Literature and the Measure of Civilization

One hallmark in the latter days of Qadayen civilization is the ability to look back and readily discern what separates the past from the present. One might do this through technological or social measurements as has been done. Yet, the Imperial Era is unique in the proliferation and preservation of literature across the world. For that reason it makes perfect sense to use literature as another means to discuss the passage of time in Qadal. A civilization might be measured by its progression on this continuum.   Why are these varieties of literature ranks as such? The answer is esseythu, and the closer which olundi might come to understanding it and themselves through literature. Indeed, the closer which a civilization comes to this end denotes a higher state of its people.

Stories of creation are the most fundamental, primitive unit of story-telling. It discusses not comprehension, but the nascent steps of beginning to comprehend. Creational stories fill in the blanks left by ignorance. Only the youngest and least developed races of the world practice such story-telling as common course. Latest among them were the Elivas, brought to sentience in the -2000s.

Beyond creational tales of cultural self-exploration are mythical stories. In this new context, the boundaries and concepts of creation and extrapolated to greater depths. Narratives take on new purposes, such as teaching morals or lessons rather than explaning the creation of one thing or another.   Numerous ‘primitive’ nations such as the Karthuuzar, Adashi, Gressar, and Vestanir practice this variety of story-telling as commonplace.

Exploration of history is another hallmark of a developing civilization. It is a point where the murky past of mythology becomes better acquinted with the timeline of modernity. Everything in between is given a date, place, and context.   Nations of Middling cultural development such as Lodon and Yor’shagon write historical literature as the height of their craft. The Zolrassal is itself a historical narrative at its height, with greater emphasis on the grander scale, less personally emotional stories enumerated below.

In truth, what is the heart of a story? People, or deities, or whatever sentient beings are the actors. Concepts of creation or myth or history are mere environments into which characters might interact within certain boundaries. These include familial dramas, the tales of adventure parties in strange landscapes, and wars between powerful masters. Stories of those varities explore relationships between people in new and exciting ways. They challenge the reader to consider responses to circumstances beyond common experience. How, and why, should people act?   Well developed nations such as Anivollos, Neyas, and Demrazand exhibit such personal narratives. They are popular, accessible, and thought provoking. At best, the most advanced tales among them even push close to the next tier, individual, which explores single persons and the nature of their esseythu.

At the pinnacle of literature stand individual narratives, being those which best explore the olundic condition. These are tales of individuals against themselves, nature, or abstractions of their existence. The reason these narratives are best is the narrow gap between them and enlightenment. Understanding oneself leads to understanding one’s esseythu, being their own essence.   It is only in the late Imperial Era that such narratives have become popular among the foremost nations of the world- Corgastoria, Eurobia, and Atusbalas.