What is the point of studying English literature?

[melthebell]

You could ask: "What is the point of studying English?"

 

Eng Lang, Eng Lit, Eng Lit AO, Use of English (for those of us who can remember that far back.)

 

An ability to express oneself clearly in English appears to be optional nowadays...

 

Or could it be that so many employers look elsewhere for employees because they can't find people in the UK who can string half a dozen words together to make a sentence?

aye lad tha duz ave a point dunt tha?

[truman]

as part of my english 'o' level i did english language and english literature. i loved the language part but try as i may, i could not get into the literature part which was based on shakespeare's henry iv (part 1). i persevered with it and scraped a pass but i wouldn't

have liked to study it further.

 

We were the same but studied Richard The Third.Once you get into it and understand what Shakespeare was actually saying it's a really interesting book...

[Rupert_Baehr]

We were the same but studied Richard The Third.Once you get into it and understand what Shakespeare was actually saying it's a really interesting book...

 

Perhaps you should've read Chaucer? - You might at least have learnt Middle English. (Provided your teacher had been 'selective')

 

'Sons and Lovers' was a good (as in interesting) book.

[Eccentric]

I have read The Canterbury Tales from start to finish. It provides an excellent understanding of the evolution of the English language. I have also read Beowulf. I took a course in Anglo-Saxon and one in Middle English at uni. And one in Gothic (the language, not the sub-culture, although I like that too). Really, if you know a bit of German, a bit of Dutch or Danish perhaps, reading Old and Middle English is a great revelation. You begin to perceive all these connexions; gradually, you understand the relations betwixt the Germanic languages and you behold an abundance of kindred grammatical structures, words and phrases, of which you would not otherwise have become aware. The same goes for learning Latin: French and Spanish become considerably more transparent.

 

I must say I much preferred studying German literature to English literature at the time, but the intrinsic value of having acquainted myself with both cultures has aided (and sometimes abetted) me considerably in being an arrogant git when talking to others. I much prefer the Restoration: Dryden, Pope, Swift — periwig-wearers, for short. They were witty and always provide you with a clever retort to use when some nincompoop troubles you.

[buck]

Not really. I got nothing of value from studying the subject & I suspect this is also true for the majority. I was hoping for a few replies to convince me otherwise. Not much luck so far though.

I see no majority on your side in the replies to your post, quite the opposite. It seems most people enjoy a book now and then.

[Rupert_Baehr]

To get back to the original question:

 

The OP asked: "What is the point of studying English Literature?" (It could have been any other subject.)

 

The simple answer is that, for many people, there is little point, because they are unlikely to benefit from their studies.

 

But it's rude to say that.

[Arrr Sez I]

The simple answer is that, for many people, there is little point, because they are unlikely to benefit from their studies.

 

Unlikely to benefit! A life without Shakespeare is no life at all.

[Rupert_Baehr]

Oh, do be fair!

 

I did say: "It could have been any other subject."

 

He could've been studying: "How do I tie up my shoelaces?" - and for some people, such a course of study might be inordinately challenging.

[Tradescanthia]

Non-exhaustive list of the ways in which study of English literature might be useful in real life:

 

1. History. It's a good gateway for history.

 

2. Language. It teaches you how language works and achieves its effects.

 

3. Which in turn, will improve your skills at reading, writing, listening and speaking. Communicating more generally.

 

4. Communication skills are up there with the most important things you can ever learn.

 

5. They will improve every aspect of your life. No exaggeration.

 

6. Is that sufficient? I think it should be.

 

 

Well said. Literature is such an important subject its worth should never be questioned.

[taxman]

Well said. Literature is such an important subject its worth should never be questioned.

 

To be fair, it's worth is only ever questioned by people you wouldn't trust to look after your cat, never mind design a national curriculum.