FF:AJ04001 Intro. to Literary Studies I - Course Information

AJ04001 Introduction to Literary Studies I

Extent and Intensity

0/2/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).

Teacher(s)

Mgr. et Mgr. Kateřina Prajznerová, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Pavel Drábek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Michael Matthew Kaylor, PhD. (lecturer)
Mgr. Klára Kolinská, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek

Timetable

Wed 13:20–14:55 zruseno D22

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 11 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

This lecture series provides an introduction to some of the most significant approaches to the study of literature. Focusing especially on British and American authors, the lectures aim to broaden the students’ awareness of diverse ways of analyzing literary texts. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking and academic writing skills and on gaining a deeper understanding of how literature affects us and enriches our perception of the world.

Syllabus

• Week 1 / September 24: Lecture (Pavel Drábek): “Why Study Literature?” / “Functions of Literature” Readings: René Wellek and Austin Warren, Theory of Literature (pages 15-37, 139-57) Barnet et al, An Introduction to Literature (chapters 1 and 2) Richard Bradford, Stylistics (part 2) Week 2 / October 1: Lecture (Kateřina Prajznerová): “Setting” Readings: Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (chapters I.-X.) Ross C. Murfin, “The Biographical and Historical Background” (pages 3-19) Week 3 / October 8: Lecture (Kateřina Prajznerová): “Literary History” Readings: Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (chapters XI.-XXIV.) Sacvan Bercovitch, “Hawthorne’s A-Morality of Compromise” (pages 344-58) Bonnie Klomp Stevens and Larry L. Stewart, A Guide to Literary Criticism and Research (chapter 2: “The Insight of Literary History”) Week 4 / October 15: Lecture (Pavel Drábek): “Theme” Readings: William Shakespeare, Hamlet Maynard Mack, “The World of Hamlet” Week 5 / October 22: Lecture (Pavel Drábek): “Literary Genres” Readings: William Shakespeare, Hamlet Ronald Hayman, How to Read a Play Aristotle, Poetics Week 6 / October 29: Lecture (Michael Kaylor): “Figurative and Literal: Metaphor, Symbol, and Allegory” Readings: Gerard Manley Hopkins, “The Windhover” John Pick, ed., The Windhover (from The Merrill Literary Casebook Series) Week 7 / November 5: Mid-term review and mock-quiz Week 8 / November 12: Lecture (Michael Kaylor): “Literary Styles” Readings: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein Johanna M. Smith, “A Critical History of Frankenstein” (pages 237-61) Ross C. Murfin, “What Is Psychoanalytic Criticism?” (pages 262-79) David Collings, “The Monster and the Maternal Thing: Mary Shelley’s Critique of Ideology” (pages 280-95) Week 9 / November 19: Lecture (Kateřina Prajznerová): “Structure and Plot” Readings: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein Ross C. Murfin, “What Is Feminist Criticism?” (pages 296-313) Johanna M. Smith, “‘Cooped Up’ with ‘Sad Trash’: Domesticity and the Sciences in Frankenstein” (pages 313-33) Week 10 / November 26: Lecture (Michael Kaylor): “Narrative Point of View” Readings: Henry James, The Turn of the Screw Peter G. Beidler, “A Critical History of The Turn of the Screw” (pages 127-45) Week 11 / December 3: Lecture (Michael Kaylor): “Interpretation” Readings: Henry James, The Turn of the Screw Ross C. Murfin, “Psychoanalytic Criticism and The Turn of the Screw” (pages 207- 23) Stanley Renner, “‘Red hair, very red, close-curling’: Sexual Hysteria, Physiognomical Bogeyman, and the ‘Ghosts’ in The Turn of the Screw” (pages 223-41) Week 12 / December 10: Lecture (Kateřina Prajznerová): “Character, Persona and Tone” Readings: Barbara Kingsolver, selections from Small Wonder Phillip Lopate, “Introduction” from The Art of the Personal Essay (pages xxiii-xlv) Philip Gerard, “What Is Creative Nonfiction Anyhow?” (pages 1-12) Week 13 / December 17: Semester review and mock-quiz

Literature

• Ronald Hayman, How to Read a Play
• Phillip Lopate, “Introduction” from The Art of the Personal Essay
• Ross C. Murfin, “The Biographical and Historical Background” (pages 3-19
• Wellek, René, and Austin Warren. A Theory of Literature. New York: Harcourt, 1949.
• Aristotle, Poetics
• William Shakespeare, Hamlet
• Gerard Manley Hopkins, “The Windhover”
• Sacvan Bercovitch, “Hawthorne’s A-Morality of Compromise” (pages 344-58)
• Ross C. Murfin, “What Is Feminist Criticism?” (pages 296-313)
• Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
• Peter G. Beidler, “A Critical History of The Turn of the Screw” (pages 127-45)
• Richard Bradford, Stylistics (part 2)
• Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter
• Henry James, The Turn of the Screw
• Ross C. Murfin, “What Is Psychoanalytic Criticism?” (pages 262-79)
• John Pick, ed., The Windhover (from The Merrill Literary Casebook Series)
• Bonnie Klomp Stevens, Larry L. Stewart. A Guide to Literary Criticism and Research. 3rd ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1996.
• David Collings, “The Monster and the Maternal Thing: Mary Shelley’s Critique of Ideology” (pages
• Johanna M. Smith, “‘Cooped Up’ with ‘Sad Trash’: Domesticity and the Sciences in Frankenstein”
• Philip Gerard, “What Is Creative Nonfiction Anyhow?” (pages 1-12)
• Barnet, Sylvan, Morton Berman, and William Burto. An Introduction to Literature: Fiction / Poetry / Drama. 9th ed. Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman, 1989: 1-101.
• Johanna M. Smith, “A Critical History of Frankenstein” (pages 237-61)
• Stanley Renner, “‘Red hair, very red, close-curling’: Sexual Hysteria,
• Johanna M. Smith, “A Critical History of Frankenstein” (pages 237-61)
• Ross C. Murfin, “Psychoanalytic Criticism and The Turn of the Screw” (pages 207-
• Maynard Mack, “The World of Hamlet”
• Barbara Kingsolver, selections from Small Wonder
• DURANT, Alan, Nigel FABB, Tom FURNISS, Sara MILLS and Martin MONTGOMERY. Ways of reading : advanced reading skills for students of English literature. London: Routledge. x, 257. ISBN 0415053196. 1992. info

Assessment methods

Assessment: Students will write a final exam consisting of two comprehensive short-essay questions. To prepare for the exam, students are required to respond to one of the sample questions suggested at the end of each lecture (see the echo-assignment in elf) and to take a mid-term mock-quiz on November 5 and an end-of-term mock-quiz December 17.

Language of instruction

English

Further Comments

The course is taught annually.

Teacher's information

http://www.phil.muni.cz/elf/course/category.php?id=4

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2008, recent)
  
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