Literature has been considered as the repast of the elite and the educated. Literature most commonly refers to works of the creative imagination. The literary author is assumed to inhabit the legendary ivory tower which is far removed from the practical concerns of everyday life. Hence times immemorial the study and production of literature has been regarded as a wasteful activity because the end product is not tangible or directly and immediately profitable. Discoveries and research in science and technology have led us to the Moon and back but many people wonder how the publication of a new book or a unique research paper benefitted mankind. The famous German writer and statesman Goethe felt otherwise. He believed that the decline of literature indicates the decline of a nation. The renowned politician Aeneas Sylvius also believed that every age without letters is dark. Literature captures human experience and all those abstract ideas that we know intuitively but do not understand unless we explore them in stories and discuss them with others. Language forms the soul of literature and to understand its aura one should have the ability to play with the words to put forth his emotion. The works of William Shakespeare and Jane Austen speak volumes about their romance with literature. In fact the Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata are the rich literary pieces which are being passed as a legacy from generation to generation. The most astonishing facet of literature is that it encompasses history but on the other hand history cannot encompass within itself the elements of literature. Literature sometimes works as a historical chronicle. Shakespeare wrote many historical plays depicting the political and social state of Britain at different periods of time. Hence literature can easily reveal to us a piece of history of our land and make it easy for us to learn incidents by heart. It is a prevalent opinion that literature like all arts is a mere play of imagination. We may discover meaning in literature by looking at what the author says and how he says it. Literature is important to us because it speaks to us and it affects us. Literature is beautiful even when it is tragic. Bringing literature into your mind elevates your thinking process. Literature expands your learning and helps you in writing and understanding different phrases. Literary works are portrayals of the thinking patterns and social norms prevalent in the society. They are a depiction of the different facets of the life of a common man. Classical literary works serve as a food for thought and a tonic for imagination and creativity. Exposing an individual to good literary works is equivalent to providing him with the finest of educational opportunities. On the other hand the lack of exposure to classic literary works is equal to depriving an individual from an opportunity to grow as an individual. Though languages form the building blocks of literature the study of literature cannot be restricted to only studying languages. A degree in language and literature is perhaps unable to provide with everything that literature can offer. Literature is the foundation of life as it provides the ability to connect human relationships and helps one to cultivate their faculty of reasoning and thinking logically. Therefore words are alive more than ever before.