LITERATURE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES
Literature deals with all of life. For this reason, it interacts with and impacts on various aspects of
life and fields of knowledge. In this topic we will consider the relationship between Literature and
other fields of knowledge. We will focus on Economics, History and Politics. Beyond this, you
should consider the relationship between Literature and other fields such as Philosophy,
Geography, Science fields etc.
Literature and Economics
Life depends on some form of commerce, however rudimentary. The exchange of goods and
services is basic to survival and literature directly and indirectly reflects this human engagement.
Commerce is influenced by economics which is a more fundamental concept in the material
organization of any society. But what is economics?
Economics
The branch of knowledge concerned with the production, consumption, and transfer of wealth.
The condition of a region or group as regards material prosperity.
Relationship between Literature and Economics
The relationship between literature and economics was clearly articulated by Carl Marx in his
seminal text, Das Kapital. But even long before Marx, there was already a clear direct relationship
between literature and economics in that literature (particularly written literature) was accessible
mainly to those who had the money and could afford to buy books. The rise of the novel in Europe,
for example, was a direct result of the industrial revolution which led to significant occurrences
such as the invention of the printing press; the growth of industrial capital and the resultant surplus;
the rise of the middle class which had surplus money and leisure time and could therefore afford
to read long stories (novels).
The growth of theatre is also directly related to economic development which availed the money
and leisure time needed to engage in theatrical activities.
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Aside from this, literature’s relationship with economics can be viewed from the perspective of
literature’s response to economic realities. In Das Kapital, Karl Marx makes the key argument
that the motivating force of capitalism is in the exploitation of labor, whose unpaid work is the
ultimate source of surplus value. In other words, unpaid or underpaid labour enables the
“employers” to produce surplus. The Marxist approach to the study of literature is based on the
political ideas of Carl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
According to Marx and Engels, creative literature should fight against economic exploitation of
the working classes. Literature should promote socio-economic change for the benefit of the
proletariat (low grade labourers/ workers especially in factories) and the peasants (poor
smallholder or agricultural labourers of low social status). According to Marxists, good and
worthwhile literature is that which promotes social and economic change which leads to the
liberation of the working classes from the oppression of the elite and middle class (bourgeoisie).
According to Marxism, committed literature is that which serves the cause of the oppressed. Open
advocacy for the cause of the oppressed masses makes such literature to tend more towards
propaganda than well-crafted art.
Pause to Ponder
Think of a work of art which directly advocates the rights of the oppressed masses.
What strategies does this work of art apply in its advocacy?
Literature and History
Literature deals with all of life and therefore it naturally has vital relationships with other
disciplines and forms of knowledge. We have already looked at the relationship between literature
and reality in general. We will now focus on the relationship between Literature and History. But
what is history?
History
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The branch of knowledge that deals systematically with the past; recording, analyzing, correlating,
and explaining of past events.
A scientific account of a system of natural phenomena.
Real life as experienced in the past and as it unfolds in the present.
The Relationship between Literature and History
The relationship between literature and history refers to the relationship that exists between the
fictional world of literary works and the world of real past and present events (actuality). A lot of
creative literature draws directly from real past events (historical events), for example the story
“Loyalties” by Adewale Maja Pearce which draws directly from the Nigerian Civil War. The
creative writer concerns himself/herself with history as a major source of his/her artistic material.
In this way literature has a direct relationship with history. However, literature is not a recording
of history and it is not equal to history since it draws its subject from the historical reality, but
presents it by creating a fictional world. There is always a degree of artistic representation which
comes into play in the creation of literature and this differentiates literature from history. The
creative writer who bases his/her literary work on historical events may create a literary work
which relates to history in any of the following three ways (or their variants):
i)
A fictional work which creates a world which closely resembles the historical
experience being represented eg “The Return” by Ngugi wa Thiong’o.
ii)
A fictional work which creates a world which is better than the historical experience
being represented eg “Loyalties” by Adewale Maja Pearce.
iii)
A fictional work which creates a world which is worse than the historical experience
being represented eg The Beautyful ones are not yet Born by Ayi Kwei Armah
Worse than history (distorted)
history
better than history (ideal)
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The question to consider as critics of literature is the effectiveness of each of the above styles in
representing history through artistic material.
In view of the above, it should be clear that literature is not equal to history since literature always
involves the selection and reordering of historical material in order for it to be communicative of
the truth that the writer wishes to put across.
Aristotle argued that poetry (literature) is more philosophical than history. He gives a number of
reasons for this assertion. One is that literature deals with the universal as opposed to the particular.
Another is that literature aims at communicating truth and not mere facts. Thirdly, literature deals
not merely with what has happened, but what may happen according to the law of possibility and
probability. From the point of view of creative writers, it could be argued that authors are gods
because they create their fictional worlds purposely including carefully selected details.
Creative literature is an avenue through which historical events are reflected upon and evaluated.
In this way, creative literature brings clarity to history. On the other hand, creative literature
influences history in the sense that reading literature impacts on audiences’ minds and influences
their thoughts and causes of action and in this way alters the course of history.
Pause to Ponder
1. What is the difference between historical fiction and history?
2. What is the difference between fact and truth in literature?
3. What do you understand by the statement “Literature communicates truth through
imagined facts”?
Literature and Politics
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Literature functions within society and deals with all of life so it definitely has a direct relationship
with politics. But what is politics? This is a term that has been defined in many ways due to the
complexity of the concept. Before we define politics, we need to take one step back and consider
the term “polity”.
Polity
A polity is an identifiable collective entity. It is any group of people who have some aspect of
common identity; who are organized by institutionalized social relations; and have a capacity to
mobilize resources and to govern themselves. Going by this definition, examples of polities are
numerous within society. They include states eg Kenya; counties eg Nairobi; institutions eg
University of Nairobi; church congregations; organizations eg Kenya Medical Supplies Authority
(KEMSA); schools; families etc.
Politics
Politics refers to the activities associated with the governance of a polity. This involves but is not
limited to debates about power and resource sharing between various parties in the polity. Politics
also refers to activities aimed at improving someone's status or increasing power within an
organization.
Relationship between Literature and Politics
Literature serves a major role in political affairs. Different literary critics have over the years
commented directly or indirectly on the role of literature in political affairs. Plato is one key critic
who commented directly on the relationship between literature and politics in his text, The
Republic. Plato advocated for a literature that has direct political orientation, arguing that
literature’s main role is to create noble citizens who would contribute towards building the ideal
republic. According to Plato, literature must be religiously censored in order for it to accomplish
this role. Plato goes further to argue that although literature tells lies, these lies are acceptable if
they are noble and contribute towards the building of the ideal Republic.
Plato’s ideas, though extreme in certain respects, indicate the strong relationship between literature
and politics.
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Another critic whose strongly advocates for the involvement of literature in politics is Italo
Calvino, an Italian writer-critic. According to him “Literature is necessary to politics above all
when it gives a voice to the one who doesn’t have a voice, when it gives a name to the one who
doesn’t have a name, and especially to all that political language excludes or tends to
exclude…Literature is like an ear that can hear more than Politics; Literature is like an eye that
can perceive beyond the chromatic scale to which Politics is sensitive.” – Italo Calvino, The Uses
of Literature
Literature may be used either to enhance or undermine a people’s political awareness. Literature’s
relationship with politics may be either direct or subtle. Some literary works that are directly
political include Achebe’s A Man of the People, Ngugi’s Petals of Blood, I Will Marry When I
Want and George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Propaganda
While considering the relationship between literature and politics, it is important to bear in mind
the nature and role of propaganda in political affairs. Propaganda can be defined as “information,
especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view”.
Good Literature is expected to be creative and it should communicate artistically through covert
as opposed to overt ways. Although there is no definite measure of artistic creativity, any literature
which tends to give direct information and to make specific political statements could be said to
have crossed the line into propaganda. Such literature may be directly relevant to political causes,
but very uninspiring as a work of art and therefore quite ineffective.
Pause to Ponder
Consider the role of literature in enhancing or undermining the political awareness of a people.
Examples of political texts: Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol, A Man of the People by
Chinua Achebe, Petals of Blood by Ngugi wa Thiong’o.
The role of literature in specific situations of oppression e.g apartheid in South Africa. Consider
texts such as Some Monday for Sure and other Stories by Nadine Gordimer, In the Fog of the
Season’s End, A Walk in the Night by Alex la Guma. Post-election violence in Kenya eg
Flowers in the Morning Sun by Kithaka wa Mberia.
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The relationship between governments and literature. Censorship of literature, detention of
authors, self-exile of authors etc.
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