Third, literature is seen as an imaginative work. In French, the term "belles-lettres" is also known as a term for literature that is aesthetic. Another word that is also taken from Sanskrit is the word pustaka which broadly means book (Teeuw, 1984:22-23).Â
After the explanation above, it can be concluded that until now there has been no single definition. This is because there are several reasons, including:
a. Literature is not a science, but an art.
b. A limitation always tries to express the essence of a suggestion.
c. A literary limitation is quite difficult to reach the essence of all types of literature.
d. The limitations of literature usually do not stop at the creator of the gift, but also an attempt at assessment.
The classical opinion on the function of literature described by Horatius, a Greek philosopher, is that literature has the function of "dulce et utile" (entertaining and useful). The function of literature according to Edgar Allan Poe (in Al-Ma'ruf, 2007:32) is "didactic heresy" (entertaining and teaching something). And regarding some of these functions, literature has a benefit, namely:
a. Literature as a science, meaning literature as a conventional discipline.
b. Literature has the motto dulce et utile, meaning that besides providing pleasure to its readers, literature also provides usefulness and benefits for human life.
c. Literature as a culture, meaning that it covers all human life both physically (as a unifier of the nation, a means of association, a means of communication) and spiritually (suggestions for activities in fostering the mental attitude of oneself and other communities).
The task of literature as an art is to offer a unique experience of various models of life. Literature is not only a historical document, but also an extension of the explanation of life itself, therefore its main purpose is to add to the inner experience.
