Abstract
The present study presents a method designed to help adults develop an interpretive approach to literature. The method is based on Richard Wagner’s Theory of Total Artwork and integrates speech, image and music. In particular, we investigate the views of adult learners on the advantages of applying the method to understanding literature. Since there is no relevant literature on the application of this method to adult education, we have attempted to contribute to theory-building based on members’ views. This original method and its application constitute the theoretical framework of the research, while the qualitative methodological approach was used to investigate the research questions by interviewing members of the Reading Club of Megara’s Municipal Library.
The research shows the benefits of the method compared to the conventional approach to literature, exclusively through speech, as it can activate adult senses, imagination, and emotion. It also shows that through the method, adults – regardless of their socio-cultural and educational background and their relationship to literature in general – approach the literary text in a multifaceted, multidimensional and experiential way and enjoy it with undiminished interest.
