With recent developments in globalization and multiculturalism, the world has entered an era of diversity and great change. Despite English being the lingua franca in global businesses, science and diplomacy, scholar review argues that foreign languages and ideologies in nationalism have not lost their relevance. Complementing foreign languages, nationalism is indispensable in that, through comparative literature the understandings of linguistic and artistic values across boundaries are made more viable. Performing the same role similar to the study of international relation, comparative literature – through works in languages and artistic intercultural studies – has been identified to bridge the differences globalization has brought. This is attributed to the intensity in the amount of stake the study of comparative literature has on challenging the adverse effects of globalization in intercultural differences.
The study of literary works along nationalism lines brings about an array of profits . Although one may identify the differences in forms of expressions in art varying across cultures, the unique medium of art in literature remains shared with similar structures in speech and writing. Situated scholars work have argued that through the same methodology application in comparative literature, nationalism has provided a base for the focused understanding of important and cultural issues that vary across boundaries. Situated scholars in literature works acknowledge the comparison of comparative literature to world literature in pursuit of detailing how Nationalism greatly influences comparative literature. Conventionally, the goal of comparative literature has been in distinguishing the many differences in the world’s cultures. The purpose if distinguishing is that integration of more information is to result when literature texts come into contact resulting to new developments . Comparative literature and world literature have been identified by scholars to be modern concepts that act on one another in a developmental and constructive relationship (Graham 3). Constituting aspects of nationalism, national literatures are no longer studied independently inevitably making their existence a creditable part in comparative literature (Daiyun 4). Needless to say, without nationalism serving as a subject in world literature, comparative literature has no reason for existence.
Nationalism is also considered a major issue that it has led towards the creation of fresh and more developed theories in comparative literature through enriching literary comparison. Cited works on comparative literature contends how most scholars in attempt of decoding differences in literary works across cultures have approached the issue of nationalism from different points of departure but end up not meeting at definite points. Usually relations between nations have historical roots. In attempt to meet a definite idealistic methodology of comparative literature, scholars have identified these historical roots result to a rigid shard distinction between influences (‘Direct’ or ‘Indirect’) that characterize a number of literatures . Further describing, a ‘Direct Influence’, beyond boundaries of place and language are two literary works that are identified to there being an actual contact between the writers. Specifically it’s a theory detailing that a literary work could not have existed if the writer could not have read another writer’s ‘original text’. Emphasis on this is that through nationalism, documented information is provided to identify if there was direct influence in formulation of the texts to reveal whether the literature was distorted or not (Martin 2).
Ideological echoes across geopolitical boundaries also constitute to why Nationalism is considered as an issue in comparative literature. Scholar works have interpreted this by detailing how ideological histories in cultures are not divorced from literary history . Further describing is how ideological history in nations is often structured by history of philosophy, religion, ethics, culture and politics which in turn determine artistic methods of expression and representation (Liheng 3). However, being part of ideological history, philosophical ideas are distinguished from other nationalism ideas that are reflected in comparative literature. Viewed as seeds of ethical, social or literal concepts, philosophical ideas have been identified by scholars to vary across a number various literary works having been modified to serve the writer’s goal.
The world’s literary scholars have all advanced side by side that Nationalism is the backbone that reflects comparative literature. In this acclaimed great age of globalization leading to transformation and development, the concept of nationalism is helpful in formulation the creation of equal dialogue in comparative literature to lead to a favorable communication discourse. Scholar reviews have identified how through nationalism, cultures are able to produce full and profound revelations of themselves only through perspectives of other cultures. Also in exploration of ways of addressing murky areas of comparative literature, integrated use of nationalism has seemed to take a straightforward direction through detailing influence principles of literature works deferring in cultural differences.
Conclusion
Comparative Literature is discrete in its certainty that literary research and education must be international in nature. It engages with noth verbal and written communication and combining them with artistic background, so as to appreciate cultures. Complementing foreign languages, nationalism is indispensable in that, through comparative literature the understandings of linguistic and artistic values across boundaries are made more viable.
- Daiyun, Yue. “Some thought on Comparative Literature and World Literature.” (2000).
- Graham, Fraser. “Nationalism and Literature.” The politics of culture in Canada and the United States (1999): 207.
- Liheng, Chen. “Compartaive Literature in an Age of Globalization.” College Literature (2009): 157.
- Martin, Wallace. “Reading World Literature: Theory, History, Practice / Comparative.” Comparative Literature (1997).
