Chapter 3: Literature and Cultural Studies

Chapter 3 was about literature and cultural studies. The chapter begins by stating that “ ‘Theory’ is the theory and cultural studies the practice” (Culler, 42). This means that cultural studies follows the application of the theory. The chapter continues to discussed how cultural studies is involved with literature.

When Culler talks about cultural studies, he means popular culture. Today’s media and pop culture has been highly influenced by literature. Without old literature such as the Odyssey, things that make up our pop culture, such as television and films, would not be where they are today. Because television and films are becoming more and more popular, Culler brings up the question of, “won’t cultural studies kill literature by encouraging the study of films, television, and other popular cultural forms…?” Later in the chapter, Culler goes on to say that, “theory has reinvigorated the traditional literary canon, opening the door to more ways of reading the ‘great works’.” This begins to answer his earlier question of whether cultural studies will kill off literature, or continue to keep in standing.

Today, there are modern, translated versions of old literature, such as the works of Shakespeare, the Odyssey, etc., which have allowed literature to survive as long as it has, and will continue to keep it alive. Television and films today have been inspired by such literary works. During the time the Odyssey was written, literature was their form of entertainment, much like television and films are for us today.

The Odyssey was a spoken story, that has been translated into a written version. It originated as a story that was passed down by storytellers. Shakespeare's works were similar in the way that they were acted out in plays, but they are now currently in a written form. An example of how old literature is still alive and influencing modern society is the 2010 movie, Letters to Juliet, which is based on the ideas of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.