The writers considered the founders of modern literature are some of the sacred cows in the literary field. William Shakespeare is one such sacred cow. Although there is evidence to suggest Shakespeare did not write all of the works attributed to him, the man still is held as a prolific and great writer. Attempting to discredit Shakespeare is an endeavor often met with great resistance. Other literary sacred cows include Charles Dickens, J.R.R. Tolkien and William Faulkner. Their writing rarely is contested in the literary world.
Although literary theories have come and gone, a few hold strong in the literary world's analytical field. Deconstruction is one theory that continues to influence literary theory despite the new theories that are around, such as "queer theory." Other theories of structuralism and even psychoanalysis are used to study literary works. Perhaps the true sacred cow is the notion that a story may yield more than a plot and maybe a moral for readers --- that a deeper meaning exists of which even the author may not be aware.
There are several writing techniques in literature that fall under sacred cow status. They include story elements (setting, character, plot, conflict, climax and resolution), the structure of an essay, citation methods and the genres used in classifying stories. Any attempt to question these techniques often is met with stiff resistance as they are believed to be the basic tenants of literature.
One of the biggest sacred cows in the literary world is grammar, or the notion of "good" grammar. Despite the elevation of good grammar to a high status in literature, there is suggestions that this particular sacred cow is fragile. Grammar rules have been adapted to include special rules for each literary citation and writing technique. There are adaptations for Internet writing over other forms such as journalism, fiction and nonfiction writings.