Introduction to literature studies

obligatory courses

Basic - secondary-school level - knowledge of ancient culture (its most important elements) and general literary culture.

The course introduces the notion of a literary work and the methodology of literary studies. Studying examples of works of literature from different periods, students will:

- learn about the elementary features of a literary work

- perform basic analyses of the structure of a literary work

- learn about the main kinds of reception of ancient heritage in Polish and European literature

The classes introduce knowledge on works of literature and on the methodology of literary studies.

Students will be offered elements of knowledge on the specificity and structure of a work of literature and on the methods used in its analysis and interpretation, taking into account differences between genres. All texts discussed in class will exemplify the problem of the reception of Greek culture in Polish and European literature.

Topics:

1. Ontology and structure of a lyric, narrative, drama work. Basic elements of analysis and interpretation

2. Borderline of the arts - literature and theatre, drama in theatre

3. Contemporary "borderline" genres - essay and cultural reflection

4. Themes and motifs in the structure of a literary work

5. Myths and archetypes in describing a work of art

6. Poetic imagination

7. Literary allusions and quotations in the structure of a literary work

8. Literary communication - virtual audience, real audience

Opracowania (wybór)

M. Głowiński, T. Kostkiewiczowa, A. Okopień - Sławińska, Zarys teorii literatury (jedno z wielu wydań).

Słownik terminów literackich, pod red. M. Głowińskiego, T. Kostkiewiczowej, A. Okopie-Sławińskiej, J. Sławińskiego (jedno z kilku wydań).

A. Burzyńska, M.P. Markowski, Teorie literatury XX wieku. Podręcznik, Kraków 2006.

Problemy socjologii literatury, pod red. J. Sławińskiego.Wrocław 1971.

Liryka polska : interpretacje, pod red. Jana Prokopa i Janusza Sławińskiego,

Gdańsk 2001 (lub wyd. wcześniejsze).

Problemy teorii dramatu i teatru, pod red. J. Deglera (jedno z kilku wydań, najlepiej: Wrocław 2003).

I. Sławińska, Odczytywanie dramatu, Warszawa 1988.

Dramat polski : interpretacje, cz. 1 i 2, pod red. Jana Ciechowicza i Zbigniewa Majchrowskiego, Gdańsk 2001.

Learning outcomes:

KNOWLEDGE:

- elementary knowledge on the unique features and structure of literary works

- recognizing the main ways of analysing and interpreting a literary work, taking into account form and genre differences

- identifying the main categories enabling more complete reception of literary works inspired by ancient heritage (topos, myth, archetype, literary allusion, poetic imagery, convention, etc.)

SKILLS:

- analysing and interpreting literary works with the help of elementary knowledge from literary theory

- recognizing the basic forms of reception of ancient heritage in European culture

SOCIAL COMPETENCES:

- seeing one’s own knowledge as incomplete and acknowledging the necessity to keep expanding it

- organizing one’s own work

- taking part in teamwork to analyse and interpret a literary work

Students will be assessed for carefully studying the recommended texts and studies and for independent thinking.

Credits:

- active participation in classes

- conversation on the problems covered in class (including a test of familiarity with the required reading)

- written paper on the analysis of a literary work