CJL07 Theory of Literature I

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Zuzana Fonioková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Jan Tlustý, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Jan Tlustý, Ph.D.
Department of Czech Literature – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Veronika Bromová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Czech Literature – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites (in Czech)
CJL01 Introduc. into Czech Lit.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 100 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/100, only registered: 0/100
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 8 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
This seminar introduces the main issues and concepts of literary theory to the students. The concepts are scrutinized in their historical context, i.e. in connection with particular periods in the history of literary scholarship (positivism, formalism, structuralism, narratology, versology, poststructuralism, feminism, reader-response criticism, theory of fictional worlds, cognitive science, cultural studies, etc.). Part of the seminar will also be devoted to interpretation of literary works.
Learning outcomes
After the completion of the course, students will:
- have acquired literary theoretical terminology with regards to poetology, versology, and narratology;
- understand major literary theoretical approaches and strategies for interpretation of literary texts;
- be able to apply these strategie to interpretation of literary texts;
- have the skills to use primary as well as secondary literary theoretical resources in order to interpret literary texts.
Syllabus
  • - Literary theory: history and current perspective, basic problems and terminology;
  • - the communication model and literary work as a sign;
  • - aesthetic function and the meaning of art;
  • - literature, myth, and culture;
  • - the author and the theory of autobiography/autofiction;
  • - figures and tropes, basic concepts of narratology;
  • - basic concepts of the theory of verse;
  • - genealogy and theory of novel;
  • - time and space in literary work;
  • - literary character;
  • - theory of interpretation.
Literature
    required literature
  • CULLER, Jonathan D. Krátký úvod do literární teorie. Translated by Jiří Bareš. Druhé, rozšířené vydán. Brno: Host, 2015, 190 stran. ISBN 9788074912337. info
    recommended literature
  • LAKOFF, George. Metafory, kterými žijeme. Edited by Mark Johnson, Translated by Mirek Čejka. 2. vyd. Brno: Host, 2014, 283 s. ISBN 9788074911521. info
  • KUBÍČEK, Tomáš, Jiří HRABAL and Petr A. BÍLEK. Naratologie : strukturální analýza vyprávění. V Praze: Dauphin, 2013, 247 s. ISBN 9788072725922. info
  • Průvodce po světové literární teorii 20. století. Edited by Vladimír Macura - Alice Jedličková. Vydání první. Brno: Host, 2012, 839 stran. ISBN 9788072948482. info
  • Slovník novější literární teorie : glosář pojmů. Edited by Richard Müller - Pavel Šidák. Vydání první. Praha: Academia, 2012, 699 stran. ISBN 9788020020482. info
  • COMPAGNON, Antoine. Démon teorie : literatura a běžné myšlení. Translated by Eva Sládková. Vyd. 1. Brno: Host, 2009, 328 s. ISBN 9788072943241. info
  • Lexikon teorie literatury a kultury : koncepce / osobnosti / základní pojmy. Edited by Ansgar Nünning - Jiří Trávníček - Jiří Holý, Translated by Al. Vydání první. Brno: Host, 2006, 912 stran. ISBN 8072941704. info
    not specified
  • CULLER, Jonathan D. Teorie lyriky. Edited by Josef Hrdlička, Translated by Martin Pokorný. První české vydání. Praha: Univerzita Karlova, nakladatelství Karolinum, 2020, 459 stran. ISBN 9788024644561. URL info
  • ISER, Wolfgang. Jak se dělá teorie. Translated by Petr Onufer. První české vydání. Praha: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, nakladatelství Karolinum, 2009, 245 stran. ISBN 9788024616728. info
  • NEWTON, Kenneth. Jak interpretovat text : kritický úvod do teorie a praxe literární interpretace. Translated by Milan Orálek. Olomouc: Periplum, 2008, 263 s. ISBN 9788086624471. info
  • MOCNÁ, Dagmar and Josef PETERKA. Encyklopedie literárních žánrů. 1. vyd. Litomyšl: Paseka, 2004, 699 s. ISBN 807185669X. info
  • PAVERA, Libor and František VŠETIČKA. Lexikon literárních pojmů. 1. vyd. Olomouc: Nakladatelství Olomouc, 2002, 422 s. ISBN 80-7182-124-1. info
  • RIMMON-KENAN, Shlomith. Poetika vyprávění : Narrative fiction : contemporary poetics (Orig.). Translated by Vanda Pickettová. Vyd. 1. Brno: Host, 2001, 174 s. : i. ISBN 80-7294-004-X. info
  • HAWKES, Terence. Strukturalismus a sémiotika. Vyd. 1. Praha: Host, 1999, 174 s. ISBN 80-86055-62-0. info
  • KOŽMÍN, Zdeněk. Interpretace básní (2. přepracované vydání). Brno: Masarykova univerzita Brno, 1997, 186 pp. ISBN 80-210-1694-9. info
  • WELLEK, René and Austin WARREN. Teorie literatury. Olomouc: Votobia, 1996, 555 s. ISBN 80-7198-150-8. info
  • ČERVENKA, Miroslav. Významová výstavba literárního díla. Vyd. 1. Praha: Karolinum, 1992, 155 s. info
Teaching methods
Seminar is based on methods of presentation, analysis and synthesis of knowledge. It also uses class collaboration, in-class discussions, and individual work of students.
Assessment methods
Requirements for acquiring credit: presentation of a chosen topic, attendance and participation (including pre-class reading), successuful completion of all the compulsory tests in the ELF and the final test.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Information on completion of the course: Na seminář T.L. I navazuje sem. T.L.II a přednáška T.L.. Tento cyklus je na konci podzimního semestru zakončen zkouškou prověřující znalosti z obou seminářů i přednášky.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/CJL07