【You’veprobablyheardsuchreports.Thenumberofcollegestudentsmajoringinthehumanities(人文学科)isdecreasingquickly.Thenewshascausedafloodofhigh-mindedessayscriticizingthedevelopmentasasymbolofAmericandecline.】
You’veprobablyheardsuchreports.Thenumberofcollegestudentsmajoringinthehumanities(人文学科)isdecreasingquickly.Thenewshascausedafloodofhigh-mindedessayscriticizingthedevelopmentasasymbolofAmericandecline.
Thebrightsideisthis:Thedestructionofthehumanitiesbythehumanitiesisfinallycomingtoanend.Nomorewillliteratureaspartofanacademiccurriculumputoutthelightofliterature.Nolongerwillthereadingofsay“KingLear”orD.H.Lawrence’s“WomeninLove”resultintheannoyingstuffofmultiple-choicequizzesexamessaysandhomeworkassignments.
ThediscouragingfactisthatforeverycollegeprofessorwhomadeShakespeareorLawrencecomealivefortheluckyfewtherewerecountlessotherswhomadethereadingofliterarymasterpiecesseemliketwohoursinthedentist’schair.
Theremarkablyinsignificantfactthatahalf-centuryago14%oftheundergraduatepopulationmajoredinthehumanities(mostlyinliteraturebutalsoinartphilosophyhistoryclassicsandreligion)asopposedto7%todayhasgivenrisetoseriousreflectionsonthenatureandpurposeofaneducationintheliberalarts.
Suchreflectionsalwayscometothesameconclusion:Wearetoldthatthelackofaformaleducationmostlyinliteratureleadstonumerousharmfulpersonalconditionssuchastheinabilitytothinkcriticallytowriteclearlytobecuriousaboutotherpeopleandplacestoengagewithgreatliteratureaftergraduationtorecognizetruthbeautyandgoodness.
Theseseriousanxietiesaregrandadmirablyvirtuousandvirtuouslyadmirable.Theyarealsoamerefantasy.
Thecollegeteachingofliteratureisarelativelyrecentphenomenon.Literaturedidnotevenbecomepartoftheuniversitycurriculumuntiltheendofthe19thcentury.BeforethatwhatcametobecalledthehumanitiesconsistedoflearningGreekandLatinwhiletheBiblewasstudiedinchurchasthenecessaryotherhalfofafulleducation.Nooneeverthoughtofteachingnovelsstoriespoemsorplaysinaformalcourseofstudy.Theywerepartoftheleisureofeverydaylife.
ItwasonlyafterWorldWarIIthatthestudyofliteratureasatypeofwisdomrelevanttoactualcontemporarylifeputdownwidespreadinstitutionalroots.Soldiersreturninghom