Learning Objectives
5 objectives- Understand the fundamental concepts and historical development of literary theory.
- Analyze literary texts using a variety of critical approaches including Formalism, Structuralism, Psychoanalytic, Feminist, Marxist, Postcolonial, Queer, and Ecocriticism.
- Evaluate the influence of social, cultural, psychological, and political contexts on literary interpretation.
- Develop critical thinking skills by comparing and contrasting different theoretical perspectives.
- Apply theoretical frameworks to interpret and critique diverse literary works.
Content Outline
PreviewUnit 2546: Introduction to Literary Theory and Critical Approaches
1. Introduction to Literary Theory
- Definition and purpose of literary theory
- Historical overview: from classical criticism to contemporary theory
- Key terms: text, interpretation, critique, context
- Major movements overview
- Significance of theory in literary analysis
2. Formalism
- Origins and historical context (Russian Formalism)
- Focus on form, structure, language, and style
- Key concepts: defamiliarization, literariness, foregrounding
- Methods of formalist analysis
- Limitations: exclusion of historical/biographical contexts
3. Structuralism and Post-Structuralism
3.1 Structuralism
- Foundations in linguistics (Ferdinand de Saussure)
- Concepts: sign, signifier, signified, binary oppositions
- Application to literature: underlying structures and myths
- Key figures: Claude Lévi-Strauss, Roland Barthes
3.2 Post-Structuralism
- Reaction to structuralism’s fixed meanings
- Concepts: deconstruction, intertextuality, différance
- Role of reader and text instability
- Key theorists: Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault
4. Psychoanalytic Criticism
- Introduction to Freudian theory in literature
- Concepts: unconscious, repression, id/ego/superego
- Lacanian psychoanalysis: mirror stage, symbolic order
- Analysis of character motivations, themes, and symbols
- Examples of psychoanalytic readings
5. Feminist Criticism
- Historical background of feminist literary theory
- Examination of gender representations and power dynamics
- Key concepts: patriarchy, male gaze (Laura Mulvey), Bechdel test
- Contributions of key feminist theorists: Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler
- Impact on literary studies and contemporary discourse
6. Marxist Criticism
- Foundations in Marxist theory and historical materialism
- Concepts: class struggle, ideology, alienation, commodification
- Literature as a reflection and critique of socio-economic conditions
- Analysis of power structures and capitalism in texts
- Notable theorists: Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci, Terry Eagleton
7. Postcolonial Criticism
- Context: legacy of colonialism and imperialism
- Key themes: cultural identity, hybridity, mimicry, resistance
- Theories of Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, Gayatri Spivak
- Decolonizing literary studies and recovering marginalized voices
- Case studies of postcolonial literature
8. Queer Theory
- Challenging normative gender and sexuality constructs
- Concepts: fluidity, subversion, heteronormativity
- Representation of LGBTQ+ identities in literature
- Key theorists: Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Judith Butler
- Queer readings and implications for literary analysis
9. Ecocriticism
- Literature and the environment: an emerging field
- Concepts: environmental justice, ecofeminism, Anthropocene
- Representation of nature and ecological concerns in texts
- Relationship between humanity and the natural world
- Key figures and contemporary debates
Summary and Integration
- Comparative analysis of theories
- Applying multiple perspectives to a single text
- Critical reflection on theory and practice
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