AJ04003 Introduction to Literary Studies II

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2009
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Pavel Drábek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jana Heczková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Martina Horáková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Tomáš Kačer, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Kateřina Prajznerová, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Prerequisites (in Czech)
AJ04001 Intro. to Literary Studies I && SOUHLAS
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 11 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Objectives: 1. To know how to locate and use primary and secondary materials in literary research. 2. To learn the techniques needed for literary analysis and writing essays. 3. To refine critical thinking and to improve communication capabilities. 4. To achieve a deeper understanding of how literature affects us and how it enriches our perception of the world.
Syllabus
  • Week 1 / September 24: Lecture (Pavel Drábek): “Why Study Literature?” / “Functions of Literature” Readings: René Wellek and Austin Warren, Theory of Literature (pages 15-37, 139-57) Barnet et al, An Introduction to Literature (chapters 1 and 2) Richard Bradford, Stylistics (part 2)
  • Week 2 / October 1: Lecture (Kateřina Prajznerová): “Setting” Readings: Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (chapters I.-X.) Ross C. Murfin, “The Biographical and Historical Background” (pages 3-19)
  • Week 3 / October 8: Lecture (Kateřina Prajznerová): “Literary History” Readings: Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (chapters XI.-XXIV.) Sacvan Bercovitch, “Hawthorne’s A-Morality of Compromise” (pages 344-58) Bonnie Klomp Stevens and Larry L. Stewart, A Guide to Literary Criticism and Research (chapter 2: “The Insight of Literary History”)
  • Week 4 / October 15: Lecture (Pavel Drábek): “Theme” Readings: William Shakespeare, Hamlet Maynard Mack, “The World of Hamlet”
  • Week 5 / October 22: Lecture (Pavel Drábek): “Literary Genres” Readings: William Shakespeare, Hamlet Ronald Hayman, How to Read a Play Aristotle, Poetics
  • Week 6 / October 29: Lecture (Michael Kaylor): “Figurative and Literal: Metaphor, Symbol, and Allegory” Readings: Gerard Manley Hopkins, “The Windhover” John Pick, ed., The Windhover (from The Merrill Literary Casebook Series)
  • Week 7 / November 5: Mid-term review and mock-quiz
  • Week 8 / November 12: Lecture (Michael Kaylor): “Literary Styles” Readings: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein Johanna M. Smith, “A Critical History of Frankenstein” (pages 237-61) Ross C. Murfin, “What Is Psychoanalytic Criticism?” (pages 262-79) David Collings, “The Monster and the Maternal Thing: Mary Shelley’s Critique of Ideology” (pages 280-95)
  • Week 9 / November 19: Lecture (Kateřina Prajznerová): “Structure and Plot” Readings: Mary Shelley, Frankenstein Ross C. Murfin, “What Is Feminist Criticism?” (pages 296-313) Johanna M. Smith, “‘Cooped Up’ with ‘Sad Trash’: Domesticity and the Sciences in Frankenstein” (pages 313-33)
  • Week 10 / November 26: Lecture (Michael Kaylor): “Narrative Point of View” Readings: Henry James, The Turn of the Screw Peter G. Beidler, “A Critical History of The Turn of the Screw” (pages 127-45)
  • Week 11 / December 3: Lecture (Michael Kaylor): “Interpretation” Readings: Henry James, The Turn of the Screw Ross C. Murfin, “Psychoanalytic Criticism and The Turn of the Screw” (pages 207- 23) Stanley Renner, “‘Red hair, very red, close-curling’: Sexual Hysteria, Physiognomical Bogeyman, and the ‘Ghosts’ in The Turn of the Screw” (pages 223-41)
  • Week 12 / December 10: Lecture (Kateřina Prajznerová): “Character, Persona and Tone” Readings: Barbara Kingsolver, selections from Small Wonder Phillip Lopate, “Introduction” from The Art of the Personal Essay (pages xxiii-xlv) Philip Gerard, “What Is Creative Nonfiction Anyhow?” (pages 1-12)
  • Week 13 / December 17: Semester review and mock-quiz
Literature
  • Philip Gerard, “What Is Creative Nonfiction Anyhow?” (pages 1-12)
  • Sacvan Bercovitch, “Hawthorne’s A-Morality of Compromise” (pages 344-58)
  • David Collings, “The Monster and the Maternal Thing: Mary Shelley’s Critique of Ideology” (pages
  • Ross C. Murfin, “Psychoanalytic Criticism and The Turn of the Screw” (pages 207-
  • Wellek, René, and Austin Warren. A Theory of Literature. New York: Harcourt, 1949.
  • Gerard Manley Hopkins, “The Windhover”
  • Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
  • Phillip Lopate, “Introduction” from The Art of the Personal Essay
  • William Shakespeare, Hamlet
  • Ross C. Murfin, “The Biographical and Historical Background” (pages 3-19
  • Ross C. Murfin, “What Is Psychoanalytic Criticism?” (pages 262-79)
  • Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter
  • Ross C. Murfin, “What Is Feminist Criticism?” (pages 296-313)
  • Johanna M. Smith, “A Critical History of Frankenstein” (pages 237-61)
  • Ronald Hayman, How to Read a Play
  • Henry James, The Turn of the Screw
  • Aristotle, Poetics
  • John Pick, ed., The Windhover (from The Merrill Literary Casebook Series)
  • Peter G. Beidler, “A Critical History of The Turn of the Screw” (pages 127-45)
  • Barnet, Sylvan, Morton Berman, and William Burto. An Introduction to Literature: Fiction / Poetry / Drama. 9th ed. Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman, 1989: 1-101.
  • Johanna M. Smith, “A Critical History of Frankenstein” (pages 237-61)
  • Barbara Kingsolver, selections from Small Wonder
  • Maynard Mack, “The World of Hamlet”
  • Richard Bradford, Stylistics (part 2)
  • Montgomery, Martin. Ways of Reading. London : Routledge, 1993. 257 s. ISBN 0-415-05320-.
  • Bonnie Klomp Stevens, Larry L. Stewart. A Guide to Literary Criticism and Research. 3rd ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1996.
  • Johanna M. Smith, “‘Cooped Up’ with ‘Sad Trash’: Domesticity and the Sciences in Frankenstein”
  • Stanley Renner, “‘Red hair, very red, close-curling’: Sexual Hysteria,
Teaching methods
This lecture series provides an introduction to some of the most significant approaches to the study of literature. Focusing especially on British and American authors, the lectures aim to broaden the students’ awareness of diverse ways of analyzing literary texts. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking and academic writing skills and on gaining a deeper understanding of how literature affects us and enriches our perception of the world. Lectures are 90 minutes a week.
Assessment methods
Assessment: Students will write a final exam consisting of two comprehensive short-essay questions. To prepare for the exam, students are required to respond to one of the sample questions suggested at the end of each lecture (see the echo-assignment in elf) and to take a mid-term mock-quiz and an end-of-term mock-quiz.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: 4 skupin studentů
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2000, Spring 2001, Spring 2002, Spring 2003, Spring 2004, Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2009, recent)
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