BS ENGLISH LITERATURE & LINGUISTICS

COURSE TITLE: LITERARY THEORY

COURSE CODE: LNG-602
Course Description: The subject is a survey of major theories and traditions for the
analysis of literary writings. The course covers the history of ideas, specifically the ideas
that are related to the analysis of literary texts. Therefore, the students will be familiarized
with the interpretation of literary texts. The strengths and weaknesses of certain
approaches for literary analysis and the emergences of subsequent theoretical paradigms
will also be highlighted in this subject.
Course Objectives:
o To familiarize learners with the theories of literary analysis.
o To highlight the strengths and weaknesses of various literary theories
o To explain the emergence of subsequent literary theories
o To help the learners interpret literary writings.
o To enable the learners to carry out research by using literary theories.

Learning Outcomes:
o Learners will be familiar with the theories of literary analysis.
o They will be able to know about the strengths and weaknesses of various literary
theories.
o Their knowledge about the subsequent emergences of the theories will be
enhanced.
o The students will be able to effectively interpret literature.
o They will be able to conduct research by using literary theories to interpret
literature.
Course Contents:

Weeks Description of Topics Recommended Material

Theory Before ‘Theory’ Barry, 2017, Chapter 1
o Theory as lens to interpret literature
1st o Tenets of Liberal Humanism
Week o Literary theorizing from Aristotle to
Leavis
o The need for theory

Reading for Form: Formalism and Early Bertens, 2014, Chapter 2, pp

Structuralism 28-45
o Early Formalism
2nd
o fabula and syuzhet
Week
o folktales

Structuralism Barry, 2017, Chapter 2.

o Overview
o Signs of the fathers- Saussure
3rd
o The scope of Structuralism
Week
o Objectives of structuralist criticism
 Post-Structuralism and Deconstruction Barry, 2017, Chapter 3.
o Theoretical differences between
Structuralism & Post-Structuralism
4th o Post- Structuralism
Week o Structuralism & Post-Structuralism –
some practical differences
o Focus of Post-Structuralist critics

Postmodernism Barry, 2017, Chapter 4.

o Postmodernism & modernism: an
5th overview
Week o Landmarks in postmodernism:
Habermas, Lyotard, and Baudrillard
o Objectives of postmodernist critics
Psychoanalytic Criticism Barry, 2017, Chapter 5
o Freudian psychoanalysis
6th o Objectives of Freudian psychoanalytic
Week critics
o Lacanian psychoanalysis
o Objectives of Lacanian psychoanalysis
Feminist Criticism Barry, 2017, Chapter 6.
o Feminism & feminist criticism
o Feminist criticism and the role of
7th
theory
Week o Feminist criticism and language
o Feminist criticism and psychoanalysis
o Objectives of feminist critics
Reader-Response Criticism Dobie, 2009. Chapter 7, pp.
o Historical background 129-148.
8th
o Making readers’ response
Week
o Start
o Interaction with the text
9th Week (Mid Term Examinations)
Queer Theory Barry, 2017, Chapter 7.
10th o Overview
Week o Queer theory and Feminism
o Objectives of queer theorists

Marxist Criticism Barry, 2017, Chapter 8.

o Beginnings and Basics of Marxism
11th o Leninist Marxist criticism
Week o Engelsian Marxist criticism
o The influence of Althusser
o Objectives of Marxist critics

New Historicism and Cultural Materialism Barry, 2017, Chapter 9.

o New and old historicisms: some
differences
12th
o New historicism and Foucault
Week
o Advantages and disadvantages of new
historicism
o Objectives of new historicist critics
 o Cultural Materialism
o Differences between cultural
materialism and new historicism
Postcolonial Criticism Barry, 2017, Chapter 10.
o Background
13th
o Postcolonial reading
Week
o Objectives of postcolonial critics

Narratology Barry, 2017, Chapter 12.

o Telling stories
o Aristotle
14th o Vladimir Propp
Week o Gerard Genette
o Joined-up narratology
o Objectives of narratologists

Ecocriticism Barry, 2017, Chapter 13.

o Ecocriticism or Green studies
15th o Culture and nature
Week o The Anthropocene and things
o Objectives of ecocriticism

Theory after ‘Theory’ Barry, 2017, Chapter 15.

16th o Legacies of theory
Week o Presentism
o New aestheticism

Theory After ‘Theory’ (continued) Barry, 2017, Chapter 15.

o Cognitive poetics
17th o Consilience and conciliatory
Week approaches to literary studies
o Posthumanism

18th Week (Final Term Examination)

Textbooks:
1. Barry, P. (2017). Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural
Theory. Manchester University Press.
2. Bertens, H. (2014). Literary Theory: The Basics. Routledge.
3. Dobie, A. (2009). Theory into Practice: An Introduction to Literary Criticism.
Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Suggested Books:

1. Carter, D. (2006). Literary Theory. Pocket Essentials.

2. Eagleton, T. (2008). Literary Theory: An Introduction. University of Minnesota
Press.
3. Culler, J. (2000). Literary Theory: A very Short Introduction. Oxford University
Press.