How to Begin Studying Literature

For most of the year so far, we’ve been reviewing books about the study of literature. I’ve made a case previously about why you sould study literature, but let’s assume you’re ready to begin studying in a serious way. What should your first steps be?

The answer, of course, will depend on what goal you have in mind, but before we get to specific recommendations, let me emphasise this: Read what you enjoy. Certainly at the beginning. Yes, eventually you may need to read some author you find dull to get the full context of some period, theme, or movement, but this is what Ezra Pound calls “a specialized form of archaeology.” As a beginner especially, this archaeology will likely snuff out your motivation with little gain.

So, start with what you enjoy, even if these are popular novels. Try to read authors with a reputation for quality writing, say J.R.R. Tolkien or Ian Fleming, but by no means should you feel embarrassed if you like Stephen King or George R.R. Martin. As you read, though, try to engage with the book. If you enjoy it, ask yourself what, specifically, it is that you like about it. Perhaps the characters feel especially real and vivid. Why is that? What, exactly, is the novelist doing to create this effect? You may even find it helpful to write down your thoughts, in a notebook, on your computer, or if you feel bold, on a blog or social media account.

Do not feel too much pressure as you do this. The ghost of Harold Bloom will not appear to haunt you for your plebeian taste and shallow analysis. Reading well is a learned skill; you don’t pick up a cello and immediately play like Yo Yo Ma, you don’t read a book and immediately analyse it like Ezra Pound. I’m confident in my ability as a critic now, after years of doing this, but my early reviews here on this blog are rather week and I still have plenty of room to grow.

As you engage with what you read, you will naturally beginto appreciate what you read more, your taste will improve, and, I promise you, you will begin to enjoy good writing more. For the most part, you can and should continue wherever your interests lead you, though at some point you should begin to explore the canonical authors. I suppose Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, and the Bible make up the shortest possible list, perhaps with T.S. Eliot if you would like to step into Modernity. I offered some further suggestions in the post I linked at the beginning of this article, “Why Do You Not Study the Odes?.”

Do not worry too much about the many “greatest authors,” “best novels,” and similar lists scattered around the internet and in print. Many of these are too long to serve as useful reading lists, and those who write them are often motivated primarily by a desire to signal their good taste to others. If you find that the authors you read frequently refer to some other particular writer, that writer is likely canonical in the genre you’re reading and is worth familiarising yourself with.

Simply following this advice will put you culturally ahead of, well, almost everyone alive today. If you would like to go deeper, I can offer a few suggestions.

One book that will benefit almost every reader, not just of literature, is Adler and Van Doren’s How to Read a Book, about which Henry Dampier wrote a fine review some years ago. Essentially, they teach you how to get the most out of your reading, including advice on how to select books when you would like to learn about a specific topic, and how to effectively annotate books.

For works more specifically about literature, consider Harold Bloom’s How to Read and Why. Bloom introduces the novice reader to a variety of authors and genres, in both prose and poetry, explains why his selections and excerpts are examples of excellent writing, and how to do some analysis oneself. I had a few criticisms of the book in my review, but regardless, if you’d like something akin to a class on literature in an approachable book, it’s a solid starting point.

If you would like to jump into the deep end, I highly recommend Ezra Pound’s ABC of Reading, which I reviewed just recently. As noted in the review, he does give the reader plenty of guidance, but to get the most out of the book you are going to need to put in some work. So, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for those approaching literature casually (and I will not say that there’s any shame in that), but it is my personal favourite book about literature.

I have also covered a few other books on literature, most notably by the Classical authors Aristotle, Demetrius, and Longinus. These are also good, and if they sound interesting to you then by all means give them a read.

How far you go is, ultimately, up to you. My wish is for all of my dear readers to have a life outside of popular culture, even if literature is only a secondary interest. If you prefer to spend your time on music or ballet or architecture or fly fishing for that matter, I will not hold it against you. However, I invite you to immerse yourself deeply in the world of literature. The great authors wrote their work for you, yes, you specifically, to read, because they have something to share with you. Maybe something profound, or moving, or simply something charming to delight in. Poetry in particular is the queen of the arts, and those poems you learn, the poets you meet in their work, will be your constant companions.