Is the literary Canon a form of communism against

Academic Freedom?
The Literary Canon is a qualily standard.Theoratically, it contains a group of literary works
that are considered representative for a certain nation,genre,slyle,period of time or for a
certain writer.The names of these works become synonymuous with geatness and masterpiece.
The concept of canon is more complex than it seams.The term itself bagan by having a
religious meaning and after that its definion was constructed based on words such as law,norm
and standard.It is a stepping stone in the development of literature and civilization.As the
literary critic T.S. Eliot said :You cannot value the artist alone.You must set him for contrast
and comparison among the dead.
At first,establishing a Literary Canon was crucial because of the lack of mass print
production.Copying texts demanded a lot of effort and resources and in order to preserve
tradition a selection had to be made.As a result a lot of works were lost along the way.
However,in contemporary times a traditional list,a rigid one cannot survive.An imposed
hierarchy finds its enemy in cultural changes.
Furthermore the Literary Canon imposes o set of norms based on historical and social
circumstances.It is brought to life by a sense of national identity therefore it tends to have a
conservative character.It becames a biography of the nation.It reveals its pulse,status and
needs and also its historical and social background.
An argument against it is the fact that in order to preserve cultural heritage it tends to ignore
the social context.The fate of literary works regarding their place in the hall of fame is
decided by those whose opinios concerning literature are respected.In this category we find
critics,scholars and teachers.Unfortunatly,it is also constructed based on theoretical and
political implications that inevitably lead to subjectivity .This clasification of literature
contains works that are being privileged and the canon offers them immortality and in order
for this to happen other works need to be sacrificed.In other words The Literary Canon is a
discrimination of other works that apparentlyare not as important as the ones that are
canonized and this leads to their exile.

The List containing the privileged works has a dynamic nature.It is constantly changing
according to trends,historical events and social movements.These works are not necessarily a
quality guarantee.They gain popularity based on their relationship with the context.The
context is the most important factor in this transformation.Works that were once part of the
canon do not change.Their meaning and their message undoubtedly changes in time.This
happens with every generation.Time transforms the effects and the influence of this texts upon
the mentality of the nation.
The Literary Canon imposes a set of norms in taste based on certain standards and rules that
are more or less ambiguous.From a paranoic point of view it could all be part of political
scheme:shaping mentalities,guiding generations towards certain beliefs,transforming
historical events.
The problem of the canon is a contemporary one.Canonized works are constantly being
critised . The social need for academic freedom is growing.The works that are the center of
attention demand respect and are widely studied. Nevertheless the abolition of the canon
would be impossible.It is a radical and dangerous idea.The existence of this standard is vital
so that chaos could be avoided.It offers guidance for new generations and it shows a
radiography of a nation from a cultural point of view.The solution is to be found somewhere
in the middle.The answer lies in the word compromise.
The authority of the Literary Canon should be diminished .It should be just a guiding line,an
arrow pointing the way without having a normative character.The young generation should be
encouraged to cross beyond this border and create a new pattern. The pace of life is rapidly
changing and so should the canon.It has to be open to new ideas and concepts and adopt a
combination between inovations and tradition.
The Literary Canon had since the beginning the role of protecting and conserving literature
and tradition.It is an important component of culture and history.Altough over time its
authority diminished,its existence still dictates order and prevents chaos.
The compromise that has to be made in order to resolve this contemporary dispute is in
essence a compromise between past and present,between tradition and innovation.The term
canon has to accept the changes of time that lead to new mentalities.The Solution is a a
democratic canon.
BOTEZATU ANDA DIANA ( EN-SP III)