Literature as a Diagnosis of the Times — A Suggestion on How to Handle Literature in European Studies

Abstract

Literature is a vital expression of human beings. As such, it reveals the essential structure of our existence, our Sein. In this paper, I examine how we can understand the meaning of a literary text both in its unique individuality and in its interwoveness with the epoch. Against the literary relativism, I argue that even creative reading requires some kind of objective standard that guides the reader through the labyrinth of literary texts. I hereby discuss the crucial question as to where we can derive such an objective standard from. I think the answer lies in the Literary Component Analysis (LCA). To substantiate this claim, I first introduce the fundamental premises of the LCA, and then interpret three different kinds of literary works to illustrate this theory.