ENG 415.doc

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

1/167

ENG 415 MODULE 4

NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY

OF NIGERIA SCHOOL OF ARTS

AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

COURSE CODE: ENG 415

COURSE TITLE: LITERARY THEORY AND CRITICISM

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

2/167

ENG 415 LITERARY THEORY AND CRITICISM

117

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

3/167

3

COURSE

GUIDE

ENG 415

LITERARY THEORY AND CRITICISM

Course Team Dr. Felix E. Gbenoba and Fidelis N.Okoroegbe

(Course Developers/Writers) –

NON !ro". #$o %e&inde

(Course Editor) – '

Dr. On$eka 'u&uku (!rogra**e

+eader/Course Coordinator) , NON

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

4/167

NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

5/167

National Open niversit$ o" Nigeria

-eaduarters

0/1 #&*adu 2ello Wa$

3itoria 'sland4 +agos

#bu5a O""ie

5 Dar es Salaam StreetOff Aminu Kano Crescent

Wuse II4 Abuja

e,*ail6 e n tr a l in "o 7 n ou . e d u . n g

8+6 . n o u . e d u . n g

!ublis&ed b$6


'92N6

#ll 8ig&ts 8eserved

!rinted b$6

mailto:[email protected]://www.nou.edu.ng/http://www.nou.edu.ng/mailto:[email protected]

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

6/167

For


CONTENTS

PAGE

'ntrodution ............................................................

.......... iv

Course #i*s

..................................................................... iv

Course Ob5etives

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

7/167

............................................................ v

Working t&roug& t&e Course

........................................... v

Course :aterials

............................................................... v

9tud$ nits

........................................................................ v

;extbooks and 8e"erenes

................................................. vi

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

8/167

#ssign*ent

File................................................................. vii

;utor,:arked #ssign*ent

................................................. vii

Final Exa*ination and

Grading.........................................

viii -o to Get t&e :ost "ro* t&is Course

..............................

viii ;utors and

;utorials........................................................... ix

9u**ar$..................................................................

........... x

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

9/167

INTRODUCTION

e!"ome #o ENG 415: L$#erar% T&eor% a'(

Cr$#$"$sm) 't is a t&ree,redit unit ourse "or 0

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

10/167

Ea& unit explains t&e basi priniples o" t&e t&eor$ it

addresses4 inluding t&e basi priniples o" literar$

appliation4 in order to enable students rite t&eir on

t&eoretial interpretations o" literature and read it&

insig&t &at t&e t&eorists t&e*selves &ave ritten.

;&e

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

11/167

ourse in general4 de*onstrates &o ritial t&eories

bot& argue and overlap it& one anot&er4 so*eti*es

overturning4 and so*eti*es building on t&e insig&ts o"

o*peting t&eories. 2$ stud$ing a nu*ber o" literar$

t&eories4 $ou are re*inded t&at *ultiple viepoints arei*portant i" $ou are to see t&e &ole piture and to grasp

t&e ver$ proess o" understanding t&at underlies &u*an

experiene4 t&ereb$ inreasing $our abilit$ to see bot&

t&e value and t&e li*itations o" ever$ *et&od o" vieing

t&e orld.

;&is Course Guide gives $ou an overvie o" t&e ourse. 'talso provides $ou it& in"or*ation on t&e organisation

and reuire*ents o" t&e ourse.

COURSEAIMS

2asiall$4 t&is ourseai*s at6

• enabling students to grasp some teoretical concepts in literature

b! relating tem to our e"er!da! e#perience

• e#plaining to students o$ to appl! teoretical perspecti"es toliterar! $or%s

• re"ealing to students te relationsips among teories&teir

differences' similarities' strengts' and $ea%nesses(b! appl!ingtem all to literar! $or%s.

COURSE

O*+ECTIVES

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

12/167

Ea& unit o" t&e ourse also &as so*e set ob5etives.

;&ese ill guide $ou in $our stud$. ;&e$ are usuall$

stated at t&e beginning o" ea& unit4 and &en $ou are

t&roug& it& stud$ing t&e units go bak and read t&e

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

13/167

13

ob5etives. ;&is ould &elp $ou assi*ilate t&e task $ou

&ave set out to a&ieve. On o*pletion o" t&e ourse4 $ou

s&ould be able to6

a) discuss te emergence of literar! teor! and criticism

b) e#plain te earliest teorists and critics of literaturec) e#amine te postulations of te "arious teories of literature

d) discuss te strengts and $ea%nesses of te teories

e) appl! te teories to te anal!sis and criticism of $or%s of

literature

OR,ING THROUGH THISCOURSE

;o o*plete t&e ourse4 $ou are reuired to read t&e

stud$ units and ot&er related *aterials. Aou ill also

need to undertake pratial exerises "or &i& $ou need

a pen4 a notebook4 and ot&er *aterials t&at ill be listed

in t&is guide. ;&e exerises are to aid $ou in

understanding t&e t&eories being presented. #t t&e end

o" t&e ourse4 $ou ill rite a "inal exa*ination.

COURSEMATERIALS

;&e *a5or *aterials $ou ill need "or t&isourse are6

• Course *uide

• Stud! +nits

• ,ele"ant te#tboo%s4 including

references-furter reading

te ones listed under

• Assignment file• .resentation scedule

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

14/167

1/

STUDY UNITS

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

15/167

;&ere are = stud$ units in t&is ourse as "ollos6

Mo(u!e 1 A' O-er-$e. o/ L$#erar% T&eor% a'(Cr$#$"$sm

nit 2akground to +iterar$ ;&eor$ and Critiis*

nit = +iterar$ (Critial) ;&eor$6 # De"inition

nit B +iterar$ ;&eor$ as a Disipline

nit 0 +iterar$ Critiis*6 # De"inition

nit Funtions o" +iterar$ Critiis*

nit 1 ;&e 8elations&ip beteen t&e

+iterar$ Criti and t&e Writer

Mo(u!e 0 T&eor$es o/ L$#era#ure 12

nit :i*eti ;&eor$ o" #rts

nit = For*alist ;&eor$ and Critiis*

nit B Ne Critiis*

nit 0 9truturalist

Critiis* nit !oststr

u)tur alis* nit 1

Deonstrution

nit 9e*iotis


8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

16/167

nit :arxist ;&eor$ and Critiis*

nit = 2iograp&ial Critiis*

nit B -istorial Critiis*

nit 0 Ne -istoriis*

nit !s$&oanal$ti ;&eor$


nit Fe*inist/Gender Critiis*

nit = 8eader,8esponse ;&eor$

nit B !ostolonial ;&eor$

TET*OO,S AND REFERENCES

:an$ books &ave been reo**ended in t&e ourse. Aou

*a$ is& to pur&ase t&e* "or "urt&er reading.

#bra*s4 :.-. (B). The Mirror and the Lamp. +ondon6 Ox"ord!.

0alogun' ide2 Approaces to 4odern iterar! 6eories2ww w.unilorin.edu .ng/u!li"#$ i on% /balogun / D o "5. d & .

2arr$4 !eter. (=

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

17/167

(t& ed.). Ne Aork6 W.W Norton Co*pan$.

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

18/167

2la*ires4 -. (). A History of Literary Criticism.+ondon6

:a*illan

!ress +td.

C&ilds4 !eter H Foler4 8oger (=

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

19/167

C&iago6 niversit$ o" C&iago !ress.

:oore,Gilbert4 2art 9tanton4 Garet&4 H :ale$ Will$.(Eds). ().

)ostcolonial Criticism. Ne Aork6 #ddison4 Wesle$4+ong*an.

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

20/167

8ie4 !&ilip H Waug& !atriia. (). Modern

Literary Theory: A Reader . (0t& ed.). Ne Aork6

8outledge.

8i&ter4 David -. (Ed.). (). The Critical Tradition:

Classic Te%ts and Contemporary Trends. 2ed"ord

2ooks6 2oston.

8ivkin4 ulie H 8$an4 :i&ael. (Eds). ().Literary Theory: An

Anthology . :alden4 :assa&usetts6 2lakell.

;$son4 +ois. (=ed nu*ber o" t&e ;utor,

:arked #ssign*ents (;:#s). Ever$ unit in t&is ourse &as

a tutor,*arked assign*ent. ;&e total *ark "orassign*ents is B

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

21/167

FINAL EAMINATION ANDGRADING

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

22/167

;&e "inal exa*ination o" ENG 415 ill be o" t&ree &ours

duration. #ll areas o" t&e ourse ill be exa*ined. Find

ti*e to read t&e unit all over be"ore $our exa*ination.

;&e "inal exa*ination ill attrat

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

23/167

signi>antl$ i*prove $our &anes o" passing t&e

ourse. ;&e *ain bod$ o" t&e unit guides $ou t&roug&

t&e reuired reading "ro* ot&er soures. ;&is ill usuall$

be eit&er "ro* $our set books or "ro* $our ourse guides.

;&e "olloing is a pratial strateg$ "or orking t&roug&

t&e ourse. '" $ou run into trouble4 telep&one $our tutor.8e*e*ber t&at $our tutor?s 5ob is to &elp $ou. W&en $ou

need assistane4 do not

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

24/167

&esitate to all and ask $our tutor to provide it. -eed

t&e "olloing advie are"ull$6

12 ,ead tis Course *uide torougl!8 it is !our first assignment292 Organise a stud! scedule2

32 :ote te time !ou are e#pected to spend on eac unit and o$ te

assignments relate to te units2 Wate"er metod !ou coose to

use' !ou sould decide on and $rite !our o$n dates for $or%ing

on eac unit2/2 Once !ou a"e created !our o$n stud! scedule' do e"er!ting

!ou can to stic% to it2 6e major reason tat students fail is tatte! get beind $it teir course $or% . If !ou get into difficulties$it !our scedule' please let !our tutor %no$ before it is too latefor elp2

52 6urn to +nit 1 and read te Introduction and te Objecti"es for

te +nit2;2 Assemble te stud! materials2 Information about $at !ou need

for a unit is gi"en at te beginning of eac unit2

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

25/167

TUTORS ANDTUTORIALS

;&ere are eig&t &ours o" tutorials provided in support o"

t&is ourse. Aou ill be noti"ied o" t&e dates4 ti*es and

loation o" t&ese tutorials4 toget&er it& t&e na*e and

p&one nu*ber o" $our tutor4 as soon as $ou are

alloated a tutorial group. Aour tutor ill *ark and

o**ent on $our assign*ents4 keep a lose at& on

$our progress and on an$ di">ulties $ou *ig&t

enounter. Aou *ust *ail $our tutor,*arked assign*ents

to $our tutor ell be"ore t&e due date (at least toorking da$s are reuired). ;&e$ ill be *arked b$ $our

tutor and returned to $ou as soon as possible. Do not

&esitate to ontat $our tutor b$ telep&one4 e,*ail4 or

disussion board i" $ou need &elp. ;&e "olloing *ig&t be

iru*stanes in &i& $ou ould "ind &elp neessar$.

Contat $our tutor i"6

• !ou do not understand an! part of te stud! units or te assigned

readings

• !ou a"e difficult! $it te self&test e#ercises

• !ou a"e a =uestion or problem $it assignment' $it !our tutors comments on an assignment or $it te grading of an

assignment

Aou s&ould tr$ $our best to attend t&e tutorials. ;&is is

t&e onl$ &ane to &ave "ae,to, "ae ontat it& $ourtutor and ask uestions &i& are ansered instantl$.

Aou an raise an$ proble* enountered in t&e ourse o"

$our stud$. ;o gain t&e *axi*u* bene"it "ro* ourse

tutorials4 prepare a uestion list be"ore attending t&e*.

Aou ill learn a lot "ro* partiipating in disussions

ativel$.

SUMMA

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

26/167

RY

ENG 415: L$#erar% T&eor% a'( Cr$#$"$sm introdues

$ou to t&e *a5or t&eoretial approa&es to t&e stud$ o"

literature. ;&is is beause t&e stud$ o" literature is nolonger – i" it ever as – si*pl$ t&e stud$ and

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

27/167

evaluation o" poe*s4 novels and pla$s. 't is also t&e

stud$ o" t&e ideas4 issues4 and di">ulties &i& arise in

an$ literar$ text and in its interpretation. Ne ritial

t&eories e*erge as literar$ s&olars develop ne

*et&odologies o" reading4 espeiall$ in t&e arts and&u*anities. 2$ stud$ing t&ese t&eories4 $ou ould &ave

been provided it& a Ktool kit? "or $our on in"or*ed

ritial reading and t&oug&t about orks o" literature.

;&is Course Guide gives $ou an overvie o" &at to

expet in t&e ourse o" t&is stud$.

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

28/167

MAI

N

COUR

SE

CONTEN

TS

PAGE

Mo(u!e 1 A' O-er-$e. o/ L$#erar% T&eor% a'(Cr$#$"$sm 1

nit 2akground to +iterar$ ;&eor$ and Critiis*

LL..

nit = +iterar$ (Critial) ;&eor$6 # De"inition

nit B +iterar$ ;&eor$ as a Disipline

nit 0 +iterar$ Critiis*6 # De"inition LLLLLLLL

nit Funtions o" +iterar$ Critiis* =

nit 1 ;&e 8elations&ip beteen t&e

and t&eWriterLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Mo(u!e 0 T&eor$es o/ L$#era#ure 12 3

nit :i*eti ;&eor$ o" #rts LLLLLLLLLLL

B=

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

29/167

nit = For*alist ;&eor$ and Critiis* LLLLLLLLB

nit B Ne Critiis* LLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.01

nit 0 9truturalist Critiis* LLLLLLLLLLL..B

nit !ost str u)tur alis* LLLLLLLLLLLL..1B

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

30/167

nit 1 Deonstrution 1

nit 9e*iotisLLLLLLLLLLL 0

Mo(u!e 3 T&eor$es o/ L$#era#ure 02 666666666673

nit :arxist ;&eor$ and Critiis* LLLLLLLLL B

nit = 2iograp&ial Critiis* LLLLLLLLLLLL B

nit B -istorial Critiis* LLLLLLLLLLLLL.

nit 0 Ne -istoriis* <

nit !s$&oanal$ti ;&eor$LLLLLLLLLLLL

<

Mo(u!e T&eor$es o/ L$#era#ure 32 11

nit Fe*inist/Gender Critiis* LLLLLLLLL.

nit = 8eader,8esponse ;&eor$ LLLLLLLLL... =0

nit B !ostolonial ;&eor$ LLLLLLLLLLLL B

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

31/167

MODULE 1 AN OVERVIEW OF LITERARY THEORY

AND CRITICISM

+nit 1 0ac%ground to iterar! 6eor! and Criticism

+nit 9 iterar! Critical) 6eor!B A Definition+nit 3 iterar! 6eor! as a Discipline

+nit / iterar! CriticismB A Definition

+nit 5 unctions of iterar! Criticism+nit ; 6e ,elationsip bet$een te iterar! Critic and te

Writer

UNIT 1 BACKGROUND TO LITERARY THEORY AND

CRITICISM

CONTENTS

1.< Introduction9.< Objecti"es3.< 4ain Content

3.1 6e :ature of iterar! 6eor! and Criticism3.9 ,elationsip bet$een iterar! 6eor! and iterar!

Criticism

3.3 6e Comple#it! of iterar! 6eor! and Criticism

/.< Conclusion5.< Summar!;.< 6utor&4ar%ed Assignment 64A)7.< ,eferences-urter ,eading

1)9 INTRODUCTION

In tis unit' $e are going to underta%e a brief o"er"ie$ of te rise and

de"elopment of literar! teor! and criticism4 especiall! in te 1?t

and9@t centuries2 One of te most significant canges tat a"e occurred inte field of literar! teor! and criticism is $ere to locate te locus of

meaning in a te#t2 In te discipline of literar! criticism4 it $as originall!assumed tat meaning resides $it te autor2 6us' te purpose of interpretation ten $as to discern te autors intention $ic $ouldunloc% te te#tual meaning of te $or% . Eo$e"er' $it time' critics

began to focus more concertedl! on te te#t itself8 ence meaning cameto be seen as residing $it te reader2 0! subjecting a $or% of art to a

particular teoretical construct' !ou can ac=uire a deeper understandingof te $or% and a better appreciation of its ricness2 6is unit $illenable !ou grasp te basis of literar! teorising and criticism b! relating

tem to !our e"er!da! e#perience2 It is also e#pected tat b! te end of

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

32/167

te unit' !ou sould be able to appl! teoretical perspecti"es to literar!

$or%s2

2)9 OBJECTIVES

At te end of tis unit' !ou sould be able toB

• trace te istorical de"elopment of literar! teor! and criticism

• list some of te notable teorists and critics of literature2

3)9 MAIN CONTENT

3)1 The Natue !" L#tea$ The!$ a%& C#t#'#()

According to Kell! *riffit 9@@9)' prior to te 9@t centur!' tein"estigation of te nature and "alue of literature ad ad a long and

distinguised istor!' beginning $it .lato and Aristotle and continuing

into modern times $it suc figures as Sir .ilip Sidne!' on Dr!den'

Samuel onson' William Words$ort' Samuel 6a!lor Coleridge' and

4atte$ Arnold2 0ut teir in"estigations focused primaril! on

e"aluation' not interpretation2 6e! e#plored $at literature is and

praised or condemned $or%s tat failed to meet $ice"er standardste! deemed essential2 In T'e Reu!li"( to cite one e#treme e#ample'

.lato condemned #ll literature because it stirs up te passions(lust'

desire' pain' anger(rater tan nurtures te intellect2

SELF*ASSESSMENT E+ERCISE

Wat $as te concern of earl! in"etigators on te nature and "alue of

literatureF

According to ide 0alogun 9@11)' te istor! of literature is te istor!

of literar! criticism2 6e latter as an all! of te former ma%es creati"e

$riting more complementar! and elps to conceptualise te pedagogical

import of te#ts of literature into ideological standpoints2 O"er te ages'literar! teories a"e been te $eapons for te realisation of tis crucial

obligation of literar! criticism. or 6err! Gagleton4 in Li$er#r) T'eor)1??;)' te emergence of teor! $as a $a! of emancipating literar!

$or%s from te strangleold of a ci"ilised sensibilit!4 and tro$ingtem open to a %ind of anal!sis in $ic' in principle at least' an!one

could participate. 4odern literar! teor! graduall! emerged in Guropeduring te 1?t centur! and gained momentum in te 9@t centur!2

Gagleton argues tat teor! is te bod! of ideas and metods used in te

practical reading of literature2 or im4 teories re"eal $at literaturecan mean2 It is a description of te underl!ing principles b! $ic $e

attempt to understand literature2 6at is to sa!4 all literar! interpretation

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

33/167

dra$s on a basis in teor! since it is literar! teor! tat formulates te

relationsip bet$een autor and $or% .


Wat is literar! teor! and $en did modern literar! teor! emerge in

GuropeF

3)2 Re,at#!%(h#- .et/ee% L#tea$ The!$ L#tea$C#t#'#()

G"en toug modern literar! teorising and criticism emerged during

te nineteent centur!' bot attained greater eigts in te 9@t Centur!2

In fact' te 9@t Centur! could be appropriatel! termed te age of

criticism. 6e ricness and te comple#it! of literar! teor! can be seenin te man! critical mo"ements tat sprang up and in te entusiasm

$it $ic man! critics practised te art2 6e impact of te ne$

ps!cologies $as deepl! felt in criticism. 4ar#ism4 structuralism'formalism4 semiolog!' ps!coanal!sis4 deconstruction and post&colonialcritical studies are among te man! teories tat dominated te centur!2

Among te notable critics of te centur! includeB I.A. ,icards' .., ea"is' 62 S Gliot' 62 G Eulme' William Gmpson' Cristoper Caud$ell'

on Cro$e' Allen 6ate' ,obert .erm Warren' GHra .ound' Wa!ne

0oot and Eenr! ames etc2

In te preface to A Hi%$or) o& Li$er#r) Cri$i"i%* 1??1)' A. :2 effaresgi"es no room for an! doubt about te %insip of literature' literar!criticism and literar! teories2 Ee sa!sB

6e stud! of literature re=uires %no$ledge of

conte#ts as $ell as of te#ts2 Wat %ind of person

$rote te poem4 te pla!' te no"el' te essa!FWat forces acted upon tem as te! $rote2

Wat $as te istorical' te political' te

pilosopical' te economic'

te cultural bac%ground4 etcF

All of tese are antecedents to te birt of a particular literar!

production2 6e argument of effares is tat for literature to be on

course' it becomes e#pedient tat a structure is put in place to re"eal its

meaning be!ond te literal le"el2 0roadl!' te#ts of literature $ould

possess t$o le"els of meaning & te literal and te super&literal2 6e

super&literal meaning of te#ts of literature is te ideological implication

of te same' $ic criticism attempts to resol"e2 6e tas% of resol"ing

te crisis engendered in literar! te#ts is possible troug te formulationof some principles' parameters and paradigms $ic are tecnicall!

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

34/167

termed teories2 6eories are meant to interpret and e"aluate $or%s of

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

35/167

literature $it te mind of re"ealing te in&dept implications of suc

$or%s2


6e structure put in place to re"eal te meaning of literar! te#t is literar!teor!2 G#plain2

3)3 The 0C!)-,e#t$ !" L#tea$ The!$ a%& C#t#'#()

According to 6err! Gagleton 9@@5)' tere are some students $ocomplain tat literar! teor! is impossibl! esoteric8 $o suspect it as an

arcane' elitist encla"e some$at a%in to nuclear p!sics2 It is true tat a

literar! education does not e#actl! encourage anal!tical tougt' but

literar! teor! is in fact no more difficult tan man! teoreticalen=uiries and a good deal easier tan some2

Some students and critics also protest tat literar! teor! gets in bet$een te reader and te $or%. 6e simple response to tis is tat$itout some %ind of teor!' o$e"er unreflecti"e and implicit' $e$ould not %no$ $at a literar! $or% $as in te first place' or o$ $e$ere to read it2 Eostilit! to teor! usuall! means an opposition to oter

peoples teories and obli"ion of ones o$n2

6!son ois 9@@;)' in an attempt to justif! te stud! of literar! teor!'raises some interesting =uestionsB $! sould $e boter to learn aboutliterar! or critical teoriesF Is it reall! $ort te troubleF Will all tose

abstract concepts not interfere $it ones natural and personalinterpretations of literatureF 6ese =uestions4 or ones li%e tem4 are

probabl! te =uestions most fre=uentl! as%ed b! ne$ students of criticalteor!' regardless of teir age or educational status2 iterar! teor! andcriticism offer us ne$ $a!s of tin%ing about literature and about $atare in"ol"ed in reading criticall!2

iterar! teor! and criticism is an una"oidable part of stud!ingliterature2 0ut teor! especiall! $en it ta%es te form of isms canoften be intimidating or else' fran%l!' boring. iterar! teor! andcriticism aim to e#plain' entertain4 stimulate and callenge te student of literature2 iterar! teor! and criticism ma%e literature refresing'informati"e and stimulating in man! $a!s2 iterar! teor! and criticismelp us to acie"e a better understanding of literature2 A better understanding of te $orld in $ic $e li"e' automaticall!4 comes along$en $e stud! literature' and te stud! of critical teor! ma%es tatenterprise e"en more producti"e2 iterar! teor! and criticism can' notonl! so$ us our $orld and oursel"es troug ne$ and "aluable lenses 4

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

36/167

but also strengten our abilit! to tin% logicall!' creati"el!' and $it a

good deal of insigt in anal!sing $or%s of literature2


Discuss o$ literar! teor! and criticism can elp readers acie"e better understanding of literature2

inall!' and most importantl! too' tere is in fact no literar! teor!4 inte sense of a bod! of teor! $ic springs from4 or is applicable to'literature alone2 :one of te teoretical approaces outlined in tis

course' from 4ar#ism4 structuralism and ps!coanal!sis' is simpl!concerned $it literar! $riting. On te contrar!' te! all emerged fromoter areas of te umanities and a"e implications $ell be!ond

literature itself2

)9 CONCLUSION

In tis unit' attempt as been made to pro"ide an o"er"ie$ of te nature

and de"elopment of literar! teor! and criticism2

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

37/167

0alogun' ide2 Approaces to 4odern iterar! 6eories2ww w.unilorin.edu .ng/u!li"#$ i on% /balogun / D o "5. d & . Accessed

4a! 15t' 9@132

0eat!' 2 et al2 9@@9)2 T'e Nor$on In$rodu"$ion $o Li$er#$ure( +$'edi$ion. :e$ ?)2 I% $'ere # Te$ in $'i% Cl#%%0 T'e Au$'ori$) o&

In$erre$ie Co**uni$ie%. CambridgeB Ear"ard +ni"ersit! .ress2

r!e' :2 1?57)2 An#$o*) o& Cri$i"i%*, :e$ erse!B .rinceton+ni"ersit! .ress2

*raff' *erald2 1?>7)2 2ro&e%%ing Li$er#$ure- An In%$i$u$ion#l Hi%$or),CicagoB +ni"ersit! of Cicago .ress2

*riffit' Kell!.9@@9)2 3ri$ing E%%#)% A!ou$ Li$er#$ureB A *uide andSt!le Seet)2 6ompson Eeinle Incorporation2

entriccia' ran% . 1?>@)2 A&$er $'e New Cri$i"i%*. CicagoB +ni"ersit!of Cicago .ress2

4oore&*ilbert' 0art Stanton' *aret' J 4ale! Will!2 Gds)2 1??7)2 2o%$"oloni#l Cri$i"i%*. :e$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

38/167

,i"%in' ulie J ,!an' 4icael2 Gds)2 1??>)2 Li$er#r) T'eor)- An An$'olog). 4alden' 4assacusettsB 0lac%$ell2

6!son' ois2 9@@;).Cri$i"#l T'eor) Tod#)- A U%er riendl) Guide2

:e$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

39/167

3.9 Distinction bet$een iterar! 6eor! and iterar!Criticism

/.< Conclusion5.< Summar!

;.< 6utor&4ar%ed Assignment 64A)7.< ,eferences-urter ,eading

1)9 INTRODUCTION

6is unit pro"ides a general definition of teor! and a specific definition

of literar! teor!2 It also attempts a distinction bet$een literar! teor!'

literar! istor! and literar! criticism.

2)9 OBJECTIVES

At te end of tis unit' !ou sould be able to

• define teor! generall! and literar! teor! in particular

• distinguis bet$een literar! teor! and literar! criticism.

3)9 MAIN CONTENT

3)1 Mea%#%; a%& De"#%#t#!% !" L#tea$ The!$

According to *riffit' before 9@t centur!' tere $as little s!stematicattempt to interpret $or%s of literature' to probe teir meanings2 *riffitfurter contends tat *erald *raff' in 2ro&e%%ing Li$er#$ure 1?>7)' is

boo% on te istor! of literar! studies in iger education' noted tat before ten tere $as a $idespread assumption tat great literature $asessentiall! self&interpreting and needed no elaborate interpretation. 0utas %no$ledge increases' tere $as a sift in attitude to te metods of literar! teorising. In fact' b! te end of te 1?t centur!' uni"ersities

began to include courses in modern literature' and teacers and $riters began to gi"e serious attention to interpreting literature2

In Li$er#r) T'eor)- A .er) S'or$ In$rodu"$ion 1???)' onatan Culler defines literar! teor! generall! as te s!stematic account of te nature

of literature and of te metods for anal!Hing it. Culler furter sa!stat

One of te most disma!ing features of teor!toda! is tat it is endless2 It is not someting tat

!ou could learn so as to %no$ teor!. It is anunbounded corpus of $ritings $ic is al$a!s

being augmented as te !oung and te restless4 incriti=ues of te guiding conceptions of teir

elders' promote te contributions to teor! of ne$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

40/167

tin%ers and redisco"er te $or% of older'

neglected ones2

In is boo% 4 An E%%#) on Cri$i"i%* 1?;;)' *raam Eoug distinguises

t$o categories of literar! teories2 6e first categor! e calls tee#trinsic teories and is concerned $it te moral nature of literature26eories in tis categor! primaril! empasise te total essence of

literature2 6e second categor! is $at e describes as te intrinsic

teories' $ic tal% about te formal nature of literature and more

specificall! $at it is2

6e intrinsicall! inclined criticism is a eterodiegetic judgment of

literature2 6is %ind of literar! teor! isolates a $or% of literature from

its e#ternal realit!2 6e aderents of tis classification see a te#t of

literature as a"ing no relationsip intended or implied $it its e#ternal$orld2 6at suc a $or% is in its o$n $orld2 6e critical teorists in

tis categor! are te ormalists' Structuralists and .ost&structuralists or

te Deconstructionists.

On te oter and' te e#trinsicall! inspired literar! teories tend to

associate a literar! piece $it its e#ternal $orld2 Eere' tere is a

departure from te isolationist pilosop! propounded b! te ideologues

of te intrinsicall! inclined criticism. ,ater' te e#trinsic criticism isomodiegetic meaning tat a $or% of literature is essentiall! i) a

representation of te spirit of te age and ii) a reflection of te $orldin $ic it operates2 It goes furter to see a te#t of literature as a productof te producers poets' no"elists' pla!$rigts and essa!ists)

imagination' "ision and sensibilit! in is-er e#ternal $orld2 Also' in

tis %ind of criticism4 te artist does not onl! focus on is e#ternalrealit! but e-se is inside te literar! production and creates a principal

caracter and oter caracters to carr! out is mission2 6e focus in tis

respect is for criticism to olisticall! in"estigate a piece of literature

$it te mind of a"ing a more practical judgment of te same2 4odernliterar! teories in tis categor! are .s!cological or .s!coanal!tical'

4ar#ist' eminist and .ost&colonialist criticism.

*enerall!' a teor! is a bod! of rules or principles used to appraise

$or%s of literature2 And on te oter and' literar! teor! critical

teor!)4 tries to e#plain te assumptions and "alues upon $ic "ariousforms of literar! criticism rest2


Discuss te importance of teor! to te stud! of literature2

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

41/167

3)2 D#(t#%'t#!% .et/ee% L#tea$ The!$ a%& L#tea$C#t#'#()

iterar! teor! is a site of man! teories. iterar! teories $ere

de"eloped as a means to understand te "arious $a!s people readliterar! te#ts2 6e proponents of eac teor! belie"e teir teor! is $'e

teor!' but most of us interpret te#ts according to te rules of se"eral

different teories at a time2 All literar! teories are lenses troug $ic

$e can see te#ts2 6ere is noting to sa! tat one is better tan anoter

or tat !ou sould read according to an! of tem4 but it is sometimes funto decide to read a te#t $it one in mind because !ou often end up

$it a $ole ne$ perspecti"e on !our reading. 6o stud! literar! teor!is to see% to understand e#actl! o$ readers critics) interpret criticise)

te#ts' especiall! literar! ones2 4ost scolars toda! $ould agree tat

tere is no single meaning $aiting to be simpl! &ound in an! te#t24eaning is' rater' rodu"ed 4 tat is' it is a function of te differentinterpretati"e strategies $ic "arious readers bring to bear upon a te#t2

6us' a cardinal rule of modern literar! criticism could be summed up as

follo$sB $'e #n%wer%6 )ou ge$ &ro* # $e$ deend en$irel) uon $'e 7ind

o& 8ue%$ion%6 )ou u$ $o i$ 2 Strictl! spea%ing4 $en $e interpret aliterar! te#t' $e are doing literar! criticism4 but $en $e e#amine tecriteria upon $ic our interpretation rests' $e are appl!ing literar!teor!2 In oter $ords' literar! criticism is te application of critical

teor! to a literar! te#t' $eter or not a gi"en critic is a$are of te

teoretical assumptions informing is or er interpretation2 In fact' te$idespread recognition tat literar! criticism cannot be separated from

te teoretical assumptions on $ic it is based is one reason $! te

$ord "ri$i"i%* is often used as if it includes te $ord $'eor).

iterar! istor!' on its part' is te academic discipline $ic definedo$ literature $as taugt and studied from te 1>?@s on$ards2 As adiscipline' it grounds its scientific and social legitimac! in te positi"ististor! of te late 1?t centur!2 As a istorical genre concerned $it te

metod of establising facts' it e#tends te application of te reliabletools of classical and medie"al pilolog! to modern literature2 iterar!istor! relates literature to te social' political' moral' and intellectuallife of a nation' personalit! or period2 iterar! istor! is not e#pected toreduce $or%s of literature to arci"al documents' but to generate a

proper e"aluati"e discourse and e#plain $! certain $or%s' $ic $ecall classics' still affect us and become' so to spea% 4 immortal' $ileoters do not sur"i"e teir o$n times' etc2


Eo$ is literar! teor! different from literar! criticismF

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

42/167

)9 CONCLUSION

In tis unit' $e defined te terms teor! and literar! teor!2 We said

tat $ile a teor! is a bod! of rules or principles used to appraise$or%s of literature literar! teor! on te oter and is te s!stematicaccount of te nature of literature and of te metods for anal!sing it.

4)9 SUMMARY

6is unit defined a teor! as a bod! of rules or principles used to

appraise $or%s of literature4 $ile literar! teor! critical teor!)4 on itso$n' tries to e#plain te assumptions and "alues upon $ic "arious

forms of literar! criticism rest2 We also made a distinction bet$een

literar! teor! and literar! criticism. We said tat $en $e interpret aliterar! te#t' $e are doing literar! criticism4 but $en $e e#amine tecriteria upon $ic our interpretation of a te#t rests' $e are appl!ing

literar! teor!2

5)9 TUTOR MARKED ASSIGNMENT 6TMA7

Discuss te importance of teor! to te stud! of literature2

8)9 REFERENCES9FURTHER READING

Abrams' 4.E2 1?53)2 T'e Mirror #nd $'e L#*. ondonB O#ford +.2

0alogun' ide2 Approaces to 4odern iterar! 6eories2

www.unilorin.edu.ng/u!li"#$i on%/balogun / Do "5. d & . Accessed4a! 15

t4 9@132

0eat!' 2 et al2 9@@9)2 T'e Nor$on In$rodu"$ion $o Li$er#$ure( +$'

edi$ion. :e$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

43/167

Culler' onatan2 1??7)2 Li$er#r) T'eor)- A .er) S'or$ In$rodu"$ion.O#fordB O#ford +ni"ersit! .ress2

During4 Simon2 Gd.)2 1???)2 T'e Cul$ur#l S$udie% Re#der . ondonB

,outledge2

Gagleton' 62 1??;)2 Li$er#r) T'eor)- An In$rodu"$ion( Se"ond Edi$ion.4inneapolisB 6e +ni"ersit! of 4innesota .ress2

is' Stanle!2 1?>?)2 I% $'ere # Te$ in $'i% Cl#%%0 T'e Au$'ori$) o& In$erre$ie Co**uni$ie%. CambridgeB Ear"ard +ni"ersit! .ress2

r!e' :2 1?57)2 An#$o*) o& Cri$i"i%*, :e$ erse!B .rinceton

+ni"ersit! .ress2

*raff' *erald2 1?>7)2 2ro&e%%ing Li$er#$ure- An In%$i$u$ion#l Hi%$or),

CicagoB +ni"ersit! of Cicago .ress2


Eoug' *2 1?;;)2 An E%%#) on Cri$i"i%*4 ondonB *erald Duc%$ortand Co2 td2



8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

44/167

UNIT 3 WHY STUDY LITERARY THEORY:

CONTENTS

1.< Introduction9.< Objecti"e3.< 4ain Content

3.1 W! Stud! iterar! 6eor!F/.< Conclusion5.< Summar!;.< 6utor&4ar%ed Assignment 64A)

7.< ,eferences-urter ,eading

1)9 INTRODUCTION

As $e e#plained in te last unit' te term literar! teor! $itin te

discipline of literar! studies' can be best understood as te set of

concepts and intellectual assumptions on $ic rests te $or% of

e#plaining or interpreting literar! te#ts2 Gssentiall!' teor! in literaturerefers to te $a!s of loo%ing at literature be!ond te t!pical plot&teme

and caracter&setting studies2 onatan Culler 1??7) in Li$er#r) T'eor)-

A .er) S'or$ In$rodu"$ion olds tat teor! in literature refers to te principles deri"ed from internal anal!sis of literar! te#ts or from

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

45/167

%no$ledge e#ternal to te te#t tat can be applied in multiple

interpreti"e situations2 4.E2 Abrams points out in T'e Mirror #nd $'e L#* 1?53) tat Lan! reasonabl! ade=uate teor! ta%es some account

of 2 . . four elements.M 6ese elements areB

12 6e $or% itself

92 6e artist $o creates te $or% 32 6e uni"erse or te nature tat is being imitated b! te $or%

/2 6e audience of te $or%

6ese elements are diagrammaticall! so$n belo$B

iterar! teor!' Abrams olds' can be di"ided into four categoriesBmimetic teories' $ic focus on te relationsip bet$een te#t and

uni"erse b! uni"erse e means all tings of te $orld apart fromaudience' te#t and autor)8 pragmatic teories' $ic are interested in

te relationsip bet$een te#t and audience8 e#pressi"e teories' $ic

are concerned $it te te#t,autor relationsip8 and objecti"e teories'te most recent classification' $ic focus on anal!sis of te te#t in

isolation2 0ecause noting e#ists oter tan uni"erse' te#t' autor and

audience' an! form of teor! must fit into one of tese four categories'

or be a combination of se"eral2 or Abrams' tere are autor&based

teories' reader&based teories' te#t&based teories' and teories tat propose te te#t as imitati"e of te uni"erse2 or instance' $en Cinua

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

46/167

Acebe argues tat osep Conrads T'e He#r$ o& D#r7ne%% fails to

grant full umanit! to te Africans it portra!s4 e $as arguing from te perspecti"e of post&colonial literar! teor! $ic empasises a istor!

of e#ploitation and racism. In an attempt to pro"ide a pointed meaning

of teor! in literature' ide 0alogun contends tatB

6e tas% of resol"ing te crisis engendered inliterar! te#ts is possible troug te formulationof some principles' parameters and paradigms$ic are tecnicall! termed teories2 6eoriesare meant to interpret and e"aluate $or%s of literature $it te mind of re"ealing te in&dept implications of suc $or%s2

6is unit e#plains $! te stud! of literar! teor! and criticism isin"aluable2

2)9 OBJECTIVE


• e#plain $! te stud! of literar! teor! and criticism is

important in

literature.

3)9 MAIN CONTENT

3)1 Wh$ Stu&$ L#tea$ The!$:

iterar! teor! and literar! criticism are interpreti"e tools tat elp us

tin% more deepl! and insigtfull! about te literature tat $e read2

iterar! teor!' specificall!4 refers to te set of principles e"ol"ed for te e"aluation of $or%s of literature2 O"er time' different scools of

literar! criticism a"e de"eloped' eac $it its o$n approaces to teact of reading. It is important tat students stud! literar! teor! andcriticism because bot offer different $a!s of interpreting $or%s of

literature2 Gac teor! offers itself as te most or te onl!) accurate

means of understanding uman e#perience2 In man! instances'ad"ocates of te most popular teories of te da! usuall! recei"e te

acclamation and respect2 Eo$e"er' e"en $itin te ran%s of an! gi"en

critical teor! tere are countless disagreements among practitioners

tat result in te emergence of different scools of tougt $itin a

single teor!2 In fact' te istor! of e"er! literar! teor! is' in effect' te

istor! of an ongoing debate among its o$n ad"ocates as $ell as anongoing debate $it te ad"ocates of oter teories2 6us' literar!

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

47/167

teor! and criticism $ill elp !ou in Ltin%ing teoreticall!4M tat is' toseeing te assumptions' $eter stated or not' tat underlie e"er!

"ie$point2


G#plain o$ bot literar! teor! and criticism offer different $a!s of understanding a literar! te#t2

)9 CONCLUSION

We a"e e#plained in tis unit tat literar! teor! refers to a particular

form of literar! criticism in $ic particular academic' scientific' or

pilosopical approac is follo$ed in a s!stematic fasion $ile

anal!sing literar! te#ts2 In oter $ords' literar! teorists adapt s!stemsof %no$ledge de"eloped largel! outside te realm of literar! studies for

instance4 pilosop! or sociolog!) and impose tem upon literar! te#tsfor te purpose of disco"ering or de"eloping ne$ and uni=ue

understandings of tose te#ts2 rom te foregoing4 $e a"e establisedtat literar! teor! is an indispensable tool $ic critics use to realise

te goal of sensitising and educating te audience2 6at' b! implication'

suggests tat te difficult! often encountered in a literar! te#t is often

resol"ed b! subjecting it to a particular teoretical anal!sis' using te

frame$or% of a particular teor!2

4)9 SUMMARY

In tis unit' !ou learnt tat literar! teor! refers to a set of principlese"ol"ed for te e"aluation of $or%s of literature2 6is unit also stated

tat literar! teor! is an indispensable tool $ic critics use to realise

te goal of sensitising and educating te reading audience2 6is' b!

implication' suggests tat te difficult! often encountered in a literar!

te#t is often resol"ed b! subjecting it to a particular teoretical anal!sis'

using te frame$or% of a particular teor!2


6e istor! of e"er! critical teor! is' in effect' te istor! of an

ongoing debate among its o$n ad"ocates as $ell as an ongoing debate

$it te ad"ocates of oter teories2 Discuss2



8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

48/167

0alogun' ide2 Approaces to 4odern iterar! 6eories2ww w.unilorin.edu .ng/u!li"#$ i on% /balogun / D o "5. d & . Accessed

4a! 15t' 9@132

0eat!' 2 et al2 9@@9)2 T'e Nor$on In$rodu"$ion $o Li$er#$ure( +$'edi$ion. :e$ @)2 A&$er $'e New Cri$i"i%*. CicagoB +ni"ersit!of Cicago .ress2


8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

49/167

,icter' Da"id E2 Gd.)2 1??>)2 T'e Cri$i"#l Tr#di$ion- Cl#%%i" Te$%#nd Con$e*or#r) Trend%. 0edford 0oo%sB 0oston.

,i"%in' ulie J ,!an' 4icael2 Gds.)2 1??>)2 Li$er#r) T'eor)- An

An$'olog). 4alden' 4assacusettsB 0lac%$ell2

6!son' ois2 9@@;).Cri$i"#l T'eor) Tod#)- A U%er riendl) Guide2 :e$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

50/167

Since te era of .lato and Aristotle' pilosopers' scolars and $riters

a"e tried to create a more precise and disciplined $a!s of anal!singliterature2 iterar! criticism flourised in Gurope and America $it suc

literar! giants li%e I. A. ,icards and 2 ,2 ea"is as te fore&runners2G"en in contemporar! criticism' bot men are still "er! mucrecognised and respected2 In fact' ,icards and ea"is $ere te

teoreticians of literature for se"eral decades2 6e! $ere te do!ens of

critical tougt in Gurope and America2

2)9 OBJECTIVES


• discuss te importance of literar! criticism to te stud! of

literature2

3)9 MAIN CONTENT

3)1 The Natue a%& Mea%#%; !" L#tea$ C#t#'#()

According to te Rou$ledge Di"$ion#r) o& Li$er#r) Ter*% 9@@;)' to

criticise' et!mologicall!' means to anal!se and later' to judge2

Critical teor! in itself can be distinguised from criticism4 since it

concerns itself $it te formulation of concepts. It is a pilosopicalacti"it! $ic sould underlie criticism but' again' sould not be

regarded as part of it2 iterar! teor! refers to a set of principles

e"ol"ed for te e"aluation of $or%s of literature2 6ere is no single

approac to te criticism of literature2 Criticism is a formal discourse'

and tere are so man! approaces to it' !et tese approaces are not

e#austi"e but represent te most $idel! used contemporar!

approaces2

iterar! criticism refers to te anal!sis and judgment of $or%s of

literature2 It tries to interpret specific $or%s of literature and also elpsus to identif! and understand different $a!s of e#amining and

interpreting tem2 6e stud! of literar! criticism contributes to

maintenance of ig standards of literature2 In our da!&to&da! life' te

stud! of criticism of literar! $or%s enables us to become a$are of te

present and past $or%s of literature2 Criticism also enables $riters to

understand te factors tat affect te =ualit! and caracter of literar!

$or%s and in tis $a! impro"e teir abilit! to produce better $or%s2

iterar! criticism allo$s us to see tings from different perspecti"es2 Itallo$s us to gain a far $ider insigt into a $or% of literature tan from

our o$n perspecti"e2 6at $a!' $e gain a greater understanding of te$orld in $ic $e li"e2

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

51/167

In addition' literar! criticism elps readers de"elop critical tin%ing

s%ills2 iterar! criticism is not an abstract intellectual e#ercise2 It is anatural uman response to literature2 6e discipline of literar! criticism

is noting more tan discourse&spo%en or $ritten&about literature2 It is a b!&product of te reading process2


Discuss te importance of literar! criticism to te stud! of literature2

)9 CONCLUSION

In tis unit' !ou learnt te definition of literar! criticism as $ell as te

importance of literar! criticism to te stud! of literature2 6e critic

anal!ses and e"aluates $at a $riter as $ritten2 Ee comments on ande"aluates te =ualit! of bot te autors literar! composition and is

"ision of or insigt into uman e#perience.

4)9 SUMMARY

We also stated tat ere is no single approac to te criticism of literature2 In addition' $e stated tat a literar! critic approaces a $or% according to establised codes' doctrines or aestetic principles2 Ee is amediator bet$een te $or% and te reading public2 Ee can arouse

entusiasm in te reader and can as $ell %ill tat entusiasm.


12 Wat is literar! criticismF

92 Discuss te role of te literar! critic2





t4 9@132


edi$ion. :e$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

52/167


During4 Simon2 1???)2 T'e Cul$ur#l S$udie% Re#der . Gd)2 ondonB,outledge2


is' Stanle!2 1?>?)2 I% $'ere # Te$ in $'i% Cl#%%0 T'e Au$'ori$) o& In$erre$ie Co**uni$ie%. CambridgeB Ear"ard +ni"ersit! .ress2

r!e' :2 1?57)2 An#$o*) o& Cri$i"i%*, :e$ erse!B .rinceton

+ni"ersit! .ress2

*raff' *erald2 1?>7)2 2ro&e%%ing Li$er#$ure- An In%$i$u$ion#l Hi%$or),CicagoB +ni"ersit! of Cicago .ress2




4oore&*ilbert' 0art Stanton' *aret' J 4ale! Will!2 1??7)2 2o%$"oloni#l Cri$i"i%*. Gds)2 :e$ )2 Modern Li$er#r) T'eor)- A Re#der . /t ed.)2 :e$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

53/167

UNIT 4 FUNCTIONS OF LITERARY CRITICISM

CONTENTS


3.1 unctions of iterar! Criticism/.< Conclusion5.< Summar!


1)9 INTRODUCTION

In te last unit' $e stated tat to criticise' et!mologicall!' meant to

anal!se and later' to judge. iterar! criticism offers ne$ $a!s oftin%ing about literature and about $at is in"ol"ed in reading criticall!2In tis unit' $e sall attempt to identif! te functions of criticism to te

understanding of literar! te#ts2

2)9 OBJECTIVES


• state te functions of criticism in te stud! of literature

• appl! te paradigms discussed in !our o$n critical $ritings2

3)9 MAIN CONTENT

3)1 Fu%'t#!%( !" L#tea$ C#t#'#()

6o stud! literar! criticism is to see% to understand e#actl! o$ readerscritics) interpret criticise) te#ts' especiall! literar! ones2 4ost scolars

toda! $ould agree tat tere is no single meaning $aiting to be simpl!

&ound in an! te#t2 4eaning is' rater' rodu"ed 8 tat is' it is a function of

te different interpretati"e strategies $ic "arious readers bring to bear

upon a te#t2 A cardinal rule of modern literar! criticism ma! be summed

up as follo$sB $'e #n%wer%6 )ou ge$ &ro* # $e$ deend en$irel) uon

$'e 7ind o& 8ue%$ion%6 )ou u$ $o i$ . 6e upsot of all tis is tat tesame te#t legitimatel! means different tings to different people2 As a

result' for e#ample' a 4ar#ist critic $ould necessaril! come up $it a

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

54/167

different interpretation from tat of a .s!coanal!tic critic of te samete#t' eac of $ic is e=uall! "alid pro"ided tat tere is te#tuale"idence to support te interpretation in =uestion)2 6e primar!necessit! for literar! criticism lies in te fact tat Lne$ strategies of

interpretation of literature are constantl! being de"eloped to cope $itte comple#ities of cange in literar! traditionsM2

6e importance of literar! criticism terefore resides in its secondar!

but in"aluable role of interpretation2 Criticism deals $it anal!sing'

classif!ing4 e#pounding and e"aluating a $or% of art in order to formones opinion2 Serious literar! criticism is bot e"aluati"e and

anal!tical' tereb! elping us to better a literar! $or% . Writing on terole of literar! criticism4 I.A. ,icards notes tat Lte critical reading of

poetr! prose and drama) is an ardours discipline2 6e lesson of all

criticism is tat $e a"e noting to rel! upon in ma%ing our coices' butoursel"es.M


Wat does serious literar! criticism doF

iterar! criticism begins te "er! moment !ou close te boo% and begins to reflect on $at as been read2 6us' criticism includes te

process of reflecting on' organising and articulating !our response to a

gi"en literar! $or%2 Criticism presupposes tat a piece of literaturecontains relationsips and patterns of meaning tat te critic can discern

and sare after reading a te#t2 It also presupposes tat te critic as te

abilit! to translate is e#perience of te $o% into intellectual terms tat

can be communicated to and understood b! oters2 Again' literar!criticism presupposes tat te critics e#perience of te $or% once

organised and articulated' $ill be compatible $it te e#perience of

oter readers2 6is means tat to be "alid and "aluable' te criticsreading of a $or% must accord' at least in some $a!s' $it $at oter

intelligent readers' o"er a reasonable period of time are $illing to agree

on and accept2

In conclusion' as a student of literar! criticism' some of te =uestions to

as% !ourself includeB

• Am I reading a literar! te#t in order to measure o$ accurate its

representation of realit! isF

• Am I reading a literar! te#t for insigts into te life and mind ofits $riterF

• As te reader' is m! role passi"e or acti"eF

• is meaning simpl! found in a literar! te#t or is it constructedor produced b! te readerF

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

55/167


earn te =uestions to as% !ourself and tr! to recall tem after putting

!our course material aside2

)9 CONCLUSION

In tis unit' !ou learnt tat to stud! literar! criticism is to see% tounderstand e#actl! o$ readers critics) interpret criticise) te#ts'

especiall! literar! ones2 0! no$' !ou sould a"e understood tat

meaning in a literar! te#t is rodu"ed 8 tat is' it is a function of te

different interpretati"e strategies $ic "arious readers bring to bear

upon a te#t2

4)9 SUMMARY

iterar! criticism deals $it anal!sing' classif!ing4 e#pounding ande"aluating a $or% of art in order to form ones opinion2 A cardinal rule

of modern literar! criticism ma! be summed up as follo$sB $'e#n%wer%6 )ou ge$ &ro* # $e$ deend en$irel) uon $'e 7ind o&

8ue%$ion%6 )ou u$ $o i$ . 6is implies tat te same te#t legitimatel!means different tings to different people2 As a result' for e#ample' a4ar#ist critic $ould necessaril! come up $it a different interpretation

from tat of a .s!coanal!tic critic of te same te#t' eac of $ic ise=uall! "alid pro"ided tat tere is te#tual e"idence to support teinterpretation in =uestion)2


12 Wat is literar! criticismF92 Discuss te role of te literar! critic2





t4 9@132

0eat!' 2 et al2 9@@9)2 T'e Nor$on In$rodu"$ion $o Li$er#$ure( +$'edi$ion. :e$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

56/167

Cilds' .eter J o$ler' ,oger 9@@;)2 T'e Rou$ledge Di"$ion#r) o&

Li$er#r) Ter*%. ,outledgeB +SA.


During4 Simon2 Gd.)2 1???)2 T'e Cul$ur#l S$udie% Re#der . ondonB,outledge2


is' Stanle!2 1?>?)2 I% $'ere # Te$ in $'i% Cl#%%0 T'e Au$'ori$) o&

In$erre$ie Co**uni$ie%. CambridgeB Ear"ard +ni"ersit! .ress2

r!e' :2 1?57)2 An#$o*) o& Cri$i"i%*, :e$ erse!B .rinceton+ni"ersit! .ress2

*raff' *erald2 1?>7)2 2ro&e%%ing Li$er#$ure- An In%$i$u$ion#l Hi%$or),

CicagoB +ni"ersit! of Cicago .ress2





8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

57/167

UNIT 5 THE RELATIONSHI= BETWEEN THE

LITERARY CRITIC AND THE WRITER

CONTENTS


Writer 3.1 6e ,elationsip bet$een te iterar! Critic and te

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

58/167


1)9 INTRODUCTION

iterar! criticism ta%es te reader to a iger le"el of cogniti"e tougt

b! e"aluating $at te critic sa!s' and ten appl!ing it to te piece of literature in $a!s tat te reader ma! not a"e originall! tougt2

6e literar! critic is concerned $it $at te $riter as tried to sa! in

is $or% and o$ successful e as been able to e#press it2 or instance'

te formalist critic is interested in 'ow an autor e#presses an idea'

$ile te 4ar#ist critic is interested in w'#$ an autor is tr!ing to

e#press2 6o a certain degree' a literar! critic sould be con"ersant $itliterar! istor! to be able to ma%e a genuine judgement upon a $or% of

literature2 Ee sould be a$are of $at oters a"e said and must be

grounded in literar! teor!2 It is important to note tat literar! critics

a"e borro$ed from oter disciplines suc as antropolog!' ps!colog!'

linguistics' ps!colog! and pilosop! to anal!se $or%s of literature

more percepti"el!2

2)9 OBJECTIVES


• discuss te role of te critic and te relationsip bet$een te

literar! critic and te $riter

3)9 MAIN CONTENT

3)1 The Re,at#!%(h#- .et/ee% the L#tea$ C#t#' a%& the

W#te

6e literar! critic gi"es life to a literar! te#t b! bringing out te iddenmeanings embedded in te $or% . 4ost often' it is troug te e!es of te cautious critical reader tat $e e"aluate te success or oter$ise of ate#t2 6e critic anal!ses and e"aluates $at a $riter as $ritten2 Eecomments on' and e"aluates te =ualit! of bot te autors literar!composition and is "ision of' or insigt into uman e#perience2 It

sould be noted tat a critic does not prescribe $ic realities are "alid'

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

59/167

but identifies te nature of te indi"idual e#perience and te aesteticmeans used to e#press tat e#perience2 6e underl!ing implication is

tat it is not te tas% of te critic to set up or frame prescriptions $ic

$riters must conform to2 A literar! critic approaces a $or% according

to establised codes' doctrines or aestetic principles2 Ee is a mediator

bet$een te $or% and te reading public2 Ee can arouse entusiasm in

te reader and can as $ell %ill tat entusiasm.

*enerall!' despite teir tendenc! to interpret4 rater tan to e"aluateliterature' literar! critics a"e an enormous effect on te literar!

mar%etplace' not in terms of $at te! sa! about particular $or%s but in

terms of $ic $or%s te! coose to interpret and $ic $or%s te!ignore2 And of course' critics tend to interpret $or%s tat lend

temsel"es readil! to te critical teor! te! emplo!2 6us' $ene"er a

single critical teor! dominates literar! studies' tose $or%s tat lend

temsel"es $ell to tat teor! $ill be considered Lgreat $or%sM and $ill

be taugt in te college classroom4 $ile oter $or%s $ill be ignored2


Discuss te role of te literar! critic2

)9 CONCLUSION

In tis unit' !ou learnt tat te literar! critic is concerned $it $at te$riter as tried to sa! in is $or% and o$ successful e as been able

to e#press it2 or instance' te formalist critic is interested in 'ow an

autor e#presses an idea' $ile te 4ar#ist critic is interested in w'#$ an

autor is tr!ing to e#press2

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

60/167



t4 9@132


edi$ion. :e$ @)2 A&$er $'e New Cri$i"i%*. CicagoB +ni"ersit!of Cicago .ress2

4oore&*ilbert' 0art Stanton' *aret' J 4ale! Will!2 1??7)2 2o%$"oloni#l Cri$i"i%*. Gds)2 :e$ )2 Modern Li$er#r) T'eor)- A Re#der . /t ed.)2 :e$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

61/167

,icter' Da"id E2 Gd.)2 1??>)2 T'e Cri$i"#l Tr#di$ion- Cl#%%i" Te$%#nd Con$e*or#r) Trend%. 0edford 0oo%sB 0oston.

,i"%in' ulie J ,!an' 4icael2 1??>)2 Li$er#r) T'eor)- An An$'olog)2

Gds)2 4alden' 4assacusettsB 0lac%$ell2

6!son' ois2 9@@;).Cri$i"#l T'eor) Tod#)- A U%er riendl) Guide2 :e$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

62/167

MODULE 2 THEORIES OF LITERATURE 617

+nit 1 4imetic 6eor! of Arts

+nit 9 ormalist 6eor! and Criticism+nit 3 :e$ Criticism+nit / Structuralist Criticism

+nit 5 Semiotics+nit ; .ost Structuralism

+nit 7 Deconstruction

UNIT 1 MIMETIC THEORY OF ARTS

CONTENTS


3.1 Origin and 0ac%ground of 4imetic 6eor! of iterature3.9 Central 6enets of te 4imetic 6eor!3.3 A Criti=ue of te 4imetic 6eor! of Art

/.< Conclusion5.< Summar!;.< 6utor&4ar%ed Assignment 64A)

7.< ,eferences-urter ,eading

1)9 INTROODUCTION

6e mimetic teor! of arts $as among te first to be defined2 It

originated from Aristotles 3>/ 0C&3990C) conception tat art

imitates' reproduces or recreates great and lo$ actions2 Eere' great

actions refer to traged!4 and lo$ actions refer to comed!2 6e mimeticteor! is also %no$n as Art as Imitation2 4imesis' te *ree% $ord for

imitation' as been a central term in aestetic and literar! teor! since

.lato2 It is te earlier $a! to judge an! $or% of art in relation to realit!'$eter te representation is accurate or not2 6oug tis mode starts

from .lato' it runs troug man! great teorists of ,enaissance up to

some modern teorists as $ell2 42 E2 Abrams defines imitation as a

relational term, signif!ing t$o items and correspondence bet$een tem24imesis is te idea tat art imitates realit!' an idea tat traces bac% to

Aristotle $o argued tat te uni"ersal can be found in te concrete2

4imesis is de"eloped and applied troug mimetic teories of literature'

teatre and te "isual arts during te ,enaissance and te Gnligtenment periods2 .ilosopers and $riters including Aristotle' .lato' 4oliere'

Sa%espeare' ,acine' Diderot and ,ousseau applied te mimetic teor!of literar! criticism to teir $or% and li"es2 6e mimetic teor! is te

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

63/167

uni"ersal foundation of literature and of scools of literar! criticism.6e concern for te moral effects of art is often dra$n from mimeticteor!2 6e goal of mimetic criticism is to determine o$ $ell a $or% of literature connects $it te real $orld2 4imetic criticism also arguestat art con"e!s uni"ersal truts instead of just temporal and indi"idual

truts2

2)9 OBJECTIVES


• discuss te postulations of te mimetic teor! of literature

• criti=ue te postulations of te mimetic teor! of Art

3)9 MAIN CONTENT

3)1 O#;#% a%& Ba'>;!u%& !" M#)et#' The!$ !" L#teatue

6e *ree% mimetic scool of criticism is based upon te ideas e#pressed b! .lato and Aristotle2 .lato regards te artist as an imitator of

imitations8 te painters $or% is trice remo"ed from te Lessential

natureM of a tingB te artist imitates te p!sical object' $ic is a faint

cop! of ideas of te ting. .lato claims tat ordinar! art effects badl! on

te audience because it represents imagination rater tan trut' andnourises teir feeling rater tan reason2 .lato opines tat artists lac%

creati"e po$er2 Art is essentiall! mimicr! of nature2 .aintings aresupposed to loo% Ljust li%e te real tingM etc2 Arguabl!' it is te oldest

and most $idel! eld "ie$ on te nature of art. .lato belie"ed tat art isessentiall! an imitation of nature2 6erefore' according to .lato' art is at

bestB

1) useless8 and9) .otentiall! dangerous2

.lato is con"inced tat Lte artsM form a natural grouping and tat te!all sare a common formB L6at $ic all and onl! Arts a"e incommon b! "irtue of $ic $e recognise eac to be an art and b! "irtueof $ic eac is an art.M or im4 art $as useless because it ser"es nouseful purpose in societ!2 As an Imitation of :ature' it adds no%no$ledge no in$elle"$u#l "alue)2

Aristotle' on te oter and' treats imitation as a basic uman facult!'

$ic e#presses itself in a $ide range of arts2 or im4 to imitate is not

to produce a cop! or mirror reflection of some tings but in"ol"es acomple# mediation of realit!2 or e#ample' in traged! te $riter imitates

peoples actions rater tan teir caracters2 or im4 tis $orld is real

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

64/167

but incomplete so poet endea"ors to complete it troug te imitation2

6us' poets are bot imitators and creator2

3)2 Ce%ta, Te%et( !" the M#)et#' The!$ !" L#teatue

Aristotle' te proponent of te mimetic teor! of art' olds tat art

imitates te realit! e#isting in us and in te concrete objects around us2

Eo$e"er' it sould be noted tat art does not merel! imitate te flu# and

confusion tat confront man8 rater it imitates te necessar! or probable

conse=uences of gi"en persons in gi"en situations,e"en of imaginar! persons and situations2

Drama for instance' imitates men in action2 According to Aristotle'

mimesis is men in action' teir caracters' deeds' passions' and

e#periences $ile poetic imitation is an imitation of te uman inner

action2 Indeed' te main trust of mimesis is tat certain poems simpl!

tell $at appens and oters drama) actuall! imitate $at appens2 6e

artist' tat is' imitates realit! b! suppressing accidental irrele"ances and

b! eigtening te essential $ic is oter$ise onl! imperfectl! realised

in concrete objects2

4imetic critics as% o$ $ell te $or% of literature accords $it te real$orld2 6e! anal!se te accurac! of a literar! $or% and its moralit!26e! consider $eter or not it so$s o$ people reall! act' and$eter or not it is correct2 6e mimetic critic assesses a literar! $or% troug te prism of is or er o$n time' judging te te#t according tois o$n "alue s!stem.

Aristotles 2oe$i"%4 also %no$n as LOn te Art of ImitationM4 is animportant te#t on te stud! of art as imitation2 4imesis is concerned

primaril! $it te object imitated or reproduced and also te medium of

imitation2


12 0riefl! e#plain te mimetic teor! of literature.92 Discuss te major propositions of te mimetic teor! of

literature2

3)3 A C#t#?ue !" the M#)et#' The!$ !" At

One of te major criticisms le"elled against te mimetic teor! of art istat it fails to recognise te importance of imagination in literar!

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

65/167

creati"it!2 Also' te negati"e side of mimetic criticism occurs $en tecritics subjecti"e bias leads to dogmatic condemnation and censorsip2

4an! $or%s oter$ise labelled aesteticall! great a"e been

blac%listed' banned or burned trougout te istor! of uman%ind b!

moral critics2

or .lato' Art $as potentiall! dangerous for se"eral reasonsB

A)2 Art is essentiall! decepti"eB te $ole aim of art $as to decei"e2

Success $as acie"ed $en te spectator mistoo% an imitation for

realit!2 urtermore' artists $ere unconcerned $it facts-trut2 It made

no difference to artists or to te success of teir $or%s $eter te

images or stories te! depict $ere real or teir messages true or good2

0) Art is ps!cologicall! de&stabilisingB uman e#istence is' in great part' a struggle to master te emotions and sensual urges b! using reason

and intellect according to .lato2 6erefore art $as dangerous and

counterproducti"e to tis end i.e2 rational self ,master!) since it appeals

not to reason and intellect' but to te ps!cological forces $ic

constantl! tr! to o"ertro$ reason' namel! passion and emotion2 or

im4 .oetr! feeds and $aters te passions instead of dr!ing tem up8

se lets tem rule' altoug te! ougt to be controlled' if man%ind is

e"er to increase in appiness and "irtue

C) Art leads to immoralit!2 Art is unconcerned $it moralit!'

sometimes e"en teacing immoral lessons2 4oralit!' it $ould seem4 as

noting to do $it a $or%s success as art. .lato $orries tat suc art

$ould encourage immoralit! in te citiHens of te state2 .eople migt

uncriticall! accept and admire immoral' "icious traits $en te! are

attracti"el! pac%aged b! s%illed artists distinction bet$een trut and

illusion- p!sicians and coo%s- eat and cosmetics- beaut! and

glamour)2 i%e a s%illed cef' artists are onl! interested in pleasing te

palate' e"en if it poisons te dinner2 Since mimetic art is institutionall!

di"orced from trut' goodness or an! concern $it real beaut!' it

creates an en"ironment of superficial fla"ours $ere all sorts of

atrocities can be made to seem a tempting confection2

D)2 Art $as politicall! dangerous' a treat to te common good2 Similar

to te point made earlier' .lato $orried tat strong art $ic appeals to

emotions stirs up negati"e emotions $ic societ! tries to control2 0ut

tis is more tan just a problem for te indi"idual2 or a people $it a

istor! of mania4 strong4 emotion&stirring art is rigtl! seen as a treat

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

66/167

to te good of state-communit!2 It $as' terefore correctl! te concern

of go"ernment2 or .lato' "iolence and se# in te media is capable of

causing us to be more "iolent' or entrenc se#uall! obsessed culture2

6is affects not just te people $o consume te "iolent images' but te

entire communit! of $ic te! are a part.

Eo$e"er' Aristotle' $o $as .latos most famous student and greatest

critic' ad a dissenting "ie$2 Disagreeing $it muc else tat .lato said'

Aristotle agreed tat art $as essentiall! a 4imesis2 0ut' e maintained'

good) art $as neiter useless nor dangerous' but rater natural and

beneficial2 It is natural because it is natural for uman beings to imitate2

An! uman societ! $ic is ealt! $ill be a societ! $ere tere is

imitati"e art2 :oting is more natural tan for cildren to pretend2 Art

production and training is a necessar! part of an! education since it usesand encourages te imaginati"e manipulation of ideas2 :oting is more

natural tan for uman beings to create using teir imagination2

urtermore' Aristotle olds tat art is not decepti"e because artists

must accuratel! portra! realit! to be successful2 Drama' for instance'

must accuratel! portra! ps!cological realit! in order for caracters to

be belie"able and teir actions understandable2 Again' art teaces

effecti"el! and it teaces te trut2 Con"incing and po$erful drama is

con"incing and po$erful because it re"eals some trut of uman nature2

Aristotle agreed tat art did stir up negati"e emotions but' e claims itten purged tese in a armless' ealt! $a! troug $at e calls tedoctrine of LCatarsis2

)9 CONCLUSION

4imetic teor! comes from te *ree% $ord mimesis4 $ic meansimitation and representation' and it states tat people are influenced b!

eac oter and te $orld around tem4 $en creating' in man! different$a!s2 Since .lato applied te mimetic teor! on literature and separated

it from narrati"e' mimesis as been gi"en a "er! clear literar! meaning2.lato sees te artist as an imitator of te p!sical $orld around im'

$ic' according to im4 is alread! an imitation of te idea people a"eof tis $orld2 So basicall! e claims tat a $riter imitates te imitations

and represents imagination and emotion muc more tan reason and

realit!2 or tis reason' according to .lato' mimesis affects te readers

negati"el! b! misleading tem.

Aristotle disagrees $it .lato in te sense tat for im to imitate te p!sical $orld is not just to cop! it but rater to adapt it2 According to

Aristotles reception of te mimetic teor!4 imitation is needed tocomplete tis incomplete p!sical $orld people li"e in2 0ut imitation' as

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

67/167

e sees it' is rater a comple# creation' a s%ill tat needs to go and&in&

and $it talent and imaginati"e po$er .

4)9 SUMMARY

6e mimetic teor! of arts $as te first to be defined2 It originated from

Aristotles conception tat art imitates' reproduces or recreates great and

lo$ actions2 Eere' great actions refer to traged! and lo$ actions refer to

comed!2 6e mimetic teor! is also %no$n as Art as Imitation2

In tis unit' $e stated tat Aristotle' te proponent of te mimetic teor!of art' olds tat art imitates te realit! e#isting in us and in te concreteobjects around us2 Aristotles 2oe$i"%4 also %no$n as LOn te Art of ImitationM4 is an important te#t on te stud! of art as imitation2 4imesisis concerned primaril! $it te object imitated or reproduced and alsote medium of imitation2


Attempt a criti=ue of te 4imetic 6eor! of Art as espoused b! .lato

and Aristotle2


Aristotle2 9@@;)2 2oe$i"%2 oe Sacs trans.)2 ocus .ilosopicalibrar!B .ullins .ress2

0lamires' E2 1??1)2 A Hi%$or) o& Li$er#r) Cri$i"i%*, ondonB

4acmillan .ress td2

Cilds' .eter J o$ler' ,oger 9@@;)2 T'e Rou$ledge Di"$ion#r) o&

Li$er#r) Ter*%. ,outledgeB +SA.


Dada' ..O 1??/)2 iterar! Criticism and African iterature2 In OluObafemi Gd.) New In$rodu"$ion $o Li$er#$ure, IbadanB

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

68/167

Wellec%' ,ene J Warren' Austin2 1?73)2 T'eor) o& Li$er#$ure2

4iddlese#B .enguin 0oo%s imited2

UNIT 2 FORMALIST THEORY AND CRITICISM

CONTENTS


3.1 6e Origin of ormalism3.9 0asic .rinciples and 4ain Interpretati"e Strategies of ormalism

3.3 Criticisms against ormalism/.< Conclusion5.< Summar!


8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

69/167

1)9 INTRODUCTION

ormalism is a branc of te teor! of art for arts sa%e . ormalistteor! regards literature as a uni=ue form of uman %no$ledge tat needs

to be e#amined on its o$n terms. It olds tat literature sould assert itsautonom! de"oid of etics or politics. In teir influential boo% entitledT'eor) o& Li$er#$ure 1?73)4 ,ene Welle% and Austin Warren old tatte natural and sensible starting point for $or% in literar! scolarsip is

te interpretation and anal!sis of te $or%s of literature temsel"es. 6oa formalist4 terefore' a poem or stor! is not primaril! a social4 istorical4or biograpical document8 it is a literar! $or% tat can be understood onl!

b! reference to its intrinsic literar! features4 tat is' tose elements foundin te te#t itself2 6o anal!se a poem or stor!4 terefore' te formalist

critic focuses on te $ords of te te#t rater tan facts about te autorslife or te istorical milieu in $ic it $as $ritten. 6e critic pa!s specialattention to te formal features of te te#t(te st!le4 structure4 imager!4tone4 and genre.

6ese features4 o$e"er' are usuall! not e#amined in isolation4 becauseformalist critics belie"e tat $at gi"es a literar! te#t its special status as

art is o$ all its elements $or% togeter to create te readers total

e#perience. Art for arts sa%e is a mo"ement tat appeals to a pureaestetic element of form.

2)9 OBJECTIVES


• trace te de"elopment of formalist teor!

• discuss te teoretical assumptions of formalism• e#amine te criticisms against formalist teor! and criticism

3)9 MAIN CONTENT

3)1 O#;#% !" F!)a,#()

or ma l is m o r i gin ate d in ,us si a i n 1 ?1 5 $ it t efounding of te Mo%"ow Lingui%$i" Cir"le and in te follo$ing !ear 41?1;4 of its St..etersburg counterpart' Oo9#: Mu%7oi$e%2 6e major actors in

tis critical scool includeB Nictor S%lo"s%!' ,oman a%obson4

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

70/167

0oris Gi%enbaum4 Osip 0ri% 4

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

71/167

particular $or%s4 autors biograp!4 istor!4 politics' pilosop!'etc are torougl! e#cluded from literar! anal!sis. iterature as anindependent e#istence4 and formalism attempts to create anindependent science $ic studies specificall! literar! material.


Wat is te goal of formalismF

ormalism e#cludes all mimetic and e#pressi"e definitions of literature. or formalists4 literature is not seen as te e#pression of an autors personalit! and $orld&"ision' or as a realistic mimetic)

representation of te $orld in $ic e li"ed2 6is is because in

reading te literar! te#t as an instrument of e#pression or

representation' te specificit! of its literar! =ualities is li%el! to be

o"erloo%ed. ormalism empasises te independent e#istence of literar! studies2

ormalism olds tat literature is different from all oter materials

because it tends to defamiliarise objects8 tat is4 ma%e tings strange2It refreses our sense of life and e#perience2 Art defamiliarises

tings tat a"e become abitual or automatic2 6e familiar is madestrange in art. .ractical e"er!da! language is made strange in poetr!

because te effect of poetr! is to ma%e language obli=ue4 difficult4

attenuated or tortuous.

G"en te p!sical sounds of $ords temsel"es become unusuall!

prominent2 6is defamiliarised perception of $ords' $ic inordinar! circumstances $e fail to notice is te result of te formal

basis of poetr!. ormalists belie"e tat poetic speec does not differ from ordinar! speec just because it ma! include construction

different from e"er!da! language and $ord,order in"ersions4 but because its formal de"ices r!me and r!tm) act on ordinar! $ords

to rene$ our perception of tem2


Wat does LdefamiliarisationM mean to formalistsF

3)3 A C#t#?ue !" F!)a,#()

A lot of criticisms a"e been le"elled against te f ormalist teor!

of art2 or instance' it does not assign an! significance to teautor 4 te $orld outside4 or e"en tougt. :o recognition is gi"en

to te relation bet$een te#t and realit! $ic are %e! elements insome oter critical teories2 or te formalists' literature as noting to

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

72/167

do $it "ision or $it autorial meaning2 A gi"en $or% of art is onl! part of te general bod! of literature4 not a part of te personalit! of itsautor2 ormalist critics tell us tat te empasis in practical language

is on te referent and te realit! referred to2 G"er! oter ting4 sucas r!me or alliteration' is onl! secondar! to te purpose of te

communication. 0ut in poetic language4 referentialit! is irrele"ant'and te empasis is on te means of e#pression itself . 0ecause of tis'a poetic utterance as no functionalities $it te real conte#t in $ic it

is produced and cannot be assumed to refer to an! aspect of its

producers e#istence.

anguage in poetr! does not point to an object be!ond itself2 It is

entirel! self&sufficient and autonomous. Wat is important is not teautor' but literariness2 iterature does not refer to an!ting in te

$orld of realit!8 it does not reflect tat $orld2 Indeed' literar! te#ts

ma%e familiar tings to become strange2 It dislocates our abitual perceptions of te real $orld so as to ma%e it te object of a rene$ed

attention. ormalism unearts te formal mecanisms $ereb! tiseffect of defamiliarisation is produced. S%lo"s%! argued tatliterature creates a "ision of te object instead of ser"ing as a

means of %no$ing it. In poetr!4 te de"ices of poetr! are s tudied notfor temsel"es4 but for teir capacit! to ma%e objects strange. Imager!'!perbole4 parallelism comparison' and repetition all bring aboutdefamiliarisation2

Anoter criti=ue against formalist critical teor! is tat it does not

recognise te traditional dicotom! bet$een orm and Content. It isinterested onl! in orm. 6raditionall!4 form $as considered to be a %indof decorati"e supplement $ile content is te tougt or idea. orm$as considered to be a "essel into $ic content could be poured2 6is

same form $as tougt capable of recei"ing a "ariet! of differentcontents2 If te form canged' it $as at te instance of content2 6e

empasis $as put on content2 ormalist teor! re"ersed te priorit! of

content o"er form and e#clusi"el! promoted te importance of form

o"er content2 Content ten becomes dependent on form2 Content doesnot a"e an! separate from independent e#istence in literature2 :o

amount of literar! anal!sis can distil content from form2 orm itself is

determined' not b! content' but b! moter forms2 orm predetermines

content2

SELF ASSESSMENT E+ERCISE

Discuss te major criticisms against formalist critics2

Wit te rise of 4ar#ism in ,ussia in te 1?3@s' formalism $as dri"enout of literar! discourse in Stalinist +SS,8 ence te formalists see

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

73/167

4ar#ist critics as teir literar! or ideological enemies. 6e formalistteor! tat literature is a special realm to be distinguised from tesocial and political $orld) clearl! stands in direct opposition to te

4ar#ist belief tat literature cannot be understood apart from its

istorical conte#t2 0ecause of its empasis on structure or language'

formalism as inspired or gi"en rise to oter language, basedteories of literar! criticism2 One of suc critical perspecti"es is

Structuralism4 $ic $ill be e#amined in subse=uent unit.

)9 CONCLUSION

In tis unit' !ou learnt tat formalist criticism de"eloped and flourised

in ,ussia in te middle of te 9@t centur!2 6o te formalists' a $or% of

literature is percei"ed as being autotelic in te sense tat suc is Lself&

complete' $ritten for its o$n sa%e' and unified b! its formM2 erome0eat! et al 9@@9)2 6e interpretation of tis is tat form metods'

de"ices' etc) used to present ideas in a $or% of literature is e#alted more

tan content teme)2 rom te ormalists standpoint' a $or% of literature is e"aluated on te basis of its literar! de"ices and te

susceptibilit! of te same to scientific in"estigation2 6e critics concern

terefore is to identif! and discuss tose de"ices in order to determine

te literariness of suc a te#t ide 0alogun' 9@11)2

4)9 SUMMARY

In tis unit4 !ou a"e been taugt tat formalist criticism regardsliterature as a uni=ue form of uman %no$ledge tat needs to be

e#amined on its o$n terms. ormalist critics belie"e tat $at gi"es aliterar! te#t its special status as art is o$ all its elements $or% togeter to create te readers total e#perience. A %e! metod tat formalists useto e#plore te intense relationsips $itin a poem is close reading4 acareful step, b!&step anal!sis and e#plication of a te#t. 6e purpose of close reading is to understand o$ "arious elements in a literar! te#t

$or% togeter to sape its effects on te reader . Writing about tesortcoming of formalist criticism' ide 0alogun opines tat te critical

practice of te ormalists needs a furter appraisal because of its loss of

te organic essence of literature2 6is is so because a $or% of literature

is a representation of a central idea or teme $ose interpretation is

dependent on te different elements tat contribute to its fulfilment and

meaning. It $ould not be possible for Wole So!in%as T'e Tri#l% o& ;ro$'er

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

74/167

onl! on tis aspect of a te#t is a mere pursuance of sado$ at te

e#pense of substance2


12 Discuss te major concerns of te formalist critics2

92 ist some of te allegations le"elled against formalism.



ww w.unilorin.edu .ng/u!li"#$ i on% /balogun / D o "5. d & .


edi$ion. :e$

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

75/167

UNIT 3 NEW CRITICISM

CONTENTS

1.< Introduction

9.< Objecti"es3.< 4ain Content3.1 6e Gmergence of :e$ Criticism3.9 4ain Interpretati"e Strategies of :e$ Criticism


1)9 INTRODUCTION

:e$ Criticism is a product of some American uni"ersities in te 1?3@sand /@s2 It stresses a close reading of te te#t itself2 As a strateg! of reading4 :e$ Criticism "ie$s te $or% of literature as an aesteticobject independent of istorical conte#t and as a unified $ole tatreflects te unified sensibilit! of te artist2 :e$ Criticism aims at

bringing a greater intellectual rigour to literar! studies' confining itself to careful scrutin! of te te#t alone and te formal structures of parado#'ambiguit!' iron!' and metapor' among oters2 6e :e$ Critics arefired b! te con"iction tat teir readings of poetr! $ould !ield a

umanising influence on readers and tus counter te alienatingtendencies of modern' industrial life2 In Cri$i"#l T'eor) Tod#)- A U%er

8/20/2019 ENG 415.doc

76/167

riendl) Guide( ois 6!son 9@@;) submits tat :e$ Criticismdominated literar! studies from te 1?/@s troug te 1?;@s and as left

a lasting imprint on te $a! $e read and $rite about literature2 Some of

its most important concepts concerning te nature and importance of

te#tual e"idence(te use of concrete' specific e#amples from te te#t

itself to "alidate our interpretations( a"e been incorporated into te

$a! most literar! critics toda!' regardless of teir teoretical persuasion'

support teir readings of literature2 or te :e$ Critics' toroug

te#tual support is needed for literar! interpretations2

6o full! appreciate :e$ Criticisms contribution to literar! studiestoda!' $e need to remember te form of criticism it replacedB te

biograpical&istorical criticism tat dominated literar! studies in te

1?t centur! and te earl! decades of te 9@t2 At tat time4 it $ascommon practice to interpret a literar! te#t b! stud!ing te autors lifeand times to determine #u$'ori#l in$en$ion4 tat is' te meaning teautor intended te te#t to a"e2 6e autors letters' diaries and essa!s$ere combed for e"idence of autorial intention as $ereautobiograpies' biograpies and istor! boo%s2 In its most e#tremeform4 biograpical&istorical criticism seemed4 to some' to e#amine tete#ts biograpical&istorical conte#t in%$e#d of e#amining te te#t2 InAmerica' te :e$ Critics called teir literar! interpretation Lclosereading.M

In tis unit' !ou are going to learn some of :e$ Criticisms

contributions to literar! studies and te teoretical frame$or% tat

underlies teir interpretation2 Some oter teories li%e reader&response

criticism and structuralism stand in opposition to :e$ Criticism.

2)9 OBJECTIVES


• trace te de"elopment of :e$ Criticism

•

�

Date post:	07-Aug-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	edward-almazan
View:	222 times
Download:	0 times

ENG 415.doc

Documents