Southwestern College of Maritime, Business and Technology, Inc.

Quezon Drive, Calero, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro

www.scmbt.edu.ph / [email protected] / [email protected]

SUBJECT: World Literature DATE:

MODULE #: 1 TEACHER: Ms. Judith Mae R. Zamora

I. TOPIC: Introduction to World Literature

II. TARGET LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, the student is expected to:
1. Define and explain world literature.
2. Trace the history of world literature.
3. Appreciate the literature from India..

IV. MATERIALS NEEDED AND REFERENCES

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Johann-Wolfgang-von-Goethe
https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/the-story-of-savitri-satyavan-from-the-mahabharata

V. GEAR UP YOUR MIND

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (August 28, 1749 – March 22, 1832) was a German polymath—a
painter, novelist, dramatist, poet, humanist, scientist, philosopher, and, for ten years, minister of
state for the republic of Weimar.
Like Samuel Taylor Coleridge in England, Goethe was not only a gifted poet and writer but also
Germany's first public intellectual. Thanks to his long life and boundless intellectual industry, he
remained Germany's principle literary figure through a series of movements and upheavals in
German literary history, beginning with the movement of German classicism in the late eighteenth
century, continuing through the Enlightenment and the major period of German philosophy, and
continuing into the Sturm und Drang Romanticism of the early 1800s. Goethe participated in all of
these periods to varying degrees; in all of them, Goethe, more than any other author, was able to
reach the masses of Germany with prose that was both elegant and readily accessible. His great
creation, the retelling of the tale of Faust, who sells his soul to the devil for success and fame,
became a kind of Enlightenment manifesto against the church and religion.
Goethe's contributions to European literary life were immense throughout his career. His early
novel, Der Leiden Junges Werthers, (The Sorrows of Young Werther) was so popular throughout
Europe that for decades impressionable European men committed suicide from unrequited love in
imitation of the novel's tragic protagonist. This clearly establishes that artists and literary figures
should recognize their influence, and thus express their creativity constructively and responsibly. In
his late career, his masterpiece, the epic poem Faust, would become so fundamental to German
literature that many Germans would rank Goethe as the "William Shakespeare of Frankfurt." It is
not an exaggeration to say that modern German literature begins with Goethe and that he ranks as
one of the most important figures in European literature.
History of World Literature
The idea of World Literature came from him as his interest to Chinese literature, among others,
flourished. Goethe searched for an alternative to both metropolitan culture and German nationalism
since the German artists and intellectuals responded to the metropolitan culture, which is French
literature, through nationalist initiative. Goethe found the solution to be world literature.
World literature started out to be an ideal or ambition. Goethe said, “The era of world literature is at
hand, and everyone must contribute to accelerating it.” Centuries later, this statement remains to
be true. World literature is a market that must be sustained as the circulation of literature is
somehow still experiencing some challenges and debates such as the considerations to be taken
note of when letting a work be included as world literature and of course, regarding the issue of
translation. The challenges on circulation, however, are not as grave as the recent years. Today in
the 21st century, because of technology and freedom of expression, as well as our growing need
for information, we continue to accelerate world literature as more and more people contribute to it.
There are many factors for a literary piece to be qualified as World Literature, let alone to be called
“literature”, per se. World literature is used to refer to the sum total of the world’s national
literatures, but usually it denotes the circulation of works into the wider world beyond their country
of origin. To be considered world literature, it has to speak to people of more than one nationality,
hence it transcends borders. Often used in the past primarily for masterpieces of Western
European literature, world literature today is increasingly seen in global context because in the
present time, countries are experiencing similar situations and somehow, they are all linked
together. Literature went through profound changes in the 20th and 21st centuries, partly in that of
technology, communication and warfare.
As we went through World War II and the rapid expansion of technology and communication,
artists are more likely to share new ideas and express themselves than they had ever had in
history. There is more freedom then until now. Experimentation in writing from the early century
continued, and as writers had more access to ideas from other cultures, they had more with which
to experiment. And now, when ideas are shared in an instant, writers have a nearly unbounded
ideas and topics from which to choose and the freedom to question any assumption.
The early literary genres that were developed are still being studied and read until today such as
poetry, drama, fiction, essay, and epic. From these genres, as we live in the internet age and the
continuous blooming of technology happens, literary genres continue to develop and grow, and
they are not limited to the above mentioned. In addition, 21st century literature is in progress and
thriving now along with the genres to be able to accommodate the present resources and lifestyle
we have, especially for the students who now have a different learning process and resources.
In the modern vernacular, 21st century literature is associated with its academic context, pertaining
to the enduring works of fiction, philosophy, history, etc. that have been studied for generations and
molded the foundations of our thought. Yet literature by its definition comprises all written works, a
truth that has never been more applicable than in our current internet age, when the written word is
more accessible and democratic than ever before.
The 21st century reader grew up using technology as a primary learning tool and this made them
skilled in navigating and interpreting digital formats and media messages. They have literacy skills
which consists of technological abilities such as the use of the keyboard, internet navigation, ability
to communicate and interpret coded language and decipher graphics. 21st century literature deals
with current themes and issues and it also reflects a technological culture, it also breaks traditional
writing rules; hence, themes and issues we are going through now are freely written, expressed,
and conveyed through technology. For this reason, genres such as IM and blog format books, digi-
fiction, doodle, creative non-fiction, manga, and graphic novels, among others are emerging.
 The Story of Savitri & Satyavan from the Mahabharata
Rabindranath Tagore

Savitri was the beautiful daughter of a wise and powerful king. The fame of Savitri's beauty spread
far and wide, but she refused to marry, saying that she would herself go out in the world and find a
husband for herself. So the king chose the best warriors to protect her, and the princess wandered
throughout the country searching for a prince of her choice.
One day she reached a dense forest, where dwelt a king who had lost his kingdom and fallen into
his bad days. Old and blind he lived in a small hut with his wife and son. The son, who was a
handsome young prince, was the sole comfort of his parents. He chopped wood and sold it in the
countryside, and bought food for his parents, and they lived in love and happiness. Savitri was
strongly drawn towards them, and she knew her search had come to an end. Savitri fell in love with
the young prince, who was called Satyavan, and was known for his legendary generosity.
Hearing that Savitri has chosen a penniless prince, her father was heavily downcast. But Savitri
was hell-bent on marrying Satyavan. The king consented, but a saint informed him that a fatal
curse laid upon the young prince: He is doomed to die within a year. The king told her daughter
about the curse and asked her to choose someone else. But Savitri refused, and stood firm in her
determination to marry the same prince. The king finally agreed with a heavy heart.
The wedding of Savitri and Satyavan took place with a lot of fanfare, and the couple went back to
the forest hut. For a whole year they lived happily. On the last day of the year, Savitri rose early
and when Satyavan picked up his axe to go into the forest to chop wood she requested him to take
her along, and the two went into the jungle.
Under a tall tree, he made a seat of soft green leaves and plucked flowers for her to weave into a
garland while he chopped wood. Towards noon Satyavan felt a little tired, and after a while he
came and lay down resting his head in Savitri's lap. Suddenly the whole forest grew dark, and soon
Savitri saw a tall figure standing before her. It was Yama, the God of Death. "I have come to take
your husband," said Yama, and looked down at Satyavan, as his soul left his body.
When Yama was about to leave, Savitri ran after him, and pleaded Yama to take her too along with
him to the land of the dead or give back the life of Satyavan. Yama replied, "Your time has not yet
come, child. Go back to your home." But Yama was ready to grant her any boon, except
Satyavan's life. Savitri asked, "Let me have wonderful sons." "So be it", replied Yama. Then Savitri
said, "But how can I have sons without my husband, Satyavan? Therefore I beg of you to give back
his life." Yama had to give in! Satyavan's body came back to life. He slowly woke up from the
stupor and the two gladly walked back to their hut.
So strong was the single-minded love and determination of Savitri that she chose a noble young
man for her husband, knowing that he had only a year to live, married him with all confidence.
Even the God of Death had to relent, and bowed to her love and devotion.