English Literature & Its Teaching: Character Building Through Poem

According to Oxford Advanced Learner‘s Dictionary (1995: 687),
literature is writings that are valued as works of art, such as fiction, drama,
and poetry (in contrast with technical books and newspaper, magazines,
etc). Literature, in its broadest sense, includes all written materials. Into this
general grouping fall history books, philosophical works, novels, poems,
plays, scientific articles, dictionaries, magazine, and school textbooks.
On the other hand, Wellek and Waren (1990: 3), stated that literature
is a creative activity and an art. Meanwhile Bailey (1965: 239), defines
literature as an art form, like painting, sculpture, music, drama, and the
dance. Literature is distinguished from other art forms by the medium in
which it works: language. Insofar as speech forms occur in other arts, sung
words in music, speaking as well as action in drama, these other arts have
literary aspect.