"The decline of literature indicates the decline of a nation"

This quote by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe recommends that the state of a country's literature is indicative of its total health. He implies that a country's literature is a reflection of its culture, values, and beliefs. A nation's literature can be viewed as a representation of its cumulative identity. For that reason, if a country's literature is in decline, it is likely that the country itself is also in decline. This might be due to an absence of imagination, development, and progress. It might likewise be a sign of a country's waning interest in its own culture and history. Eventually, Von Goethe's quote suggests that a nation's literature is a crucial indication of its overall health and well-being.