Literary notes about country (AI summary)
In literature, "country" is a multifaceted term that can refer to a geographical region, a homeland imbued with personal or national identity, or even a symbol of rural simplicity and tradition. For example, Conrad’s use of “up country” [1] directs attention to remote, less-civilized regions, while Sherman’s evocative call to “the claims of home and country” [2] intertwines patriotism with notions of familial duty and national honor. Similarly, classical texts transform the term: Josephus’s description of the Israelites leaving the “plain country” [3] carries connotations of historical migration, and Homer’s reference to a land where a nation’s terror has been “laid in dust” [4] imbues "country" with the grandeur of a storied past. Together, these examples show that in literature "country" is not merely a physical space but a vibrant symbol reflecting cultural identity, social values, and the profound ties between people and their homeland.
- “Why not send him up country?”
— from Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad - The claims of home and country, wife and children, uniting with the demands of honor and patriotism, summon us to the field.
— from Memoirs of General William T. Sherman — Complete by William T. Sherman - Now when they had done this for three years, the multitude of the Israelites retired to the mountains, and forsook the plain country.
— from Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus - No—if I e'er return, return I must Glorious, my country's terror laid in dust:
— from The Iliad by Homer
