Cultural Universals in Literature & Literary Theory

Etymology of Cultural Universals

The concept of cultural universals, rooted in the field of anthropology, is the recognition of common elements or practices that exist across diverse cultures and societies. These shared aspects of human culture transcend geographical, historical, and ethnic boundaries, reflecting fundamental human needs and experiences.

Cultural universals include elements such as language, family structures, social hierarchies, rituals, and basic tools for survival, like cooking utensils. They serve as essential building blocks of human culture, reflecting the shared cognitive, social, and biological foundations of humanity.

The etymology of the term “cultural universals” suggests the belief in elements that are universally inherent in the human experience, and the concept is vital for understanding the similarities that bind diverse societies and the cultural variations that make each unique.

Meanings of Cultural Universals

Aspect	Meanings
1. Shared Elements of Culture	Cultural universals refer to the common aspects, practices, and traits found in various cultures and societies worldwide, highlighting the fundamental elements that bind human cultural experience.
2. Cross-Cultural Commonalities	They represent the recurring patterns and traits that transcend geographical, historical, and ethnic boundaries, reflecting the shared human experience and needs.
3. Fundamental Human Practices	Cultural universal encompasses basic human activities, such as language, family structures, social organization, and subsistence strategies, which are present in some form in all known societies.
4. Essential Building Blocks	These shared elements serve as the essential building blocks of culture, providing the foundations for the development of diverse cultural expressions and adaptations.
5. Reflection of Human Commonalities	They signify the shared cognitive, social, and biological foundations of humanity, showcasing both the commonalities and variations in how different cultures address universal human needs and challenges.
6. Insights into Cultural Variation	Understanding cultural universal helps scholars and anthropologists study how societies adapt and express these shared elements in culturally distinct ways, shedding light on the diversity of human cultures.

Definition of Cultural Universals as a Theoretical Term

Cultural universals, as a theoretical term in anthropology and sociology, denote the core elements, practices, and traits that exist across diverse cultures and societies worldwide. These shared features reflect fundamental human experiences and needs, transcending geographical, historical, and ethnic boundaries.

Cultural universal serves as the foundational building blocks of human culture and provide insights into both the commonalities and variations in how different societies address universal aspects of the human condition.

Cultural Universals: Theorists, Works and Arguments

Theorists	Works	Arguments
George Murdock	Social Structure (1949)	George Murdock conducted cross-cultural research to identify cultural universals, listing hundreds of common traits, practices, and institutions found in various societies. His argument was that these universals provided insights into the essential elements of human culture shared across the world.
Claude Lévi-Strauss	The Elementary Structures of Kinship (1949)	Lévi-Strauss focused on kinship structures and the universality of kinship systems. He argued that kinship terminologies and relationships exhibited shared patterns and fundamental structures, which were essential aspects of human culture.
Donald Brown	Human Universals (1991)	Donald Brown compiled a comprehensive list of human universals, including linguistic, behavioral, and cultural traits. His argument was that these universals offered insights into the commonalities in human behavior and culture, serving as a basis for understanding the shared aspects of humanity.
Emile Durkheim	The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912)	Durkheim’s argument centered on the universality of religion and its role in society. He contended that religious rituals and beliefs were cultural universals that served as a fundamental component of social cohesion and solidarity in all societies.

Cultural Universals and Literary Theories

1. Structuralism:
   • Cultural universals, such as common narrative structures, archetypal characters, and recurring themes, are central to structuralist literary analysis. Structuralists seek to identify the underlying, universal patterns that inform the structure of stories across cultures.
2. Archetypal Criticism:
   • Archetypal critics explore the universal symbols, motifs, and character types that recur in myths, legends, and literature. Cultural universals, as shared elements of human culture, are integral to the identification of archetypal patterns in storytelling.
3. Comparative Literature:
   • Comparative literature examines the connections and commonalities between literary works from different cultures. Cultural universals serve as points of comparison, allowing scholars to identify shared themes and motifs across diverse literary traditions.
4. Postcolonial Theory:
   • Cultural universals provide a basis for postcolonial theorists to explore the impact of colonialism and cultural imperialism on literature. These theorists consider how colonial powers imposed their cultural values on colonized societies and how resistance to cultural domination is expressed in literature.
5. Folklore Studies:
   • Folklorists study the common folk narratives, myths, and oral traditions that are shared across different cultures. Cultural universals in folklore help scholars understand the recurring themes and storytelling techniques in folk literature.
6. Mythological Criticism:
   • Mythological critics examine the universal themes and symbols found in myths and epics. Cultural universals play a significant role in the analysis of how myths transcend cultural boundaries and convey essential human experiences and beliefs.
7. World Literature:
   • Cultural universals are crucial in world literature studies, as they allow scholars to identify shared themes and motifs in literature from various regions and cultures. World literature often seeks to bridge cultural gaps by emphasizing the universal aspects of human experience.

Cultural Universals in Literary Criticism

Work	Critique
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee	In To Kill a Mockingbird, cultural universals are evident in the themes of justice, empathy, and moral integrity. The novel explores the universal concepts of racism and injustice, which transcend cultural and temporal boundaries. These themes resonate with readers worldwide, as they highlight the struggle for fairness and compassion in the face of prejudice.
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez	Gabriel García Márquez’s novel delves into cultural universals like love, family, and the passage of time. The themes of love and familial bonds are portrayed in a universal and timeless manner, making the story relatable to readers from diverse cultural backgrounds. The novel’s magical realism also touches on the universal human desire for wonder and the unknown.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald	This novel explores the cultural universals of ambition, wealth, and the pursuit of the American Dream. The themes of materialism and the desire for success are depicted in a way that transcends cultural boundaries. Readers from various backgrounds can relate to the universal aspiration for a better life and the disillusionment that often accompanies it.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe	Chinua Achebe’s novel portrays cultural universals such as the dynamics of power, change, and tradition. While the story is rooted in the Igbo culture of Nigeria, it addresses themes that resonate universally, including the clash between tradition and modernity, the consequences of colonization, and the complexity of human societies.

Suggested Readings

1. Brown, Donald. Human Universals. Temple University Press, 1991.
2. Durkheim, Emile. The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. Free Press, 1912.
3. Lévi-Strauss, Claude. The Elementary Structures of Kinship. Beacon Press, 1969.
4. Murdock, George Peter. Social Structure. The Free Press, 1949.
5. Radcliffe-Brown, A. R. Structure and Function in Primitive Society. Cohen & West, 1952.
6. Turner, Victor. The Forest of Symbols: Aspects of Ndembu Ritual. Cornell University Press, 1967.
7. Wundt, Wilhelm. Elements of Folk Psychology: Outlines of Psychological History of the Development of Mankind. George Allen & Unwin, 1916.