A Critique on the Elements of Literature: Its Characters and Themes - Research Paper Example

A Critique on the Elements of Literature: Its Characters and Themes What motivate an individualto compose a literary work are his emotions. It is indeed easy to create a literary masterpiece, where one’s emotions play a significant part in choosing the right words to impart. However, there is more to literature than being a mere avenue of expression; more so, when a work is deemed part of world literature. World literature influences readership across cultures and languages, which makes it an essential part of local culture. The works that comprise the world’s national literature are commonly age old, yet these works continue to fascinate readers because of its sensibility that connects to the individual. This fascination is attributed to the consideration that is given to the elements that make up a literary work. In connection with the growing interest on world literature a critical analysis on the works of Guy de Maupassant (The Horrible) and William Shakespeare (“Sonnet 29”) is endeavored. To enable the comparison, the significance of characters and themes to the creation of these literary works will be explored. The characters of a literary work usually leave a mark on the readers. They may either love or hate the character depending on how it affects them. Authors go through the process of characterization in order to create the ideal characters with personalities that are fit to the story, which is about to be told. Through characterization, readers are enabled to put oneself in the place of the character eventually feeling that sense of connection between the experiences of the character in the story and to those experienced in reality. For instance, in The Horrible, De Maupassant uses the character of General G--to illumine the real meaning of the world horrible based on a certain happening. As the plot of the story begins with a conversation among several men, the character of General G--serves as the recounter of a past event that construes an extremely horrible happening. General G--, who is obviously a former military man, is used to seeing deaths, yet he does not consider the drowning of two men and three women in front of the eyes of the guests as horrible. The character of General G--, allowed de Maupassant to relate the story to reality. By reading his story, readers understand what the character General G--believes is a horrible event, and from there the perception of a reader could be affected. Perhaps, the characters of a literary work are fundamental to make it appealing in the eyes of its target audience. The mystery that is attached to a character adds to the allure of a literary work. The works of William Shakespeare, for example, are among the seldom and few works of world literature that continue to entice a vast number of readers. Its magnetism has remained strong despite being written many years ago. In “Sonnet 29,” Shakespeare uses the character of a fair youth, to create a poem that narrates an encounter with depression. Although there is no specific indication of the subject as either a man or a woman, it is believed that the work describes the depression of a man, which is brought by social isolation because of his outcast state. Shakespeare’s characterization of the fair youth is the enigma that makes his work compelling and, at the same time, unresolved (Sarker 84). It is the hidden character of this character that draws the attention of readers, especially those whose struggles are similar to that of the fair youth. Authors of fictional and non-fiction literature often make use of various characters to achieve the aim of the story. There are major or central characters who plays an extremely crucial in the progress and ending of the conflict. These are the lead characters whose lives are the center of every sequence of events in a story. Next to the major characters are the minor characters, who serve as their counterpart in every plot that is added to the story. From these characters, the protagonists and antagonists of a story are derived. Apparently the development of a character is a challenge for an author, for there has to be a connection between the character and its audience or reader. In a fictional narrative, for instance, a well-developed character is imperative so that the audience may relate to the experiences or emotions being portrayed. In the case of De Maupassant and Shakespeare, character development led to the creation of literary works that are memorable; those that leave a positive impression on the readers. General G--and the fair youth embody people from reality, people who want something or is experiencing something that they want to get rid about. This makes such characters charismatic and strong enough to leave an impact to the readers (Sustana). Creating a literary work requires a theme. Usually, the theme is associated with the characters identified by the author (“Analyzing Themes”). It is the task of a writer to develop the theme in line with the plot and structure of the work (“Analyzing Themes”). The theme has to do with the subject and what an author wants to tell about the subject. It could be described as the main idea of a literary work. Griffith describes a theme as something that is relative to the human condition that applies to the different genres of literature (32). Even though there is a confusion between the theme and a subject, the theme could be distinguished as it is answerable with a complete sentence whereas a subject is answerable with word or two (Griffith 32); e.g. the subject of “Sonnet 29” is depression or insecurity; the theme of The Horrible is the real meaning of a horrible happening. In “Sonnet 29,” the fair youth expresses negative emotions; emotions brought by inner troubles that led to anguish. There is an assumption that the theme of the sonnet was based on the actual experiences of Shakespeare. These were the times, when the playhouses in London were closed due to the severe epidemic, and Shakespeare had a hard time earning a living (Mabillard). For this reason, the line in Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 29”--“in disgrace with fortune”--is deemed a reflection of the upsetting situation that the author underwent. On the other hand, in The Horrible, the story revolves around a scenario where the main character, General G, delineates his experiences. Possibly, the theme, which is incorporated with experiences in the military, was formed out of De Maupassant’s past involvement in the military. There, he saw horror at its worst and deaths of several innocent people, which for him, is the perfect scenario to describe a horrible event. It may be assumed that the life experiences of the authors became their basis to finding a theme for their literary works. Finding an appropriate theme that fits to the structure and plot of a literary work is challenging. Nevertheless, there are guidelines to follow so that the theme is stated and identified. For instance, an author may make reference to reality for it to apply to the world that is beyond the work (Griffith 32). The theme must have relevance to reality, specifically to the happenings in society so that the readers may reflect and learn something from a short story or a sonnet. The works of De Maupassant and Shakespeare did not fail in this aspect. Their genres may be different, but the message that the authors wanted their subjects to convey gives an account of the occurrences, which are applicable in reality. Whilst the theme of reality is often applied in literature, it still works to persuade the readers and such is proven by the works of De Maupassant and Shakespeare. By its very nature, “literature recreates reality by means of language,” but this necessitates the appropriate usage of words and concepts to become effective (Rand 45). Contrastingly, the theme may not intend to convey a message, but rather, it presents a dilemma that is yet to be solved. For example, in The Horrible, the dilemma is somewhat relative to what society believes is unpleasant. To solve the dilemma the author introduces the character of General G--, who embodies a man, maybe in his late 40s, 50s, 60s, or 70s, who have had actual horrible experiences in the military. With his narration of a story in the military, De Maupassant makes an attempt to provide an illustration of what perfectly describes an unpleasant event. Similarly, in “Sonnet 29,” the poem reveals the problems of the fair youth, in particular personal struggles in dealing with the difficulties of living in an unfair society. The fair youth represents an individual who sees the impracticalities of life as a struggle but still finds comfort in the presence of another individual whom he or she considers as that one sweet love. Themes are not stated, but inferred. That is to say that these are not usually indicated, thus, requiring the reader to examine the other elements of the story, for it to be discerned. Since it is commonly mistaken as the subject, it would be safe to think of it as the source of the lesson or message that the author seeks to impart. Thus, if the subject of a short story is friendship, then the theme may have something to do with the importance of friendship in the lives of people, etc. In general, the theme is that hidden meaning, which the author wants a reader to determine. Consideration of all the other elements is essential to uncover this hidden meaning, which may not be difficult if the theme is expressed by the author. By and large, world literature is a fascinating subject. The works of De Maupassant and Shakespeare well represents the group of literary works, which still has its relevance, even in this day and age. What makes these works interesting is the equal combination of the elements that make up the entire work. The authors have blended their characters well to the theme of their literary masterpieces. As a result, they were able to produce works that are worthy of recognition. Guy De Maupassant, who is recognized as among the father of short stories, and William Shakespeare, who is the greatest and most influential writer that this generation acknowledges have left the world with valuable artistic written works. Their works evidence the importance of characters and themes to the creation of a written work that could make the cut to becoming one of the world’s treasured pieces of literature. Works Cited “Analyzing Themes.” Annenberg Learner, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. . De Maupassant, Guy. “The Horrible.” The Literature Network, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. . Griffith, Kelley. Writing Essays About Literature: A Guide and Style Sheet. Boston, MA: Thomson Wadsworth. 2006. Print. Mabillard, Amanda. “An Analysis of Shakespeare's Sonnet 29.” Shakespeare Online. 2000. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. . Rand, Ayn. The Romantic Manifesto. New York: Signet. 1971. Print. Sarker, Sunil Kumar. Shakespeare’s Sonnet. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. 2006. Print. Shakespeare, “William. Sonnet 29.” The Literature Network, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. . Sustana, Catherine. How to Write a Short Story Based on a Strong Character. About.com, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. . Read More