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Literature, as explored by Frye in this chapter, delves into the dichotomy of two distinct perspectives – the vertical and the horizontal. This essay will elaborate on these perspectives, drawing parallels between them and elucidating the significance of each in the realm of literature. By envisioning these perspectives as cardinal directions on a compass, Frye provides a framework for understanding the varied dimensions of literary expression.
The vertical perspective, akin to the north-south axis on a compass, encapsulates the soaring heights and plunging depths of literary expression. In Frye's words, "The top half of literature is the world expressed by such words as sublime, inspiring, and the like, where what we feel is not detachment but absorption" (Frye, 60). This upper realm is where genres such as romance and comedy reside, offering readers an immersive experience that transcends the mundane realities of everyday life.
Within the upper echelons of literature, one encounters narratives that evoke powerful emotions and sentiments.
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For instance, Shakespeare's magnum opus, "King Lear," exemplifies the tragedies nestled in the bottom half of the compass. Here, bad things befall good people, challenging the conventional order of the world. Lear's tragic loss of everything, including his sanity, and Gloucester's blinding exemplify the profound depths explored in the vertical perspective.
Contrasting with the vertical, the horizontal perspective spans the east-west axis on the literary compass. This dimension lacks the peaks and troughs found in the vertical, embodying the flat, dull, and mundane aspects of everyday life. Frye characterizes this as the writing of the commonplace, often perceived as uninteresting to readers. He contends, "to write anything in literature, we can’t be lifelike; we have to be literature-like" (Frye, 56).
Readers turn to literature not for a mirror reflecting their everyday existence but for an escape into the extraordinary. Literature serves as a realm of make-believe, offering a balance to the mundane world readers inhabit. While elements of reality may be woven into literary works, the extreme outcomes and fantastical occurrences enable readers to envision a world more ideal or, conversely, more chaotic and devoted to suffering than their own.
Frye posits that the vertical perspective, unconstrained by the limits of reality, allows readers to traverse a realm far superior or more dire than their present reality. He asserts, "Literature gives us an experience that stretches us vertically to the heights and depths of what the human mind can conceive" (Frye, 61). This is the essence of the vertical perspective's allure – it beckons readers to explore dimensions of experience that transcend the boundaries of lived reality.
Imagination becomes the gateway to unparalleled experiences, inviting readers to partake in narratives that defy the constraints of conventional life. Regardless of one's accumulation of life experiences, the dimension of experience brought forth by imagination remains unparalleled. Literature, through the vertical perspective, becomes a conduit to realms that expand the boundaries of human understanding and emotion.
In conclusion, Frye's exploration of the vertical and horizontal perspectives unveils the intricate tapestry of literary expression. The vertical, with its peaks and troughs, offers an emotional odyssey that transcends the ordinary, while the horizontal captures the banality of everyday life. The dichotomy between these perspectives underscores the dynamic nature of literature, providing readers with a spectrum of experiences that resonate beyond the confines of reality.
Literary Dimensions: Vertical and Horizontal Perspectives. (2016, Sep 15). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/vertical-and-horizontal-perspectives-in-literature-essay
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