ENGL 420
Introduction to Literary Criticism (WD)
Catalog Entry
ENGL 420. Introduction to Literary Criticism (WD)
Three hours lecture (3).
Prerequisite: ENGL 111 and 112; ENGL 300 or permission of department chair.
Survey of major texts of literary criticism from classical period to present; includes analysis of major problems of literary criticism and introduces dominant modes of critical thought today.
Note(s): Cultural or Behavioral Analysis designated course.
Detailed Description of Content of Course
鈥xploration of the nature and aesthetic/didactic function of literature;
鈥eading of major documents of, and chapters about, predominant literary critical schools, with major concentration on those still in use today as teaching techniques and publishable writing styles;
鈥eading and discussion of selected works of literature in context of different critical schools.
The second of four required writing-in-the-discipline courses in the major.
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Students read theory on the definition, purpose, and place of literature with an attempt, through class discussion and written reactions, to achieve a general grounding in such theory. Students also read primary critical documents in various schools of criticism.
Format--combination of the following:
鈥ecture and discussion led by instructor;
鈥xploration of selected texts, from a variety of critical perspectives;
鈥tudent led presentations;
鈥n-class peer group and workshop sessions.
Writing Requirements
鈥nformal & Exploratory Journals, reading logs, etc., in which students respond and raise questions about required readings.
鈥ormal Essays
鈥tudents may be required to write one or more essays, in strict MLA style, that apply critical principles of different schools to literary works of the students' choice. Students are especially encouraged to focus on how the different schools of criticism create variant approaches to literary works.
鈥ssay Examinations
Students may be required to write essay examinations to elicit original thought and application of the principles learned from the reading, lecture, and discussion.
Class Participation. Students are strongly encouraged to participate actively in discussing the readings, expanding upon their informal writing.
Goals and Objectives of the Course
The goal of this course is to make students knowledgeable about the most representative texts of literary criticism from Plato and Aristotle to the critics of the 20th Century and to help students understand how they can use this knowledge to facilitate their comprehension of a variety of literary genres: poetry, prose fiction, essay, drama, etc. The texts and commentaries for this course are chosen on the basis of how well they contribute to an overall understanding of the principles that govern literary criticism. Students should acquire a deep appreciation for the variety of approaches to literary texts, and prospective teachers will be able to facilitate students' comprehension of the form and structure of literary works. Some of the expected outcomes include:
鈥amiliarity with crucial names, texts, and ideas that underlie Western critical literary thought and aesthetic principles;
鈥amiliarity with main-stream schools of modern critical thought;
鈥amiliarity with critical and theoretical vocabulary;
鈥bility to apply various critical approaches to literary analyses of texts;
鈥amiliarity with research tools and processes (including technology-based applications such as Internet research) demonstrated through presentation and term paper)
Assessment Measures
Student knowledge of literary criticism and understanding of the ways in which a diversity of critical approaches can illuminate literary texts as well as deepen one's appreciation of such texts may be assessed by a variety of means. Among these are informal writing assignments, tests and quizzes, formal papers, and oral presentations.
鈥nformal writing expresses both students' evolving knowledge and their attitudes to and opinions about literary criticism.
鈥est items may include specific critical vocabulary necessary to the analysis and discussion of principles that govern criticism.
鈥ormal papers may require students to apply the knowledge of these principles to the analysis of a given literary text.
鈥ndividual or group presentations permit students to share their views and develop their own critical stances.
Other Course Information
None.
Review and Approval
October, 2009
March 01, 2021