Canon

The term Canon, from the Greek word κανών (Kanon), meaning "reed" or "measuring rod", has multiple definitions in the literary world, the most common of which are specified as Literary Canon, Canon Fiction, and Biblical Canon (Landow). A work that belongs to a canon is guaranteed to display quality, status, and aesthetic appeal (Landow). Once the work is entered into a canon, it becomes "canonized" (WiseGEEK).

Error creating thumbnail: File missing

Literary Canon

The term Literary Canon generally refers to a work or works of fiction that are widely respected by critics or scholars or are considered important to a genre, period, or study of literature. It can also refer to the popular works from a period, regardless of scholastic value (WiseGEEK).

Error creating thumbnail: File missing

Canon Fiction

Canon Fiction refers to works that fit into an author's 'official' (or widely recognized) continuity (Landow). A good example of this is the Sherlock Holmes Canon.

Error creating thumbnail: File missing

Biblical Canon

In religious terms, Biblical Canon is a list of valid and recognized scriptures (Slick). Each type of religion has their own form of a canon (Slick). Often, canons are used in reference to books of the Bible that are officially recognized by The Church (Keathley). While in a different religion like Judaism, the canon only consists of books of the Old Testament (Slick).

Works Cited

Keathley, J. Hampton, III. "The Bible: The Holy Canon of Scripture | Bible.org." Bible.org. 3 June 2004. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <https://bible.org/seriespage/bible-holy-canon-scripture>

Landow, George P. "The Literary Canon." The Literary Canon. The Victorian Web. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://www.victorianweb.org/gender/canon/litcan.html>

Slick, Matt. "What Is the Canon?" CARM. Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.<http://carm.org/what-canon>

"What Is a Literary Canon?" WiseGEEK. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-literary-canon.htm>