OKEJ Lecture notes L1

Osnove knjievnosti na engleskom jeziku Introduction to English Literature

Approaching Literature: Literature and Theory

What is literature? Why is it important? Forms of literature Some opposites and some general ideas

Prose <> verse Fiction <> non-fiction Fiction <> fact Narrative Theme, Motif Imagery Make-believe Truth (reality, verisimilitude) Idea Moral

Borderline cases Essay Verses + prose poetry in prose; picture poetry/concrete poetry Drama, plays - performance

Related media and multimodality

New media Newspapers Ads

Literature? Major features

(Culler, pp. 28-35)

Mixed media Word and picture // verbal and visual aspect comics, graphic books movies, film picturebooks illustrated texts drama, plays, performance video /computer games + music musical , opera etc.

1. Literariness: foregrounding the language (e.g. rhyme) 2. Integration of language: form and meaning integrated into a complex unity 3. Fiction: not reality; fictional speakers, characters imaginary worlds ( vs. nonfictional discourse ) 4. Aesthetic object (1+2+3) 5. Intertextuality and self-reflexiveness

OKEJ Lecture notes 2012 Smiljana Narani Kova

What is theory? What does J. Culler say about it? How does he define literary theory? How does he define theory? Theory: an unbounded group of writings about everything under the sun (p. 3) What does that say about theory? Examples of theory: Michel Foucault: The repressive hypothesis Hyper-protected cooperative principle The Co-operative Principle - H. P. Grice: Logic and conversation (1975)

Agreement to work together to achieve a coherent and effective exchange, our competence fundamental to normal communication Principles or maxims of: Quantity: say no more or less than required Quality : truthfulness (do not tell lies) Relation: be relevant Manner : clarity (do not be ambiguous)

Theory (according to Culler):

Deals with speculation -> Not fact Explanation is not obvious -> Requires mental effort nothing is taken as such Complex relations among a number of factors -> Complicated, it is analytical and crytical Not easily confirmed of disproved -> Relies on persuasion, not proof Anything can be its subject matter -> It is interdisciplinary; it is also about itself

Also the critique of whatever is taken as natural, the demonstration that what has been thought or declared natural is in fact a historical, cultural product (Culler, p. 14) It is a critique of common sense (15) Theory in four points (14-15)

Interdisciplinary Analytical and speculative A critique of common sense (concepts taken as natural) Reflexive, self-reflexive -> Intimidating

What to do? Better to read intensly than widely SQ3R: Survey Questions Read Recall Review (Barry, 2002, pp. 4-6).

Partly based upon / References: Culler, J (2000) Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Barry, P. (2002) Beginning Theory. 2nd ed. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

OKEJ Lecture notes 2012 Smiljana Narani Kova