Fall 2017 - ENGL 364 D100
Literary Criticism: History, Theory, and Practice (4)
Class Number: 3896
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Sep 5 – Dec 4, 2017: Tue, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Margaret Linley
mlinley@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
Two 100 division English courses, and two 200 division English courses. Recommended: ENGL 216.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
The study and application of select literary theories.
COURSE DETAILS:
Debates in Literary Theory
Theory is fundamental to the study of literature and criticism. It helps us think about the relevance of the literary to everyday life and the things that matter to us most in the world. For this reason, literary theory as a field is deeply passionate and hotly contested, despite an undeserved reputation for being intellectually elitist and dry. In fact, some of the simplest questions are the most theoretically contentious: What is a literary text? How does it differ from other kinds of texts? How important is the author to the meaning process? What does the reader contribute to the creative process? What is the role of feeling? How does literature connect to the social world and the natural environment?
This course provides a basic grounding in the central debates and thorny questions that entangle literary theory and criticism today. Our reading will loop back and forth through historical texts going back to Plato and Aristotle and including Kant, Marx, and Freud. Our focus will be especially on a series of recent responses drawn from some of the most influential voices in twentieth-century and contemporary theory on such issues as formalism and posthumanism, gender and queer studies, race and indigeneity, science and culture, new media and critical digital studies.
Grading
- Attendance, participation, including in-class writing 10%
- Online discussion questions 10%
- Oral presentation, applied reading 20%
- First essay, 5 pages 25%
- Final essay or project, 8-10 pages 35%
NOTES:
This class should be of interest to anyone looking for a solid foundation in key concepts of literary study, including the nature of the text, the power of language, the status of the author, and the role of the reader. Although our path of study will be roughly chronological and our focus primarily theoretical, we will further our understanding of literary criticism by practicing our reading on complementary examples drawn from literature, film, and a range of popular culture.
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
Literary Theory: An Anthology, 3rd ed. Ed. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Wiley-Blackwell, 2017.
ISBN: 978-1-118-70785-2
Department Undergraduate Notes:
IMPORTANT NOTE Re 300 and 400 level courses: 75% of spaces in 300 level English courses, and 100% of spaces in 400 level English courses, are reserved for declared English Major, Minor, Extended Minor, Joint Major, and Honours students only, until open enrollment begins.
For all On-Campus Courses, please note the following:
- To receive credit for the course, students must complete all requirements.
- Tutorials/Seminars WILL be held the first week of classes.
- When choosing your schedule, remember to check "Show lab/tutorial sections" to see all Lecture/Seminar/Tutorial times required.
Registrar Notes:
SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS