Literary Criticism

Welcome to the course that might as well be titled How We Study Literature, and Why. It'll be part English class, lots Philosophy class, some history and sociology classes, and a bit gender studies. In other words, it's your whole academic history rolled into one...

The Texts

	Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. 2nd Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1999.
	Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Ed. Ross C. Murfin. Boston: Bedford Books, 1996.
	Culler, Jonathan. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997.

A Word To The Wise

This is going to be a hard class and there's no use kidding ourselves about it. Thinking about "Literary Theory" is really thinking about one of the most amorphous things in the academy right now, "theory" itself. In order to understand literary criticism as it is currently practiced, we have to understand the various underlying issues which only theory -- which is necessarily an abstraction -- can help us understand. What this means is that this will not be a course which only talks about literary texts. In fact, it's going to be a long way into the course until we begin to think about the common text here, Heart of Darkness, in any detail. Instead, we're going to think about what it means to be "critical" of anything in the first place.

Culler's Literary Theory is a general text which is meant to introduce you to the issues that theoreticians grapple with every time they wake up. You're going to learn a new vocabulary (sometimes for what seem like old items or issues) and you're going to learn the various ways that "theory" attempts to sort out the world. It will be hard because this is generally ungrounded thinking: it is philosophy, and I'm going to ask that you begin to master its ways of thinking and its ways of speaking.

I've chosen texts, however, which are good at explaining that overarching philosophic nature of theory, I think. Doesn't mean that you're not going to have to concentrate very hard to fathom what they're arguing. It does mean that you ought to be able to think more deeply, more complexly and in more ways about literature, and everything else you can "read," once the course is done.

So, What's To Do?

First of all, keep up. The pace here is brisk because we have lots to learn initially before we can even turn to lit studies proper. Getting behind in reading will make class discussion a lot less meaningful and that, my friends, means that you're not getting the most out of the class.

Second, take lots of notes: in the margins, in a journal, wherever. You're going to have strong reactions to this stuff, I think, either in the realms of confusion, exasperation, frustration or disbelief (or, just maybe, agreement). Note questions. Ask questions. As Culler points out, "theory makes mastery impossible" (17), so don't worry if you don't get it all or even much of it the first time through. Ask, and we'll learn about it together.

Third, write some essays. There will be three due in here.

The first is a 3-5 pager where you investigate one of the predominant schools of theory, embodying its main figures and main ideas. This is a "research" essay in a small way; I want you to read up on your school and then write an elegant summary of what you've learned.

The second is a 3-5 pager where you examine one of a number of theoretical terms which you'll find below. As with the first essay, you're going to want to read up on the term (we'll talk about source material later) and come to a detailed and complex understanding of what theoreticians mean when they use that word.

	Representation
	Agency
	Discourse
	Culture
	Ideology
	Class
	Gender
	Author

Finally, there will be a 5-7 pager where you apply one of the theories we've (or you've) studied to a short work of your choice. This can be either a poem, short play or short poem. The idea is to create a theoretically informed -- critical -- reading of something literary.

Finally, there may be some spotty quizzes and a there will be a final in here. Want to make sure that you're staying honest with the readings and that you have some fundamental, overall knowledge by the end of the course.

Calendar

T 08/28	Syllabus Lecture
R 08/30	Culler 1; Bressler 1
T 09/04	Culler 2
R 09/06	Culler 3
T 09/11	Culler 4
R 09/13	Culler 5
T 09/18	Culler 6
R 09/20	Culler 7
T 09/25	Culler 8
R 09/27	Bressler 2
T 10/02	Bressler 2 Essay One Due
R 10/04	Bressler 2
T 10/09	Bressler 3 & 4
R 10/11	Expansion Day
10/15-16	FALL BREAK
R 10/18	Bressler 5
T 10/23	Bressler 6
R 10/25	Bressler 6 and Miller on Heart of Darkness
T 10/30	Bressler 8
R 11/01	Bressler 8 and Smith on Heart of Darkness Essay Two Due
T 11/06	Bressler 10
R 11/08	Bressler 10 and Thomas on Heart of Darkness
T 11/13	Bressler 11
R 11/15	Bressler 11 and Brantlinger on Heart of Darkness
T 11/20	Expansion Day
11/22-23	THANKSGIVING
T 11/27	Bressler 7
R 11/29	Bressler 7
T 12/04	Bressler 9
R 12/06	Bressler 9 Essay Three Due
	FINAL

The Texts

A Word To The Wise

So, What's To Do?

Calendar

10/15-16

FALL BREAK

11/22-23

THANKSGIVING