Introduction to literary studies

Timetable

Module aim (aims)

The lecture will discuss four topic areas:

1.) English verse and prosody

2.) Rhetorics: figures of speech, figurative language, topics (in the rhetorical sense) and tropes. Rhetoric of fiction: formulas, stock characters, settings, typical plots, types of narrative voice. This section will take up the bulk of the lecture.

3.) Genres: beginning with classic genres in Greek and Roman antiquity, the life of those genres in English literature, then modern genres, particularly types of fiction (tale, sketch, novel, romance, short story).

4.) Interpretative techniques and theory of literature; this, in its English/American variety. American formalism, Marxist criticism, psychoanalytical criticism, deconstruction, feminist and identity-based theories of literature.

To get credits for the course, you  have to take a few tests in the online moodle platform (in each section). Please take the tests when you are ready. It is possible to retake them many times.

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

It is a lecture in English, but otherwise no pre-requisites

Syllabus

The course is divided into three parts: verse and rhetorics, genre system, hermeneutics. More specifically:

1. Types of verse

2. Rhetorical schemes in poetry

3. Rhetorical tropes in poetry

4. Rhetorics of prose (types of action, functional elements of plots, typical plots)

5. Genre system

6. Hermeneutics (approaches to interpretation)

Each topic is covered in the presentations, which are available here.

Reading list

M.H. Abrams, A Glossary of Literary Terms (various edtitions are available online or in libraries)