Politics And Literature Politics - 1186 Words

Politics and literature Politics, derived from the Greek word politika meaning ‘affairs of the cities’ which is ultimately derived from the Greek word meaning polis meaning ‘city state’. From here one can derive the ultimate meaning of the widely used word politics; it is the arrangement, organisation and making of decisions relating to a populace. Politics can take many forms, from a small tribal council to international organisations such as the UN, from utopian democracies to totalitarian fascists states. What politics is always concerned with, however, is the delegation of power. To whom power is given to and how that power is yielded. How that power exerts control over the populace that has given it to its government or ruler. How†¦show more content†¦Thus began a long symbiotic relationship between politics and literature. Early political literature began appearing during this period such as ‘The Republic’ by Plato, exploring the concept of a ‘philosopher king’ and the ‘just city-state.’ In the Renaissance period, Nicollà ² Machiavelli introduced political thinking that diverged greatly from the time period; a form of political thinking that stated that being a good leader and a good Christian cannot be reconciled, one can either be one or the other. This was a far cry from the contemporary view of the day which was that being a good Christian would lead itself to become a good leader. His view has been so profound on western political thinking that the word ‘Machiavellian’ is still used today to describe politicians who may seem cutthroat and ruthless in the pursuit of being effective. However, politics in literature has not been solely about political theory. Novels such as ‘1984’ explore life underneath a totalitarian regime. ‘1984’ vividly describes how power can corrupt its holders to the point of paranoia against everyone, leading to a mistrust of all and everyone, a society where no one is ever at ease. Novels such as these display how power in the hands of the wrong can lead to the creation of a dystopia; these books are not entirely rooted in fiction at all. ‘1984’ is an example of mimesis, of art imitating life. The book took inspiration from Soviet Russia and the Nazi regime which were contemporaryShow MoreRelatedRelationship Between Politics And Literature2000 Words   |  8 PagesThe relationship between politics and literature has been an interesting field of study. Irving Howe, whose Politics and the Novel is considered the locus classics on the subject, caste, â€Å"more than enough skepticism on the impulse to assign literary levels† and calls his book Politics and the Novel, b ut not Political Novel. Among the definitions supplied by different critics to the ‘political novel’, Irving appears to be ‘viable’ and also ‘radical’. He defines:, By a political novel I mean a novelRead MoreLiterature and Politics the Impact of Dostoevsky9582 Words   |  39 PagesLITERATURE AND POLITICS: THE IMPACT OF FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY Dostoevsky and the Legend of the Grand Inquisitor, by Vasily Rozanov. Translated and with an Afterword by Spencer E. Roberts. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 1972. Pp. xi. 232. $12.50. Political Apocalypse. A Study of Dostoevskys Grand Inquisitor, by Ellis Sandoz. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1971, Pp. xviii. 263. $13.50.* ostoevskys great novels have spawned a vast library of critical 1/literatureRead MoreRousseau s Influence On Politics And Literature1991 Words   |  8 PagesIn history, very few people can actually try to measure up to Rousseau’s impact and influence in education, politics and literature. His political thoughts and ideas contained in the Du Contrat Social is highly unique piece of work that is wide and very influential supplemented by other pieces of work that he later came up with such as Discourse Sur l’origine De L’inegalite and other drafts that he had made of the constitutions for both Poland and Corsica. Generally, Rousseau is seen as a moralistRead More Wordsworth, Social Reform Literature, and Politics of the 1790s1957 Words   |  8 PagesWordsworth, Social Reform Literature, and Politics of the 1790s The historical mix of social fictions in England and France at the end of the 1780s greatly impacted the literature of the period. Tom Paines The Rights of Man (1791) and Edmund Burkes Reflections on the Revolution in France (1791) were the two most widely read works that spurred a decade long debate on how the nation of England was to be governed and by whom. As a young man during this period, William Wordsworth formed part ofRead MorePolitics and The English Language: George Orwell ´s Literature3705 Words   |  15 Pagesof politics and literature in â€Å"Politics and the English Language† which reverberates the transcendental message of his essays which shall be critically studied for years to come. As we delve into the unwavering style of Orwell’s essays, we experience the sheer influence which language has on the development of society, proving to the reader that Orwell’s work is not only a zeitgeist of his context, but is becoming undeniably prevalent within our own. This is made clear throughout â€Å"Politics andRead MoreChristopher Hitchens s Views On Politics, Culture, Religion, And Literature1203 Words   |  5 Pagesspeeches. His interest in political science after graduating from Balliol College in Oxford molded his ideas into a general theme of â€Å"anti-authoritarianism.† This theme was very well imbedded into his career, for he wrote much about politics, culture, religion, and literature. As a critic of both society and religion, he attracted a wide range of college-aged intellectuals, including young, â€Å"New Atheists,† who distinguished themselves by brutally and directly lambasting religious claims. His politicalRead MoreEssay on Differing Definitions of Politics1442 Words   |  6 PagesIn the article â€Å"Politics and Pseudo-Politics: A Critical Evaluation of Some Behavioural Literature† published in The American Political Science Review author Christian Bay creates an interesting and divisive definition of the word politics in response to his frustration with the ambiguous behavioural research and literature taking place in â€Å"the discipline that bravely calls itself Political Science.† Although Bay’s definition for politics assists in â€Å"guiding and interpreting (Political Scientist’s)Read More Dante Alighieris Influence on Italian Culture Essay examples886 Words   |  4 PagesDante Alighieris Influence on Italian Culture nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Dante Alighieri was a very well known and influential poet in early literature. amp;#8220;He was not only a poet, he was also a philosophical thinker, an active politician, and a religious visionary; (Holmes 1). Dante was born in Florence in 1265, into the Guelph political party, one of the two main parties in Florence. The Guelphs were aristocrats and nobles. They supported the church and papacy and were against theRead MoreAnalysis Of Catharine A. Mackinnon And The Afterword By Rebecca Mead Essay1226 Words   |  5 Pagesprostitution, sexual abuse of children, and the changed relation of sex to gender in the family as well as further information on terrorism and war, is that male dominance, potentiated and centrally entitled and expressed sexually, is indeed the key to politics.† At the end of the Foreword, MacKinnon talks about how much of an influence this book has had on the feminist movement since it was written and how many people have tried to act on it and will continue to after reading this book. The AfterwordRead MoreHum -102 - Week 1 - Humanities Today Paper871 Words   |  4 Pageshumanities is differentiated between other modes of expression. The paper will also review examples of art, music, architecture, philosophy, literature and film that reflect current socio-economics, technology and politics. Humanities Defined The study of humanity provides insight into how humans have developed culturally. The insight that art, literature and music can provide allows us to understand the influence that it provided in the development of our future, or our today. This awareness gives