Quote by Terry Eagleton
Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished bride of quietness, then I am instantly aware that I am in the presence of the literary.
Summary
This quote by Terry Eagleton highlights how literature has the power to elevate language beyond its ordinary usage. Literature deviates from everyday speech and takes language to new heights. The example of approaching someone at a bus stop and murmuring the poetic line "Thou still unravished bride of quietness" from John Keats' poem "Ode to a Grecian Urn" illustrates how the mere utterance of such language instantly recognizes the presence of a literary work. Eagleton emphasizes the transformative and intense nature of literature in its unique ability to capture and captivate through its distinct use of language.
Topics
Books
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