Calleja, Josef Nikolai T.

September 20, 2018

CBA - BS Business Administration Revisiting Ancient Worlds

2017-00616 Eng 12 THW2

The Relevance of Texts in the Literary Canon to the Present

When unraveling the world of literature, a reader is sure to find works of certain themes,

genres, formats, and styles, that he finds enjoyable. With the plethora of countless literary works

available, and the equally extensive range of categories they fall under, it is only natural that one

would have preferences in choosing which text or groups of text to read. It is also not uncommon

for us to love a particular genre or style and reject a different one completely. To put it simply,

recognizing a work of literature as something good is highly subjective, to say the least.

Challenging this aforementioned notion are the works considered belonging to the literary

canon. These are texts that are generally accepted as good or even considered to be the best.

However, to call them as such is only scratching the surface. The gravity of their importance in the

world of literature is revealed in how they are definitive of their genres and time periods, as well as

their ability to carry the characteristics and values that have become synonymous with the two. It

could also be said that the themes they present are timeless, in the sense that the ideas one can find

while reading them are still relevant even long after the texts were written. Because of these facets,

texts considered to be a literary canon can be viewed through various perspectives or lenses of

analysis and still find meaning in each one.

In this essay I will discuss three works of literature belonging to the literary canon, namely

The Odyssey by Homer, The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu and Shakuntala by Kalidasa. The purpose

of the essay is to determine how these texts are relevant to the present state of the world, especially

to the Philippines and her people, by identifying the most prominent themes and values they present.
The Odyssey

The Odyssey is a an epic, chronicling the story of Odysseus, one of the heroes of the Trojan

War, and the challenges he faces throughout his journey home after several years. It also narrates the

stories of his wife Penelope’s endurance and his son Telemachus’ coming of age, as they await

Odysseus’ return. Behind the epic adventure, the Odyssey is a story of coming back to the people

that matter. It is rooted in the belief that there are things that won’t change even through the passing

of time. The main characters believed that what was once, will be again despite everything that had

happened.

This world view can be likened to how Filipinos give so much importance to family and

relationships. Despite many years away or challenges a Filipino family faces, home, and the people

that make it, will always be waiting.

The Tale of Genji

The Tale of Genji is possibly the first novel ever written. Although it is a work of fiction, it

vividly depicts the lives and typical experiences of the members of the Japanese court in the time of

Imperial Japan. The story revolves around the main character, Genji, who, despite being portrayed as

nearly perfect at first, is revealed to be a distasteful figure throughout the tale. Various sexual

exploits, unimaginable misdeeds and just plain criminal behavior prove that Genji’s moral compass

was wayward. However, it is important to note that The Tale of Genji was not written to illustrate

the ideal protagonist nor the typical values characterized in most novels. It embodies the aesthetic

way of thinking that focuses on the beauty of things and the realm of experience. Authors, Thomas

Munro and Roger Scruton define this realm as “the realm of the beautiful, the ugly, the sublime, and

the elegant; of taste, criticism, and fine art; and of contemplation, sensuous enjoyment, and charm.” I

believe that viewing things within this realm means taking things as they are or how they are

experienced. This can be likened to both the development of the story and its characters, as well as
how the reader is expected to react. The former is exemplified with how mundane the plot is. It is a

stark contrast to the action-packed epic, full of heroes, gods, and adventure that is the Odyssey, yet

one can find beauty in the story’s simplicity and the writer’s commitment to the small details. On the

other hand, as a reader one must be open also to the ugly side of the Tale of Genji. Sensitives themes

such as rape, and adultery are commonplace in the text. It may conflict with personal values and

morals, but the fact remains that these are real and part of both the fictional and the real world. This

aesthetic view of thing can be used to explain the most prominent world view presented in the text—

mono no aware. It was Motoori Norinaga who coined this term which loosely translates to “the pathos

of things” (Marra 328). It is essentially viewing the world and what it contains as fleeting. Michael

Marra further discussed this in his essay by pointing out that the Genji’s world was also bound by

time. The court, the military and merchants are all subject to the turning of time. Despite all the

inevitable shifts and changes in his world all, Genji’s actions seemingly guided by spur-of-the-

moment decisions, truly characterizing mono no aware. His relationships epitomized this idea of seizing

the fleeting moments and it showed in how he always had his way with the people surrounding him.

He paid no attention to the means nor the consequences that would follow.

This world view is very relevant to the present state of the Philippines and the Filipino

youth, especially to UP students. As a bastion for student activism, the University instills in its

students the importance of service to the nation and challenging the status quo. It is not enough to

merely view and take things as they are, nor is it enough to view the ugly, unsatisfactory and

disgusting aspects of the country and stop at that. The threats human rights and looming danger of

fascism calls the present generation of young leaders to act.

Shakuntala

Shakuntala is a romantic play about two lovers: Shakuntala and King Dushyanta. The

narrative depicts the stages of how their relationship develops, the challenges they face along the way,

ultimately their happy ending together. The story has a charming plot containing amorous poetry,
mystical figures and lovable characters which tie together to form a simple plot. However the most

prominent world view presented in the text is actually revealed in subtle manner. Although not

immediately, one can see that more than a story of love, Shakuntala is also a story about the

environment. This can be seen in how the characters show respect and appreciation for nature

throughout the play. In certain acts it is shown that their relationship with their surroundings are

even deeper with the hermits treating plants and animals as their equals. Despite the mysticism and

the very fictional events and characters of Shakuntala, the environment is very real. Moreover the

world view of giving importance to and caring for nature is something that the present world needs

to adopt.

In recent years, global warming and climate change has become one of the world’s most

pressing issues. The melting of ice caps, unpredictability of natural disasters, the extinction of

animals, deforestation and the continuous depletion of natural resources are only some of the

problems that plague nature. India (where the play was written) in the present is experiencing various

ecological and natural crises. The country is experiencing net loss of forest cover and the

overpopulation as well as the increasing need for infrastructure have contributed to their diminishing

nature reserves (Yadav).

The pillaging of the earth’s natural resources have been an ongoing problem in the

Philippines as well. Just recently the effects of the lack of care for nature was felt when a landslide hit

a mining town in Benguet.

These issues are present worldwide and show clearly how much of a threat not taking care of

the environment poses to nature. Progress is only propelling humanity forward, while leaving nature

and its inhabitants behind. Shakuntala’s characters and ecological perspective of the world serves as a

model for progressing forward sustainably and a challenge to take better care of Mother Earth.
 In conclusion, the works of literary canon can be considered good just because a reader or

group of readers enjoy them or consider them to be so. However they are truly recognized as such

because they are not only definitive of their time or genre, but also transcendent and remain relevant

through the passing of time.

Word Count: 1434

Sources

Marra, Michael. “Critical Analysis: The Tale of Genji”. Continuity and Discontinuity: Thinking the

Tale of Genji with Japanese Thinkers. 328-347. Web. 20 September 2018.

Scruton, Roger and Thomas Munro. “Aesthetics Philosophy”. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Web. 20

September 2018.

Yadav, Alok. “An Empirical Study on the Environmental Issues in India”. Global Journal of

Management and Business Studies. Vol 3. Web. 20 September 2018.