A literary work is a creation of literature.
To clearly define the concept of a literary work, it is essential to previously establish the meaning of the two words that make it up: work and literary .
Anything created by humans using their creative abilities is known as a work . Depending on the context, it may be an intellectual product (such as a song or poetry) or a material object (a house, a craft).
Literary is a term that is related to what belongs to or is related to literature (the set of knowledge that allows one to write and read well or the art of poetics, rhetoric and grammar).
Concept of literary work
Taking these two definitions we can say that a literary work is a creation made by a writer with the aim of transmitting an idea; The tool he uses to carry out this work is writing and he tries to work with it so that his message can be understood while presenting it with a certain aesthetic.
A literary work can be fiction or non-fiction; In the first case we could cite novels and stories (which tell a story , either in the first or third person, with a specific plot), in the second group we could include journalistic chronicles and essays (narratives that pursue informative or educational); In both cases the author will use a series of literary tools and resources that allow him to clearly express the idea. Furthermore, it will rely on a particular rhetoric; In the case of essays, for example, the language to be used will be determined by the area of research to which said essay corresponds. For example, if it is an essay about the characteristics of a certain disease, the language that will appear in the work will be that used in the field of medicine.
Despite everything, it is important to point out that there is great contradiction and divergence regarding the classification of works as literary and non-literary. Many intellectuals believe that those writings that belong to the academic field and that are written for the purpose of informing cannot be considered within this category; However, the line can be very weak; it will always depend on the way in which the author is able to play with language and how much he or she manages to capture an idea.
Literary works are usually captured in books.
fiction literature
From another perspective, a literary work is only one that is linked to fictional literature. In that sense, according to its form or theme, the literary work can belong to various genres, such as narrative (a work in prose, such as a novel or story ), lyric (composition in verse that expresses the feelings of the author), the drama (work designed to be performed before the public), the epic (verses that tell the exploits of heroes or divinities) or didacticism (which seeks to instruct the reader or listener).
However, this classification is quite reductionist since it leaves out narrative works of fiction that are linked to journalistic language, such as the aforementioned journalistic chronicles. Should we then say that García Márquez's "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" is not a literary work?
Different formats of literary works
On the other hand, a literary work is not necessarily captured in a book. They can be written (books or other printed media that reproduce the story without changes) or oral (they are transmitted from generation to generation and usually change over time, like legends or popular tales). The works can also be tactile , when they are adapted to the needs of the blind using the Braille system.
As always, we are faced with a very delicate dilemma and if we opt for this second classification we will possibly fall into the injustice of leaving out of the classification of literary works many stories and books that really well deserve this title .