The Trigger of Literary Appreciation: Frenzy or Analysis?

Abstract

The perception of the relevance and role of art and literature in contemporary society has been undergoing rapid changes over the years. The technological advances have recast the nature and scope of life on this planet in a surprisingly brief period of time. Alongside develops a new culture of literary/art appreciation that is more vicarious than participatory. An array of new possibilities offered by the virtual world has added to this visible shift in the contemporary approaches to the appreciation of art and literature. The common assumption is that literature springs from spontaneous, imaginative talent strokes that naturally demand reflection and analysis to extract its essence leading to occult delight. However, the sights and sounds emanating from the sites of performances and the scenes of entertainment make us think otherwise. There are instances that reiterate the role of the ‘epidemic frenzy’ chiefly perpetuated by the visual media and internet social network groups. When entertainment becomes visualised and vicarious, ‘frenzy’ develops from the impulsive outbursts of the mind submerged in virtual reality. There is entertainment even in those events and emotions that are capable of generating excitement. There used to be a time when art and literature offered soothing tranquillity to troubled minds, but now it is the frenzied mind that sets the norms of excellence in addition to its blatant indulgence in meanness and crudity.