Definition of literature

verbal art a form of imitation reproducing and recreating the experiences of life in words-human experiencesfictional world

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Why read literature?

Fiction

Escape literature is written purely for entertainment to help us pass the time agreeably

Interpretive literature is written to broaden deepen/sharpen own awareness of life

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Types of readers
Reader

Immature reader who seeks only to escape enjoyment

Mature reader
enjoyment + understanding

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Students of literature/ mature readers learn literature

To foster interest and personal growth by encouraging us to think abt the issue of life. To help us develop an appreciation of the beauty of a text that is well-crafted. To expose us to diverse cultural contexts and glimpses of life in other society To foster the linguistic, social and aesthetic development within us.
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How to respond? i.e to interprete and evaluate

We should know the elements of fiction Character Plot Setting Theme Point of view

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Approaches to English Literature

Writers/authors

Literary Theories/Critics

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Modern Literary Criticism

Late 19th century biographical and historical criticisms. The first two-third of 20th centNew Criticism (40s,50,60s) Reader Response (1930s) Structuralism (1950s-60s) Deconstruction (late 60s) Psychoanalytic (20th century) Marxist (20th century) Feminist (60s-70s) New Historicism (1980s) Cultural studies Postcolonial
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Lit. as work of art is an imitation of life vs. reality Lit. for him is the profoundest, divinely inspired- divine madness-prophecy, testament-related to creator. He argues for the strict state control and censorship of dramathe Iliad and the odysseybanishment of poet Content--Morality-good role

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Imitation is acceptable as it is a representation or recreation of life- mimesis His most consistent approach to his subject is aesthetic and technicalbeginning,middle,end-stresses on form and structure.

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Aristotles principle of tragedy

Catharsis-purgation of emotion-sense of relieves after fear or pity recognition-sense of disclosure or revelationappearance vs reality unaware of the act of ignorance Tragic hero either very good or very bad; from fortune to misfortune Tragic erroror hamartia-lady macbeth Being+doing-no tragedy without action Suffering+unhappy ending.
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 Horace Dante

Sidney

To teach and delight Common tongue is acceptable vehicle of expression for literature Considers above points but added that works of art embody truth.
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 18th century 19th century

1770-1850 Wordsworth
Taine

Valued order and reason Intuition is proper guide to truth (innerself);the core of our humanity and transcendental natures Imagination, not reason or disciplined thought becomes its core Investigation of both text and the author will reveal in an accurate understanding of literary work.
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 Matthew Arnold (1822-1888)

Henry James

Lit can provide the necessary truth and guidelines for society; to interpret life for us, to console us, to sustain us. Text must be realistic, a representation of life; good novel show us life in action and interesting. to examine our own theory of interpretation and to articulate our own principles of criticism No innocent reading Be an informed and intelligent reader and critic.
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Modern literary criticism

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What is literary criticism?

Analysis Interpretation Evaluation of literary works Not finding fault with but as an academic activity expresses the readers sense of what is happening in a text.

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What is critical theory?

Establishing the general principles about how literature works and how criticism works. Modern literary theories.

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Principle tenets of New Criticism

Organic Unity Look at the theme, tension, paradox, irony, metaphor and the use of imagery in texts.

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Theme
The point of a literary work, its central idea which we infer from our interpretation of the plot, imagery and symbolism love, death, marriage, freedom) Revolves around major issues eg. Love, happiness, sadness, truth, evil, greed. Usually more than one theme. To locate a theme, stand back from the text and see what sort of general experience or subject links all its details together. (Macbethgreed/overambitious)(or order vs disorder)-this create tension.
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Paradox
A self-contradictory statement

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Irony
Is a way of writing in which what is meant is contrary to what the words appear to say Situational irony-discrepancy in viewing things. Dramatic irony-character on stage does know but the audience know. To show how complicated life really is.
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Imagery
Clothing (borrowed suit), surrounding (forest) Swan

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Metaphor
A figure of speech in which one thing described in terms of another eg. You are the apple of my eye. Simileuse the notion of similarity, using the words like or as eg as thin as a rake. Purpose- to make an idea vivid.
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Example
Discuss how Marques manages to bring out human quality in the main character despite the protagonists immoral activities.

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