Upon first reading this question, my immediate answer was yes. As a 'scientific' civilization, we have moved from basic stone tools to complex and lightweight ones that are more functional. We have transitioned from handing in a hard copy of our english assignments to posting our ideas on a blog. In other words, we seem to always be moving away from how things have been done before, and toward streamlining the way we live. Literature stands out from other cultural facets of the past as something that has not changed. It does not at first appear to fit in with the scientific direction in which our civilization is headed.
However, the fact that literature has hardly changed at all and is still relevant and prominent is what catches one's attention as different. In my opinion, that is why Frye asks this question. He has realised that poetry, at a glance, may not seem a vital part of our lives. He also recognises, however, that it has somehow lasted the test of time but not actually 'improved' which goes against the apparent pattern. I suppose that Frye would agree with me that literature is not something that our civilization will outgrow. At this point, I believe that there is a reputation attached to many classics and that there is a certain curiosity which draws people to these books to experience firsthand why they have been relevant for ages. As long as there continues to be this curiosity (not necessarily from each individual, but from a substantial group), at least the classics will survive alongside science.
As for poetry specifically, it is a prominent part of religion and music. McCullough quoted John Adams as saying, "You will never be alone with a poet in your pocket." In these modern times, the poet could be on an ipod or mP3 player in your pocket, or maybe you have a pocket bible. If nothing else, I do not think that our civilization is likely to outgrow music or religion anytime soon, so on lives poetry and therefore literature!
This blog post was a very enjoyable read. The beginning of your post really caught my attention and I was instantly hooked. I liked how you pointed out that although literature and poetry have hardly changed, they still remain highly respected and ultimately timeless art forms. This post was really well done!
ReplyDelete-Colin