In this article , there are analysed, in an evolutionary plan, several theories regarding defining the concept of literature – theories of Platon, Aristotel, Hegel, A. Warren și R. Wellek, Croce, of the formal russin school (Roman Jakobson, Boris Tomașevski etc.), of the linguistic class from Prague ( J. Mukarovsky, B. Havranek, F. Vodicka), of the structuralism (Umberto Eco, A. Serpieri, M. Corti, Iu. Kristeva, Roland Barthes, Tz. Todorov etc). Another concept that is emphasized in the article is that of the literary-artistic education. The author affirms that the reffered theories are important because they eliminate at least some controversies regarding the uniquefairideatic interpretation of the literary works; affirms the scientific equal rights for all the interpretations. Knowing these theories helps the professor conceptualising the literary-artistic education methodology, implicitly recepting and interpreting the literary work.