HEALING AND SOOTHING EFFECTS OF LITERATURE DURING PANDEMIC

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”
― Jorge Luis Borges

Since time immemorial , Literature has proved to have enchanting and soothing effects on the nerves of human beings. It helps us to calm down and drown in the deep imagination and fantasies of relief and to escape into the dreamylands of innocence and peace. I would love to compare the work of art and literature to ‘herbs and flowers’. Do you know why?

“HERBS AND FLOWERS ,

SOOTHE AND CARE,

THEIR TOUCH HEALS ,

THEIR INTAKE CURES.

THEY SOOTHE AND COMFORT,

JUST LIKE MELLOW DUSK

AND BLISSFUL RAYS OF RISING SUN !”

A piece of work literature too has deep impact on us .Whether it be fanciful poetry or a reasoned prose , a creative work of art has the potential to soothe and comfort us, to heal our hidden wounds of heart , to move us to tears and thereby releasing collected strong emotions of anger, sadness or fear. The one who has dived deeply in the ocean of a work of literature knows how it can make one immensely happy and enthusiastic and oblivious of the stresses of the world. It can deeply inspire and motivate a person who feels lost in the battlefield of life.

Just have a glance at the following quotes written in famous books to get thrilled by the emotions they deliver. “WE MORTALS, MEN AND WOMEN, DEVOUR MANY A DISAPPOINTMENTS BETWEEN BREAKFAST AND DINNER-TIME.” (Middle March by George Eliot) ” I CAN’T GO BACK TO YESTERDAY BEACAUSE I WAS A DIFFERENT PERSON THEN.” (Alice in wonderland by Lewis Carrol) “There are some things you learn best in calm and some in storm.“(The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather).

I remember a story “THE BET” written by Anton Chekhov that I read in my childhood. The story revolves around two characters A Banker and the other one, A Young Man who bet during their conversations . The former stakes two millions while the latter stakes his freedom for 15 years. The young man then decides to be confined in a room where he was supplied food, wine and books. He read a huge number of books on variety of topics. After having spent 15 years of confinement he confesses to the banker, “For fifteen years I have been intently studying earthly life. It is true I have not seen the earth nor men, but in your books I have drunk fragrant wine, I have sung songs, I have hunted stags and wild boars in the forests, have loved women … Beauties as ethereal as clouds, created by the magic of your poets and geniuses, have visited me at night, and have whispered in my ears wonderful tales that have set my brain in a whirl….I have seen green forests, fields, rivers, lakes, towns. I have heard the singing of the sirens, and the strains of the shepherds’ pipes; I have touched the wings of comely devils who flew down to converse with me of God … In your books I have flung myself into the bottomless pit, performed miracles, slain, burned towns, preached new religions, conquered whole kingdoms …”

“READING MAKETH A FULL MAN: CONFERENCE A READY MAN : AND WRITING AN EXACT MAN ” (Francis Bacon) Literature reading or writing helps immensely in the vent out of the long collected emotions. If you are an avid reader and a lover of literature , it is sure that you have some level of creativity and writing skills that can be enhanced with practice. For this purpose you can choose any relaxing corner of your home along with a notebook and a pen or a laptop and begin with your creative writing. This will prove to be a relief from all sorts of stress of daily chores or office work at home that you must be doing during this time of pandemic. You may scribble down some keywords related with the theme or topic that you have chosen. Choose the genre in which you are deeply interested . It may be a poetry or story writing or an essay or an article writing. Personally, I love poetry writing. Choose from the variety of themes like Nature’s beauty , Sports, Politics, Family, Favourite hobbies, Pandemic , Racism or different emotions like Love, kindness, compassion , fear, horror etc. You can then elaborate your keywords as much as your heart desires. Trust me, this will be a real vent out of your emotions and your observations of society and people. Creative writing is one of the ways of most peaceful sort of protest too if you wish to bring a change in people and society and to strike on any flaw or misconduct in our surroundings.

The skill of story telling during this time of pandemic can help you get some entertaining relief . The ‘DECAMERON’ by Giovanni Boccaccio set during the times of Black Death in Europe , highlights the necessity of ‘Story- telling’ in the times of an epidemic. The story revolves around ten people who isolate in a Villa outside Florence for two weeks during the times of Black Death. During this course of isolation , the ten characters take turns to tell stories of love, morality, politics and trade and power. This novel is an evidence how literary skills and work of literature can help us to pass time joyfully along with a moral value at its receiving end.

Some of best books that I have read and they have helped me in getting soothing relaxation are as follows—–THREE MEN IN BOAT by Jerome K. Jerome , THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FIN by Mark Twain , OLIVER TWIST by Charles dickens , SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austene , GREAT EXPECTATIONS, DAVID COPPERFIELD by Charles Dickens, JANE EYRE by Charlotte bronte, KIM by Rudyard Kipling . If you are fond of reading folk stories or legends go for ARABIAN NIGHTS or GREEK LEGENDS. SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER by William golding is highly entertaining comedy play. Shakepearean plays like MERCHANT OF VENICE and ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL are worthy of being read. I f you are fond of gothic novels go for ABSALOM , ABSALOM, FRANKENSTEIN and WUTHERING HEIGHTS

WORKS OF LITERATURE ENLIVENS US , GIVES US A RAY OF HOPE IN THE PITCH DARKNESS AND BRINGS ENTHUSIASM IN THE TIMES OF DESPAIR.

I WOULD LIKE CONCLUDE WITH THE FOLLOWING LINES ,

” EVEN THE DARKEST NIGHT WILL END AND THE SUN WILL RISE”.( Victor Hugo from LES MISERABLES)

THE ARTISTS AND THE LOVERS OF LITERATURE ARE ULTRA SENSITIVE PEOPLE! SO TAKE YOUR OF YOURSELVES FOLKS AND YOUR LOVING FAMILIES! MORE WHEN WE MEET IN NEXT BLOG!! 🙂 🙂

(pics courtesy: Unsplash)