Module Code and Title:        LIT208 Classical Literary Theory and Criticism

Programme:                          BA in English Studies

Credit Value:                          12

Module Tutor:                       Sunil Kumar (Coordinator), Paromita Manna

General objective: This module will provide students with an overview of literary theory, its origin, development and key elements. Students will explore literary criticism as a genre and understand its tradition. The module will help them develop the skills necessary to read and interpret texts critically and enable them to understand the nuances of theoretical approaches that are required to comprehend socio-political and cultural issues. Finally, this module will also train students to write criticisms of literary pieces and thus enable them to implement theoretical concepts in the context of the everyday world.

Learning outcomes – On completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Explain the significance of literary criticism and its relation to the social contexts that it took shape in.
2. Analyse various historical and philosophical viewpoints on literary criticism through a close reading of the prescribed texts.
3. Compare the basic tenets of literary theory through a close reading of the prescribed texts.
4. Synthesize and select the most appropriate theoretical and contextual frameworks from a text.
5. Apply multiple theoretical positions in order to understand a particular issue.
6. Differentiate several literary criticisms with regard to poetry.
7. Critique literary texts with the use of relevant theories.

Learning and Teaching Approach:

Pre-requisites: None

Assessment Approach:

1. Written assignment: 20%

A critical essay of 800 to 1000 words on a prescribed text focusing on the theoretical and contextual frameworks. The first draft will be marked out of 5%, and the final draft out of 10%, and an additional 5% percent will be allotted to specific improvements made on the feedback received on the first draft. Students will be expected to refer to at least two academic secondary sources.

Both drafts of the essay will be assessed on the following criteria:

Argument and Analysis: 40 marks

Knowledge Skills and Understanding: 40 marks

Presentation and Referencing: 20 marks

The improvement on feedback on first draft will be assessed on the following criteria:

Marginal Improvement: 0 – 49 marks

Satisfactory improvement: 50 – 59 marks

Significant and appropriate improvement: 60 – 74 marks

Significant improvement beyond feedback given: 75 – 100 marks

1. Group Presentation: 20%

Students will be assigned topics on literary criticism in groups of approximately 4 - 5 members on literary criticism and periods. Each individual student will present a part of the work for 5 – 7 minutes. Each group will have two pre-presentation meetings (2% and 3%) with the tutor to update on the progress and set goals where necessary. The individual presentation will be assessed on 15%

The first pre-presentation meeting will be assessed based on the following criteria:

Preparedness of the group: 60 marks

Plan for the presentation: 40 marks

The second pre-presentation will be assessed based on the following criteria:

Content for the presentation: 50 marks

Research and response to feedback: 50 marks

Final presentation will be assessed based on the following criteria:

Analysis and argument: 40 marks

Knowledge and understanding: 40 marks

Presentation skills: 20 marks

1. Class Test: 10%

A test of 45 minutes will be held within class hours before mid-semester. This will test students' knowledge and understanding of the areas of criticism covered.

1. Class participation and preparedness: 10%

Students will be expected to participate substantially in class discussions, with contributions reflecting adequate preparation for topics under discussion. 5% will be assessed before midterm and the remaining 5% post midterm.

1. Midterm Examination: 10%

Students will take a written exam of 1.5 hr duration covering topics up to the mid-point of the semester. This assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions from all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, and will follow the programme’s blue-print for Midterm Examination questions.

1. Semester-End Examination: 30%

Students will take a written exam of 2.5 hr. duration encompassing all the subject matter covered in the semester. This assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions from all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, and will follow the programme blue-print for Semester-End Examination questions

Overview of assessment approaches and weighting

Pre-requisites: None

Subject Matter:

1. Unit I: Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism: Plato’s Theory of Art in The Republic, Book X
   • The usefulness of art to society
   • The theory of forms
   • Mimesis and its role in Greek Drama
2. Unit II: Classical Criticism: Close reading and analysis of Aristotle’s Poetics, sections 1 - 17
   • Aristotle: The Poetics
     • Aristotle’s deviation from Plato’s theory of mimesis
     • The origin of Tragedy and its relevance to Greek Society
     • The differences between Epic and tragedy
     • Catharsis as the social function of drama

3. Unit III: Enlightenment Criticism: Close reading and analysis of Dryden’s An Essay of Dramatic Poesy and Philip Sidney’s A Defence of Poesie
   • John Dryden: An Essay of Dramatic Poesy
     • The purpose of drama
     • Merits of French drama
     • Demerits of French drama
   • Philip Sidney: A Defence of Poesie
     • The function of poetry
     • Sidney’s method
     • Influence on later critics

4. Unit IV: 18^th and 19^th Century Criticisms: Close reading and analysis of Wordsworth’s Preface to The Lyrical Ballads and Arnold’s The Function of Criticism at the Present Time
   • William Wordsworth: Preface to the Lyrical Ballads
     • Genesis and Aims of the Preface
     • Definition of Poetry
     • Concept of Imagination
     • Themes of Poetry
     • Function of Poetry
     • Diction of Poetry
   • Matthew Arnold: The Function of Criticism at the Present Time
     • Purpose of poetry in the Victorian age
     • Faith and doubt in the Victorian age
     • Influence on Later Critics

5. Unit V: 20^th Century Criticism: Close reading and analysis of Eliot’s Tradition and the Individual Talent (excerpt)
   • S. Eliot: Tradition and the Individual Talent (excerpt)
     • The redefinition of tradition
     • The impersonality of poetry

Reading List:

Essential reading (An essential reading compilation of the reading materials will be made available to students).

      Aristotle. (2013). Poetics (A. Kenny, Trans.). Oxford University Press. (330 BC).

Arnold, M. (1895). The function of criticism at the present time. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/functioncritici00pategoog

Arnold, T. (1918). An essay of dramatic poesy (3^rd ed.). T. Arnold (Ed.). Internet Archive. Oxford Clarendon Press. https://archive.org/details/anessayofdramati00dryduoft.

Elliot, T. S. (n.d.). Tradition and individual talent. http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/eliot/tradition.html

Plato. (2000).  Plato: The republic. Cambridge University Press. (375 BC)

Sidney, P. (1831.The defence of poesy. Penguin Classics.

Wordsworth, W. (2001). Preface to lyrical ballads. http://www.english.upenn.edu/~jenglish/Courses/Spring2001/040/preface1802.html.

Additional reading

Barry, P. (2010).  Beginning theory: An introduction to literary and cultural theory. (2nd ed.). Viva Books Pvt. Limited, 2010.

Klages, M. (2006). Literary theory: A guide for the perplexed. Continuum Publishing.

Richards, I. A. (1930). Practical criticism. Internet Archive. Kegan Paul Trench Trubner & Company Limited. https://archive.org/details/practicalcritici030142mbp.

Date: June 2022