Why Do We Study English Literature?

History vs Literature We don't study literature merely because it is beautiful and entertaining , though these are delightful by-products of reading it. We study literature because it offers a more honest portrayal of history than history itself. As Churchill famously said, "It is only the victors who write history." While historians are often constrained by the need to please those in power and are, as a general rule, hesitant to challenge authority, literature has always rebelled against social norms and power structures, whether they be those of rulers or the herd mentality of the masses. Examples of Literary Rebellion: Fielding's Tom Jones challenged Georgian Era norms and moral standards, offering a fresh perspective on morality. Milton's Paradise Lost portrayed an angel standing against his Creator, inspiring readers to question tyrannical authority. Maxim Gorky's Mother and Tolstoy's God's Kingdom is Within You provided profound social commentari…