CRITICAL THEORY

CRITICAL THEORY

Module Level :

Module Leader:

Dr Deniz Greenald

Module Credit Value:

10 Credit Points

Recommended Prior Knowledge: None required. It is intended that this module be offered as an elective.

Aims The module aims might be described as follows:

to introduce and discuss some Twentieth Century critical approaches to literature as tools for reading
to enable the development of reading and critical skills in the student
to give the student opportunity to explore some key theoretical issues in literary studies today

Indicative Content

A range of the most significant Twentieth Century critical theories and an exploration of their application to texts.

The changing status of the author.

The role of the reader.

The application of other disciplines to literary studies: psychology, linguistics, philosophy.

The concepts of The Canon and Literary Tradition.

Specific Texts:

A range of extracts (theoretical and fictional) chosen by the tutor. The David Lodge ‘Readers’ are good source books for material. Essays and extracts studied may include: Barthes, ‘The Death of the Author’, ‘The Blue Guide’
Catherine Belsey, ‘Criticism & Common Sense’
Helene Cixous, The Laugh of the Medusa

Dollimore, ‘Beyond Essentialist Humanism’

T.S.Eliot, ‘The Impersonality of Poetry’, ‘Tradition and The Individual Talent’
Orwell, ‘Politics & The English Language’
Trilling, ‘Freud & Literature’
Raymond Williams, ‘Literature’
W.K.Wimsatt & M.C. Beardsley, ‘The Intentional Fallacy’
‘The Affective Fallacy’
Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the module the student should be able to:

identify the major developments in literary studies this century and summarise their main points
demonstrate an understanding of terms and concepts used in and raised by the course
apply the theory to texts independently and interpret texts in the light of a range of methods
evaluate the usefulness of the methods and express their opinions clearly both orally and in writing
recognise the differing applications of particular theories to specific kinds of text and demonstrate an understanding of the suitability of some methods to some genres or types of writing

Teaching and Learning Strategies

The approaches and issues will be studied in blocks of 2-3 weeks. For each approach or theme an extract from a piece of theoretical writing will be set in advance. Introductory lectures will provide a background to and overview of the main issues. These will be followed by seminars focusing on key aspects of the work studied. Seminars will provide the opportunity for clarification of the material studied as well as enabling discussion, exploration and debate. Seminars will also enable the application of theory to texts. There will also be independent study time to read and prepare for seminar activities.

Assessment Strategies

The module will be assessed by coursework in the form of either 1 x 4000 word study on a topic to be agreed with the tutor or 2 x 2000 word assignments chosen from a selection of questions set by the tutor. Students will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate a knowledge of a range of theories, the similarities and differences between them, and their capacity to apply and evaluate critical insights. Tutors will look for evidence of comprehension but also the ability to analyse and apply insights.

Bibliography

Required Reading

Eagleton, T., An Introduction to Literary Theory, (Blackwell, 1983)

Lodge, D., Twentieth Century Literary Criticism - A Reader, (Longman, 1972)

----- Modern Criticism & Theory - A Reader, (Longman, 1988)

Peck, J. And Coyle, M., Literary Terms and Criticism, (Macmillan, 1984)

Tallack, D., Critical Theory : A Reader, (Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1995)

Recommended Reading

Armstrong, I., New Feminist Discourses: Critical Essays on Theories & Texts, (Routledge, 1992)

Belsey, C., Critical Practice, (Methuen, 1980)

Conley, V. A., Helene Cixous: Writing The Feminine, (U. Nebraska Press, 1991)

Dyson, A.E., ( general ed.) Issues In Contemporary Critical Theory, (Macmillan, 1987)

Jefferson, A. & Robey, D., Modern Literary Theory : A Comparative Introduction, (Batsford, 1986)

Landry, D. & Maclean, G., The Spivak Reader, (Routledge, 1996)

Moi, T., Sexual/ Textual Politics, (Methuen, 1985)

Newton, K.M., Interpreting The Text: A Critical Introduction To The Theory & Practice Of Literary Interpretation, (Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1990)

Ray, W. Literary Meaning, (Blackwell, 1984)

Walder, D., Literature In The Modern World, (OUP, 1980)

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