Study the following words and phrases:

to use rosy glasses – смотреть сквозь розовые очки

  what ' s worth our attention – то, что достойно нашего внимания

not worth a reader ' s time – не стоит времени читателей

the collective wisdom – коллективная мудрость

perception – восприятие

primarily – первоначально, прежде всего

on a much shorter time scale – на протяжении гораздо более короткого периода времени

sophisticated satire – тонкая сатира

assessment of literature – оценка литературы

to express oneself – выразить себя

2. Read and translate the text [60].

Literature is not dead. G. Devine is correct. You’re using rose tinted glasses to view the literature of the early twentieth century. If you walked into a book shop at the start of the 20th century you'd see as much slush on the shelves as you see today. Time filters literature. The poorer quality works are forgotten as we use the collective wisdom of a century of readers to let us know what's worth our attention.

You’re also using your rosy glasses on the readers of the early twentieth century. The level of world literacy has increased greatly since the early twentieth century. A lot more    people   can, and do, read. Saying there’re no good works of literature or similarly that no one cares about reading, is like pining for the ‘good old days’ and forgetting the reality of what those days were actually like.

Secondly, our perception of a work of literature changes over time. The works you’re holding in such high esteem now, may not have been viewed as such at the time they were written.

Shakespeare was a populist writer in his day. His works were written primarily as a form of entertainment to fill theatre seats. Plays were the films and TV of Shakespeare’s day. (Most people certainly didn't read his works, as most people couldn’t read!) While his works are of course still entertaining, you wouldn't call him a populist today. His works are now regarded as something of a high end literary gold standard. Very different from how most people would've thought them at the time.

I know Shakespeare is from much earlier than the 20th century, but this change of perception can happen on a much shorter time scale and even in the space of an individual's career. The BBC recently broadcast a tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett, 'Back in Black'. In the programme they showed critics discussing the Discworld novels at the start of his career and towards the end. Initially Terry's work was dismissed as frivolous and not worth a reader's time. Later the critical opinion took a u-turn and the Discworld novels were now sophisticated satire and very intelligently written.

Writers that are derided today, might be interpreted very differently in a hundred years time.

Thirdly, the nature of literature is changing. Social and technological developments mean that the avenues that writers have to express themselves through is changing.

You don't specify how you're defining literature in your assessment of the early twentieth century. Are you just looking at works such as novels, poems, plays? Or are you including other types of literature such as works on critical theory and political manifestos?

With this in mind, how are you defining literature today?

In a hundred years, when we look back at the literature of today we may find that some of the most interesting writers have been expressing themselves in new formats, such as news articles, song lyrics, or even blogs. Bob Dylan was recently awarded the Nobel prize in literature after all!

I wonder how wide a literary net you've cast before making your assessment of literature so far this century.

Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1. We are looking at literature and the readers of the XX century using rosy glasses.

2. Time filters literature.

3. Our perception of a work of literature does not change over time.

4. Shakespeare wrote his works primarily to enlighten people and share with them historical information.

5. Sir Terry Pratchett was at once recognized as a serious and respectable writer, worth readers’ attention.

6. The nature of literature is changing.

7. The Discworld novels are considered now sophisticated satire and very intelligently written.

8. Bob Dylan was recently awarded the Bookish prize.