Introduction to Literary Studies

obligatory courses

The second part of the course being an obligatory requirement in the first year of English studies.

The course as a whole is designed to be an introduction into the basic procedures necessary for academic study of literature. The aim is to equip the student with the preliminary terminology allowing to critically approach literature and to introduce some of the basic framework enabling one to cope with the more advanced nature of the courses chosen by the student henceforth. The course is usually divided into three broad sections dealing with poetry, drama and the narrative genres.

The second part of the course being an obligatory requirement in the first year of English studies.

The course as a whole is designed to be an introduction into the basic procedures necessary for academic study of literature. The aim is to equip the student with the preliminary terminology allowing to critically approach literature and to introduce some of the basic framework enabling one to cope with the more advanced nature of the courses chosen by the student henceforth. The course is usually divided into three broad sections dealing with poetry, drama and the narrative genres. In the section devoted to poetry the student is introduced to the principles of scansion and meters, as well as to the basic set of terms concerning poetic devices and genres which enable to define a wide range of phenomena encountered in the study of poetry. Subsequently some chosen poems are discussed which serves as an opportunity to practice the analytical skills. In the section which is concerned with drama one commences with a thorough discussion of Aristotle's Poetics and subsequently the course's overrinding objective is to supplement the introduction to the Elizabethan theatre which happens in the History of English Literature classes at around the same time. Thus more of the cultural and social background of the sixteenth century theatre is discussed and the three Elizabethan plays also discussed in the History classes are analysed from the point of view of the interaction of the medieval and Renaissance theatrical conventions. Finally the student is introduced to the basic terminology and analytical procedures from the field of narratology and following this chosen specimens of narrative works are discussed in order to test the acquired knowledge in practice.

Paul Fussell, Poetic Meter and Poetic Form.

Sh. Rimmon-Kennan, Narratology.

Aristotle, Poetics.

And texts selected by individual teachers.