & recklessly wasteful
2. Riotous - marked by or involving public disorder; characterized by wild an uncontrolled behavior
3. Famine - extreme scarcity of food
4. Swine - a pig
5. Hither - to or toward the place
6. Transgress - infringe or go beyond the bounds of moral principle
7. Harlot - prostitute

CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE

- 1st century BC

Pharisees and Scribes

● Often opposed to Jesus because he found their traditions & teachings inadequate
● Were “lovers of money”
● Complained that Jesus was a man of loose morals:
○ “This man receives sinners and eats with them” - tax collectors and sinners
● Against the conversion (redemption) of Gentiles

Jesus’ Response
● Parable of the Lost Sheep (15: 3-7)
● Parable of the Lost Coin (15: 8-10)
● Parable of the Prodigal Son (15: 10-32)

LUKE
● Historian, medical doctor by profession
● Early Christian writer (Gospel of Luke & Acts of the Apostles)
● Born of Green origin in Antioch and died at 84 in Boeotia
● Attention to detail, recording events & dates
○ Scientific, orderly approach
○ Carefully researched events
■ “eyewitnesses and servants of the word”
■ Interviews & preachings of the apostles
■ Close with Paul

PRODIGAL SON

10: Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
11: And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto
them his living.
13: And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there
wasted his substance with riotous living.
14: And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15: And he went and joined himself as a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16: And he would fain have filled his belly with husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17: And when he came to himself,
18: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee
19: And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20: And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion,
and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21: And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called
thy son.
22: But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his and shoes on his
feet:
23: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.
25: Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26: And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27: And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and
sound.
28: And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.
29: And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy
commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted
calf.
31: And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32: It was met that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and
is found.

CHARACTERS

Prodigal Son
● Symbolizes all of Fallen Mankind
● Symbolizes each individual sinner
● Demonstrates the path of repentance

● his request of premature inheritance

○ mankind’s will (thoughts, desires), will to follow own will over God’s
● his fall
○ Demonstrates the natural state of unregenerate mankind
■ toward lust, greed, wastefulness, extravagance
● alienation from God
○ Without God, we squander & become lost
○ Grow hungry – cannot be sated by swinish pods (other gods/religions or materialism)
○ Descend into futility, darkness, humiliation

Elder Son
● His sins
○ Self-righteousness, lack of forgiveness, hard-heartedness, lack of brotherly love and forgiveness, lack of
compassion
● Disowns brother
● Symbolizes the Pharisees and Scribes
○ Envy, self-conceit, self-importance, pride, vanity, arrogance, snobbery, self-satisfaction
● Justification
○ Blind to his father’s love, to imputed grace, to the gifts he has & has always had
○ Misses the point
■ could have had a “party” w/ a fatted calf any time he wanted
■ should be happy for his brother’s return
■ should rejoice in his brother’s redemption/repentance
 ■ should forgive his brother’s transgressions
■ should realize it could have been him (“there but for the grace of God go I”)
● Self-serving service
○ does good to get noticed, appreciated
○ not virtue for virtue’s sake BUT for some reward
■ do good not b/c it’s the right thing to do but b/c it gets a reward, attention
○ attention-seeking behavior
○ actions, duty without heart
○ see “Say Yes”
● Father goes out to him, too
○ He is a “prodigal” or lost son too
○ He needs to learn a lesson to
○ He needs some humility

Father

Positive Negative

● Gives all he has ● Too prodigal with his love, money, property
● Gives inheritance prematurely ○ Gave the money prematurely
● Gives unconditional love ○ Accepted son back too easily
○ Accepts younger son without explanation, ○ Son’s confession
repentance, excuses, … ■ Rehearsed
○ Celebrates the son’s return ■ Way of evading responsibility of his
● Prodigal with his love error/prodigality
○ Goes out to prodigal son ○ Ending = Father returning (ignorantly) to his
○ Goes out to elder son original error
● Complete, undeserved forgiveness ■ Father has learned nothing
■ Younger son has learned nothing (got
away with it, will again)
■ Elder son has learned to be unrighteous,
prodigal

THEMES OF THE PARABLE

1. Forgiveness
2. Repentance
3. Hope
4. Humanity
LESSON 6: HAPPINESS FROM THE DHAMMAPADA

THE DHAMMAPADA
- The best-loved book and the fountainhead of faith in all the traditions of Buddhism is
- A collection of the Buddha’s sayings uttered on various occasions during 45 years of his life as the Enlightened
Teacher.
- It was probably compiled by followers of the Buddha.
- It is believed that the Buddha lived from 563 to 483 BCE in India.
- He started out life as Prince Gotamma, but later became known as the Buddha as a result of his spiritual
awakening.

We live happily indeed, not hating those who hate us! Among men who hate us, we dwell free from hatred! We live
happily indeed, free from ailments among the ailing! Among men who are ailing let us dwell free from ailments.

We live happily indeed, free from greed among the greedy! Among men who are greedy let us dwell free from greed!

We live happily indeed, though we call nothing our own! We shall be like the bright gods, feeding on happiness!

Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given up both victory and defeat, he, the contented
is happy.

There is no fire like passion; there is no losing throw like hatred; there is no pain like this body; there is no happiness
higher than rest.

Hunger is the worst of diseases, the elements of the body the greatest evil; if one knows this truly, that is Nirvana, the
highest happiness.

He who has tasted the sweetness of solitude and tranquility, is free from fear and free from sin, while he tastes the
sweetness of drinking in the law.

The sight of the elect (Ariya) is good, to live with them is always happiness; if a man does not see fools, he will be truly
happy.

He who walks in the company of fools suffers a long way; company with fools, as with an enemy, is always painful;
company with the wise is pleasure, like meeting with kinsfolk.

Therefore, one ought to follow the wise, the intelligent, the learned, the much enduring, the dutiful, the elect; one ought to
follow such a good and wise man, as the moon follows the path of the stars.
LESSON 7: BOOK OF SONGS (Shi-Jing)

BACKGROUND

Zhou Dynasty
- The longest dynasty of China > 800 years
- Generally believed that agriculture began and developed in the Zhou Dynasty
- Before the Zhou unified China, they were a subsidiary of the Shang Dynasty
- It was generally believed that agriculture began and developed in the Zhou
- Farming activities, sacrificial offerings & ceremony, the relationship between the State and farming

Feudalism
- The King gave land/resources to his relative/warriors, so that they could help him to rule the state

Nobles and Sub-nobles - rule their land

Nobles Sub-nobles

1. Land 1. Land
2. Official 2. Annual meetings with the superior
3. Soldiers 3. Regular contribution to the superior
4. Annual meetings with the King
5. Regular contribution to the King

INTRODUCTION

- Music book of ancient China

- Closely related to ancient musical activities and dancing
- The more ancient a poem in the Book of Songs is, the closer relation between it and official/sacrificial
music/dance
- Later poems of the Book of Songs are folk songs

- After the 5th century BC, the original music scores were completely lost.
- Later became one of the six classics of the Confucian school, and a required reading for literati for more than
2000 years
- The fountainhead of Chinese literature
- Poems are dated from 12th century to 7th century BC
- Many of their stylistic qualities go under modification until the time of Confucius (in late Zhou Dynasty)

- The book in its definitive form was officially banned from the 3rd century BC (Chin/Zhen Dynasty)
- The text survived orally and in hidden manuscripts so that it was possible to restore the collection in Han Dynasty
- Four separate versions were reconstructed
- Of the four, the text preserved by a master Hao (Han dynasty) has survived to the present day, named
The Poetry of Mao
- The other three exists only in fragments

- It is divided into 4 sections:

1. Folk Songs
2. Odes
a. Greater Odes - general
b. Lesser Odes - more specific
3. Hymns
 FOLK SONGS
- It comprises songs No. 1-160
- 15 groups of songs with folk features, from 15 geographical areas
- Rich in content, dealing with labor, love affairs, marriage, despair and hardships of the unprivileged, and
protests against tyranny and war
- Reflecting the everyday life of various people

ODES
- In total 105 poems
- Some poems overlap with the Folk Song in folk attributes, and others which constitute celebrations
composed for banquets and feasts of the royal family
- 2 kinds: Greater & Lesser Odes

Greater Odes of the Kingdom

- No. 235-265
- It contains poems of greater scope, more grand in style, and more sublime in theme
- Scattered in this section are more important pieces, which together can be seen as an epic of
early Zhou history
- This section also contains hyperbolic odes extolling heroism - hyperbolic in expression

HYMNS OF THE TEMPLE AND ALTAR

- No. 266-305
- It is divided into the Zhoe hymns, Lu hymns, and Shang hymns. I.e., hymns from different dynasties and
the home state of Confucius
- Most of these are formal, ritual hymns that praise the ancestors envisioned in the rites
- Reveal interesting pictures of feasting and religious ceremonies, the myths connected with the rise of
dominance of the Zhou people and conflicts between the ruling class and the ruled.

SUBJECT MATTER / STYLE / MODES OF EXPRESSION

- The subject matter of the poems varies greatly from one section to another
- While in the presentation of the theme, the tone may be positive or censuring. The later editor of the book,
Confucius, commented that the poems could be described as “having no depraved thoughts.”
- No form/structure being followed so the people have freedom to express their thoughts
- In general, straightforward and natural.
- Typical of ancient literature in terms of immediacy of imagery and persuasive musical quality.
- The modes of expression are by no means simple: the poems are rich in metaphors and similes, both direct and
indirect, as well as narrative displays

GENERAL CHARACTERISTIC
- The majority of the poems were composed spontaneously before specific audiences.
- It indicates that the poetic tradition before Confucius was primarily oral.
- Poems have no title - usually the first two Chinese characters will be used as the title
- Poems are anonymous except three

INFLUENCE OF BOOK OF SONGS

- The Book of Songs occupies an important place in the history of Chinese literature
- Great poets throughout Chinese history drew inspirations from the anthology
- The Book of Songs has exerted a profound influence upon the entire course of the development of Chinese
poetry

CONFUCIUS
- A Chinese philosopher
- One of the most influential figures in Chinese history
- The Shi-Jing is the first collection of ancient Chinese poetry, and it ranks as one of the Confucian classics.
SOME POEMS FROM THE BOOK OF SONGS

Rice Plums
- About a woman with seven suitors
- About fixed marriage
- Rice plums symbolize wealth, extravagance, and royalty

Ripe plums are dropping, May a fine lover come for me

Now there are only seven, While there is still time.
May a fine lover come for me
Now while there is yet time. Ripe plums are dropping,
I lay them in a shallow basket.
Ripe plums are dropping, May a fine lover come for me.
Now there are only three. Tell me his name

The Moon is Rising

- About a mother seeing her child go free
- About a mother’s love / mother figure

The white moon is rising, Why am I caught in these chains?

O lady so lovely and bright Why am I consumed with grief?
Why am I enchanted?
Why am I consumed with grief? The moon rising in splendor
Is the light of my love.
The white moon is rising Why am I forsaken?
Is like the splendor of my lady. Why am I consumed with grief?

The Turbulent Waters

- Symbolizes disaster
- The turbulent waters symbolize challenges
- It tells that, despite the challenges, we have trust in the Lord. We always have the Almighty to hold on to during
challenges.

Amid the turbulent waters With a white coat and a red lappet
The white rocks stand clean. I followed you to Kao
With a white coat and a red lappet Now that I have seen my lord,
I followed you to Yuch. Why should I be sad?
Now that I have seen my Lord,
Shall I not rejoice? Amid the turbulent waters
The white rocks are dashed clean.
Amid the turbulent waters I have heard that you are wedded:
The white rocks washed clean. I dare not talk to you.