From literary criticism to literary theory, the world has no shortage of people prepared to offer a strong opinion on literature. What is literature, how is it produced, how can it be understood, and what is its. An anthology comprises a selection of classic, mustread essays alongside contemporary and global extracts, providing an engaging and timely overview of literary theory. The cratylus contains a platos meditation on the relationship of words and the things to which they refer. This is probably the most comprehensive book about literary theory i have. Chapters on literatures importance, cultural studies, performative language, narrative, poetics, identity and literary interpretation all provide an excellent introduction for a beginner. Hooks book is a very good introduction to the relationship between postcolonial theory and psychology and psychoanalysis. The best books for studying literary and critical theory. In the sciences, theories are systems for understanding how an aspect of the world works. Michael ryan is professor of film and media arts at temple university, usa. At the core of the book s discussion is a series of underlying questions. Plato, aristotle, horace, sir philip sidney, sir francis bacon, joseph addison, edmund burke, samuel johnson, sir joshua reynolds, william wordsworth, samuel taylor coleridge, john keats, edgar allan poe, matthew arnold structuralism. Often literary and cultural theory, which goes by the nickname theory, has seemed to be the theory of everything except literature.
A readers guide to contemporary literary theory raman selden peter widdowson peter brooker fifth edition a readers guide to contemporary literary theoryis a classic introduction to the everevolving field of modern literary theory, now expanded and updated in its fifth edition. Postcolonial theory literary and critical theory oxford. You cant say anything about a text, but if you can back it up in certain. Julie rivkin is professor of english at connecticut college, usa, where she teaches on american literature, contemporary women writers, and literary theory.
Literary theory literary theory is the body of ideas and methods we use in the practical reading of literature. In this timely and wideranging book, jonathan culler, whose lucid analyses of structuralism, semiotics, and deconstruction have been prized by generations of readers, explores the place of the literary in theory. Literary theory has the kind of racy readability that one associates more often with english critics who have set their faces resolutely against theory. Bringing his perennially popular course to the page, yale university professor paul h.
The best books for studying literary and critical theory book. List of books and articles about literary theory online research. An oxford guide pdf, epub, docx and torrent then this site is not for you. Literary theory and criticism english literature, literary theory, linguistics, film theory, media theory, ugc net jrf exam preparation, novel analysis, research papers nasrullah mambrol. The last chapter shows how theory has moved away from the lecture hall to real life experience. A dictionary of literary terms and literary theory wiley. It contains excerpts from some of the most famous essaysspeeches on the topic, abridged for the purposes of the text and the course. In this timely and wideranging book, jonathan culler, whose lucid analyses of. His books include the highly acclaimed a history of literary criticism. Jan 01, 2005 while the book runs nearly 900 pages, it is easy to maneuver. Eagleton spends approximately three paragraphs discussing literary theory. An introduction still conjures the subversion, excitement and exoticism that characterized theory through the 1960s and 70s, when it posed an unprecedented challenge to the literary establishment.
An anthology is a definitive collection of classic and contemporary statements in the field of literary theory and criticism. This text is full of the primary sources you would need. This book is perhaps the best introduction to literary theory that takes drama and theatre as its specific focus. An introduction 2011, and the cambridge history of literary criticism. A readers guide to contemporary literary theory 5th edition. A readers guide to contemporary literary theory raman selden peter widdowson peter brooker fifth edition a readers guide to contemporary literary theoryis a classic introduction to the everevolving field of modern literary theory, now expanded and. Sara upstones fascinating literary theory 2017 explains complex ideas in a remarkably lucid and engaging way.
A very short introduction jonathan culler has always been about the best person around at explaining literary theory without oversimplifying it or treating it with polemical bias. First, let me take a moment to explain the difference between literary theory and criticism as they are defined by lois tyson in critical theory today literary criticism, by and large, tries to explain the literary work to us. It is a wonderful text that supplies ready access to the writers and texts that helped to shape what theory is today. Critical theory is not hard for students to grasp when it is explained well. This book will walk you through many of the primary schools that have shaped literary theory over the past century. Therefore, fortiers examples are taken from a range of dramatic traditions and show how things like poststructuralism and postcolonialism might be used by playwrights and theatre directors in their plays, and how we as readers and performers of dramatic texts might use theory as. Strictly speaking, when we interpret a literary text, we are doing literary criticism. Literary theory by david carter nook book ebook barnes. A readers guide to contemporary literary theoryis a classic introduction to the everevolving field of modern literary theory, now expanded and updated in its fifth edition. Each chapter aims not to simply define a given theory but to show what it looks like in practice. Although philosophers, critics, educators and authors have been writing about writing since ancient times, contemporary schools of literary theory have cohered from these discussions and now influence how scholars look at and write about literature.
This concise and lucid volume offers a satisfying survey of all the major theories, from structuralism in the 1960s to deconstruction today, that have made academic criticism both intriguing and offputting to the outsider. Discover librarianselected research resources on literary theory from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines. An introduction by terry eagleton, playing in the dark. A very short introduction is an exemplary work in this genre. From plato to the present blackwell, 2005, modern literary criticism and theory. For example, the johns hopkins guide to literary theory and criticism 1 draws no distinction between literary theory and literary criticism, and almost always uses the. Simply put, hardcore theories lead to problem solving and are governed by. Ron ratliff, kansas state university a history of literary criticism. Because the blackwell guide to literary theory is aimed at readers. The rest of the book is a list of his grievances with the state of literary criticism in the academy. With michael ryan, she is the author of literary theory. Popular literary theory and criticism books goodreads.
An introduction anniversary ed by eagleton, terry isbn. The volume is thoroughly introduced in the general introduction and part introductions and each piece is contextualized within the. All information on this website was updated for the print book and most web definitions have been expanded. This anthology is a pretty good introduction to the basic concepts of literary theory and the diverse schools of thought on the subject. On the twentyfifth anniversary of literary theorys debut, terry eagleton reflects on the state of. However, literary scholarship since the 19th century often includesin addition to, or even instead of literary theory in the strict senseconsiderations of intellectual history, moral philosophy, social prophecy, and other interdisciplinary themes which are of. These are the best books on literary theory and criticism. In book x of his republic, plato may have given us the first volley of detailed and lengthy literary criticism in the west. If youre looking for a free download links of literary theory and criticism. This anthology of classic and cuttingedge statements in literary t. Critics tend to find flaws in one anothers interpretations more than in literary works.
As shelley says, the great secret of morals is love. Eagleton has added a new preface to this anniversary edition to address more recent developments in literary studies. The volume is thoroughly introduced in the general introduction and part introductions and each piece is contextualized within the wider sphere of global theory. A practical introduction wiley blackwell, 3rd edition, 2016. Literary theory and the formal practice of literary interpretation runs a parallel but less well known course with the history of philosophy and is evident in the historical record at least as far back as plato. This hefty tome is a comprehensive anthology of literary theory and criticism.
Moral criticism, dramatic construction purdue writing lab. A book of this sort comes up against two obstacles. A practical introductionwiley blackwell, 3rd edition, 2016. A history 2008, literary criticism from plato to the present. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. By literary theory we refer not to the meaning of a work of literature but to the theories that reveal what literature can mean. Fry offers in this welcome book a guided tour of the main trends in twentiethcentury literary theory.
With julie rivkin, he is the author of literary theory. Five of the best books about literary theory interesting. This classic work covers all of the major movements in literary studies in this century. If theory has sometimes neglected literature, the literary has, culler argues, retained a crucial if misunderstood role. The dialogue between socrates and two of his associates shows the participants of this discussion concluding that art must play a limited and very strict role in the perfect greek republic. Introduction to literary theory purdue writing lab. Chapters on literatures importance, cultural studies, performative language, narrative, poetics, identity and literary interpretation all provide an excellent introduction for a. The book also fills in theory from 2001 to the present, including work by giorgio agamben, alain badiou, bruno latour, and many others. A history of literary criticism wiley online books. An introduction anniversary ed by terry eagleton isbn. Discover book depositorys huge selection of literary theory books online.
The best books for studying literary and critical theory critical theory since plato. Literary theory, a very short introduction by professor jonathan culler, takes the approach in describing the subject of literary theory that it is more beneficial to discuss the overall impact of the discipline rather than enter the debate arena and address the questions and controversy that linger about it. This study guide consists of approximately 24 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of literary theory. This book presents the full range of positions and movements in contemporary literary theory.
Habib is a useful introduction and quick reference the attention to each writer and. Most english literature students will encounter, at some point during their english degree, that strange. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. For more, please purchase dino franco felluga, critical theory. Frys theory of literature stands out for a number of reasons that, taken together, make a compelling case for it being the classroom text of choice for lecturers working with advanced students on literary theory. It is highly recommended to students of literature and also the general reader wishing to make sense of an often abstruse and daunting subject. Literary theory is devoted to, in a way, figuring out how to do this systematically in a way that its not just random. The 10 best literary theory and criticism books of 2020. While the book runs nearly 900 pages, it is easy to maneuver. This book was used in my graduate level current literary theory course.
The 10 best literary theory and criticism books of 2020 thoughtco. Noted for its clear, engaging style and unpretentious treatment, literary theory has become the introduction of choice for anyone interested in learning about the world of contemporary literary thought. The representational logics of henry jamess fiction 1996. An introduction by terry eagleton, literary theory.
The book is a practical guide to university students and tutors of literature in their undying desire to embrace literary criticism. In how to do theory, literary critic wolfgang iser suggests that the natural sciences and the social sciences to a large part operate under hardcore theories, whereas the humanities use softcore theories. The two met at the university of iowa in the late 1930s, and by 1940 had begun writing the book. Youre better off reading the purdue owls barebones intro to literary theory and schools of criticism than this inside baseball.
Shedding light on everything from literature and social identity, to poetry, poetics, and rhetoric, literary theory is a welcome guide for all lovers of literature. Five of the best books about literary theory interesting literature. Professor fry has been teaching, refining and updating the course of 26 hourlong lectures at yale, which make up this book, for decades back to when. It is not the intention of this book to necessarily apply these theories and show how they can be used. Theory of literature is a book on literary scholarship by rene wellek, of the structuralist prague school, and austin warren, a selfdescribed old new critic. Literary theory in a strict sense is the systematic study of the nature of literature and of the methods for analyzing literature. He is the author of several books, two novels, and coeditor of the journal politics and culture. A quarter of a century on from its original publication, literary theory. Drawing on works by homi bhabha, frantz fanon, and others, hook analyzes anticolonial, postcolonial, and critical race theory approaches to and critiques of psychology. Critical theory or literary theory, on the other hand, tries to explain the assumptions and values upon which various forms of literary criticism rest. It is an invaluable resource for students who wish to familiarize themselves with the most recent developments in literary theory and with the traditions from which these new theories are derived. Essays in criticism and critical theory 1989 barry, peter, beginning.
1560 1408 1052 1413 843 1398 1181 33 539 1459 1586 314 62 335 539 188 802 537 579 361 161 1022 1153 211 1408 954 560 1053 207 1007 1022 208