TSLB3123 LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
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TOPIC 1 – Theories of Literary Criticism
Literary Criticism Definition
Feminist criticism examines literature from the
perspective of gender dynamics, focusing on the
portrayal and treatment of women characters, the role of
Feminist Criticism women in the narrative, and how gender ideologies
influence literary works. It critiques patriarchal
assumptions and seeks to uncover hidden biases or
stereotypes perpetuated by literature.
Reader Response Criticism emphasizes the reader's role
in interpreting literary texts, suggesting that meaning is
not inherent in the text but is constructed through the
Reader Response Criticism
reader's interaction with it. It explores how different
readers interpret and respond to texts based on their
personal experiences, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds.
Post-Colonial Criticism examines literature produced in
colonial or post-colonial contexts, analyzing how
colonialism, imperialism, and the aftermath of
Post-Colonial Criticism colonization are represented and contested in literary
works. It focuses on the experiences of marginalized
groups, cultural hybridity, and the decolonization of
narratives.
Key Aspects/Elements
Analyzes the representation of women characters and their agency within the text.
Investigates power dynamics between genders and how they are reflected in the
narrative structure.
Examines language, imagery, and symbols for underlying gender biases.
Considers the historical and cultural context in which the work was produced and
how it influences gender representations.
Focuses on the subjective responses of individual readers and how they shape
interpretations of a text.
Acknowledges the diversity of interpretations and the fluidity of meaning.
Considers the reader's emotional, intellectual, and cultural background as crucial
factors in understanding the text.
Explores how readers' experiences and perspectives influence their engagement
with the text, leading to various interpretations and readings.
Challenges the idea of a single "correct" interpretation and emphasizes the
plurality of meanings.
Interrogates the effects of colonization and imperialism on literature, culture, and
identity.
Examines the representation of colonizers and colonized peoples, as well as
power dynamics between them.
Analyzes how post-colonial texts challenge or subvert colonial narratives and
stereotypes.
Explores themes of identity, hybridity, displacement, and resistance in post-
colonial literature.
Considers the influence of language, history, and cultural traditions on the creation
and reception of literary works.
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Feminist Wave Time Period Focus

First Wave Late 19th to early 20th century Suffrage, legal rights

Second Wave 1960s to 1980s Equality, reproductive rights, workplace

Third Wave 1990s to early 2000s Intersectionality, diversity, inclusivity

Fourth Wave Early 2010s onwards Digital activism, #MeToo, gender fluidity

Type of Feminist Description Focus

Equal rights, opportunities, and

Advocates for gender equality through legal
Liberal Feminist representation within current societal
reform and changes within existing systems.
frameworks.

Seeks revolutionary change to dismantle Challenging societal structures, gender

Radical Feminist
patriarchy and gender-based oppression. roles, and power dynamics.

Views gender oppression as a result of

Intersection of gender, class, and
capitalist economic systems and advocates
Marxist Feminist capitalism; economic justice as a path
for economic equality as a means to achieve
to gender equality.
gender equality.

Combines Marxist and feminist theories to Addressing the dual oppressions of

address the intersection of capitalism and capitalism and patriarchy, advocating
Socialist Feminist
patriarchy, advocating for social and economic for socialist policies and economic
equality for all genders. redistribution.

Explores the relationship between the Connections between patriarchy,

oppression of women and the exploitation of
Ecofeminist
the environment, advocating for
environmental and gender justice.
Recognizes that gender oppression intersects
with other forms of oppression such as race,
Intersectional Feminist
class, sexuality, and disability, advocating for
inclusive feminism.
Focuses on the experiences and liberation of
Black women, addressing racism, sexism, and
Black Feminist
other forms of oppression faced by Black
women.
Examines how gender oppression is
intertwined with colonialism and imperialism,
Postcolonial Feminist
advocating for the rights and empowerment of
marginalized communities globally.
capitalism, and environmental
degradation; advocacy for sustainable
and equitable environmental practices.
Addressing multiple dimensions of
identity; centering the voices and
experiences of marginalized
individuals; challenging systems of
oppression.
Centring the voices and experiences of
Black women in feminist discourse;
intersectional analysis of race, gender,
and other forms of oppression.
Challenging colonial legacies;
amplifying the voices of marginalized
communities in formerly colonized
regions; advocating for global social
justice.
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TOPIC 2 – Critical Analyses of Short Stories in relation to literary theories

TOPIC 4 – Critical Analyses of Short Plays in relation to literary theories
TOPIC 5 – Critical Analyses of Novels in relation to literary theories

* How to apply Feminist Criticism, Reader Response Criticism, and Post-Colonial Criticism in the critical analysis of
short stories / short plays / novels.

Literary Criticism Aspects for Critical Analysis

Analyze how female characters are portrayed in the story. Do
Characterization they exhibit agency and complexity, or are they confined to
traditional gender roles?

Explore themes related to gender, power dynamics, and

Themes oppression. How does the story address issues such as
sexism, misogyny, or women's liberation?
Feminist Criticism
Examine the language and imagery used to describe female
Language and
characters and their experiences. Are there any stereotypes
Imagery
or biases present?

Consider how the narrative structure reinforces or challenges

Narrative Structure traditional gender norms. Does the story subvert patriarchal
expectations?

Subjective Explore how different readers interpret the story based on their
Interpretations personal experiences, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds.
Emotional Analyze readers' emotional reactions to the story and how
Responses they influence their understanding of the text.
Reader Response
Criticism Consider how readers' cultural backgrounds shape their
Cultural Context interpretation of the story. Are there cultural nuances that
impact their reading experience?
Examine the interaction between readers and the text. How
Reader-Text
do readers' interactions with the story affect their
Interaction
comprehension and meaning-making?
Analyze how colonized or marginalized groups are
Representation of
represented in the story. Are their voices silenced or
Colonized Peoples
marginalized?
Investigate power dynamics between colonizers and
Power Dynamics colonized peoples within the narrative. How are hierarchies of
Post-Colonial Criticism power depicted and challenged?
Explore instances of cultural hybridity or resistance to colonial
Cultural Hybridity norms. How do characters navigate between their native
culture and colonial influences?
Language and Examine the role of language in shaping characters' identities
Identity and the impact of colonial languages on indigenous cultures.

TOPIC 3 – Forms of Poetry and Critical Analyses
Form of Poetry Definition
Lyric poetry expresses the thoughts
and feelings of a single speaker, often
focusing on personal emotions,
Lyric Poetry experiences, or observations. It is
characterized by its musicality,
emotional intensity, and subjective
perspective.
Form of Poetry Definition
An elegy is a mournful poem that
laments the death of a person or
reflects on themes of loss and
Elegy
mortality. It can also commemorate
someone's life or express a sense of
grief or sadness.
An ode is a lyrical poem that
celebrates or praises a person, event,
object, or abstract concept. It often
Ode expresses intense emotion and
admiration, seeking to elevate its
subject through elaborate language
and imagery.
TSLB3123 LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
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Lyric Poetry
Structure
Typically shorter in length.
Often written in first person
Emphasizes imagery, symbolism, and sound
devices such as rhyme and meter.
Does not follow a strict narrative structure.
Structure
Often written in elegiac meter, which is
characterized by its mournful tone.
May include themes of sorrow, consolation,
and remembrance.
Can vary in length and structure, but typically
has a reflective and melancholic tone.
Structured in stanzas, often with a repeated
rhyme scheme and meter.
May include apostrophes, addressing the
subject directly.
Celebrates the subject's beauty,
significance, or inspirational qualities.
Can vary in tone from joyful to solemn.
Example
"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"
by William Wordsworth
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Example
"In Memory of W.B. Yeats"
by W. H. Auden
He disappeared in the dead of winter:
The brooks were frozen, the airports almost deserted,
And snow disfigured the public statues;
The mercury sank in the mouth of the dying day.
What instruments we have agree
The day of his death was a dark cold day.
"Ode to a Nightingale"
by John Keats
My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:
'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot,
But being too happy in thine happiness,—
That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees
In some melodious plot
Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,
Singest of summer in full-throated ease.

A sonnet is a fourteen-line poem
typically written in iambic pentameter
and following a specific rhyme
scheme. There are two main types:
Sonnet
the Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet and
the Shakespearean (English) sonnet,
each with its own rhyme scheme and
structure.
A dramatic monologue is a poem in
which a single speaker addresses a
silent or implied listener, often
Dramatic revealing their thoughts, emotions,
Monologue and motivations. It can resemble a
speech or dialogue, providing insight
into the speaker's character and
perspective.
TSLB3123 LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
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Petrarchan Sonnet: Consists of an octave
(eight lines) and a sestet (six lines), with a
rhyme scheme of ABBAABBACDCDCD.
Shakespearean Sonnet: Consists of three
quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final
rhymed couplet, with a rhyme scheme of
ABABCDCDEFEFGG.
Explores themes of love, beauty, mortality,
and philosophical contemplation.
Presented as a speech or conversation.
The speaker addresses a specific listener or
audience, though their responses are not
included.
Reveals the speaker's personality, emotions,
and inner conflicts.
Often explores themes of identity, morality,
and human nature.
"Sonnet 18"
by William Shakespeare
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
"My Last Duchess"
by Robert Browning
That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now; Fra Pandolf’s hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said
“Fra Pandolf” by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus.

Form of Poetry Definition
Narrative poetry tells a story, often
involving characters, events, and a
plot. It combines elements of
Narrative Poetry
storytelling with poetic language,
offering a vivid and engaging
narrative experience.
Form of Poetry Definition
An epic is a long narrative poem that
celebrates the feats and adventures
of legendary or heroic figures. It
Epic
often explores grand themes such
as heroism, honor, and the struggle
between good and evil.
A ballad is a narrative poem that tells
a simple story, often focusing on
themes of love, betrayal, or tragedy.
Ballad
It is characterized by its musicality,
repetition, and emotional
resonance.
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Narrative poetry
Structure
Typically longer poems that unfold a
story.
Includes characters, settings, and a
sequence of events.
Utilizes poetic devices such as rhyme,
meter, and imagery.
May have a clear beginning, middle, and
end, like a traditional story.
Structure
Typically divided into several books or
sections.
Features a hero with extraordinary
abilities and virtues.
Involves a journey or quest, often with
supernatural elements.
the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles,
Reflects the values and ideals of the
culture from which it originates.
Typically consists of quatrains (four-line
stanzas) with a regular rhyme scheme.
Often follows a pattern of alternating lines
of iambic tetrameter and trimeter.
Uses refrain or repetition to enhance the
storytelling and create a musical rhythm.
Example
"The Raven"
by Edgar Allan Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
Example
"The Iliad"
by Homer
Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought
countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send
hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to
dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from
first fell out with one another.
"Winnie the Pooh" by A. A. Milne
Oh, the wind is lashing lustily and the trees are thrashing thrustily
And the leaves are rustling gustily so it's rather safe to say
That it seems that it may turn out to be, it feels that it will
undoubtedly It looks like a rather blustery day, today.
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Form of Poetry Definition Structure Example

Typically consists of five lines. - Rhyme

A limerick is a humorous poem consisting of five
lines. It often contains a witty or whimsical
Limerick theme, with the first, second, and fifth lines
rhyming and the third and fourth lines shorter
and rhyming with each other.
A haiku is a traditional Japanese poem
consisting of three lines. It typically focuses on
nature and the seasons, capturing a moment or
Haiku
emotion with simplicity and clarity. The structure
often involves a juxtaposition of two images or
ideas.
scheme: AABBA. There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, 'It is just as I feared!
Lines 1, 2, and 5 are longer and have a
Two Owls and a Hen,
consistent meter.
Four Larks and a Wren,
Lines 3 and 4 are shorter and also have a Have all built their nests in my beard!'
consistent meter.
Consists of three lines. - Syllable pattern: 5-7-
5 (total of 17 syllables). An old silent pond...
A frog jumps into the pond—
Often involves a kireji (cutting word or Splash! Silence again.
punctuation) to create a pause or shift in focus
between lines.