Nowadays people my age are more likely to pick up the latest copy of Hello magazine or Twilight rather than Great Expectations or Jane Eyre. Literature is defined by the dictionary as “written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit”.
It is hard to define exactly what ‘great literature’ is beyond that; for some it may be Dickens and for others it could be Stephen King. Some define ‘great literature’ as something that has the greatest impact on our lives; the books that, “leave marks in our memories and hearts.” What is it about those books in particular that makes them stand out? How have they managed to grab people’s imaginations? Great literature, for me, is like a piece of music. Successful compositions are written about the composer’s personal experiences but are relevant to more lives than one. What makes them so popular is that the artist has honed in on a topic or situation that is common to many people which therefore makes it relevant and relatable.
Great literature is created when the author has managed to efficiently combine their skill with a topic that affects a majority of people. Shakespeare does so in Romeo and Juliet; the two lovers that can’t be together due to the fact they are children of feuding families. This is something that many people can relate to, although it may not be a family feud it could still be racial backgrounds or social classes and people will still relate themselves to Romeo and Juliet. However they come by it the author must form that connection with the reader so that no matter what the time period, they will always be relevant.
I think that that definition of great literature has been lost over the years and must be brought back.
