EN 406 - Literary theory: Ways of Reading Texts - World Lit

Lecture Hours: 3
Lab Hours: 0
Credit Hours: 3

This course will introduce cadets to the historical development of literary theory and the major critical “schools” that have developed to the present. As part of our investigation, we will discuss the following questions: Why study literature? What literature should be studied, and how do we make that decision? From what viewpoint should we read, given the variety of possible ways to analyze any text? And what tools do we need to facilitate our exploration and analysis of works being produced on an increasingly global literary landscape? In addition to Bressler’s Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, we will read Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman (Nigerian), Anita Desai’s Clear Light of Day (South-Asian Indian), selected poetry by Caribbean, Irish, Iraqi, Chinese, Palestinian, and Polish poets. No prior experience with the study of literary theory is necessary.