Situational and Perennial Themes: A Blend of Philosophy and Literature

Abstract

This paper aims to highlight the fact that great literature of the world is not meant for entertainment only but for the proper understanding of the world around. The international Literature of the World have always been very philosophical in nature. Now the question arises what is the difference or the similarity between Philosophy and Literature? In the humble opinion of the writer of this article, this difference and similarity can be explained by the proper understanding of the Situational and Perennial Themes in Literature. For this purpose, the plays of Shakespeare (especially tragedies), the novels of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky and the short stories of Gorky and Chekov are studied. The study is fundamentally theoretical and qualitative in nature. Finally, the author recommends that one needs to understand the importance of great literature and the role of imagination; necessary for every kind of creation.