Intr to Stud of Lit updated ebook 2008 10 25.pdf

Andrzej Diniejko

Introduction

to the Study of Literature in English

with assignments

for further study and discussion

Revised and updated

2008

Recenzent

Prof. dr hab. Andrzej WeseliĔski

Opracowanie redakcyjne

Maágorzata Piątkowska

Korekta

……

Formatowanie komputerowe

Józef Bąkowski

ISBN

[ na prawach manuskryptu ]

Illustrations are taken from the Public Domain (Wikipedia).

Preface

This book is designed to serve as a practical introduction to literary study in teacher training colleges of

English. It attempts to raise student’s awareness of the nature of literature in society, its various forms

and features by looking at some literary theories, terms and sample texts. It also discusses the changes

in literary study that have occurred in the last fifty years or so, whereby “traditional” ways of reading

and studying literature have been supplanted by a growing interest in literary theory, offering new

ways of reading and interpreting texts.

The overall aim of this book is to help advanced students of English to understand and enjoy the

literature in the English language and to give them tools and methods of critical reading and appreciation

of literary works. This book will introduce students to the key issues of literary study, enabling them to

think, talk and write about literature in English in an intelligent, informed and up-to-date manner.

The book consists of eight chapters. Chapter One surveys general concepts of literary study, such

as literariness, reading, literary theory and criticism, traditional and modern approaches to literature and

the difference between literary language and the language of literature. Chapter Two provides basic terms

and definitions of literary analysis. Chapters Three, Four and Five offer introductions to the

understanding, analysis and interpretation of poetry, drama and prose fiction, respectively. Chapters Six

and Seven contain introductory surveys of the history of English and American literature. The final

chapter Eight provides practical suggestions how to read literature critically and write interpretive essays

and other assignments. Chapters One to Five end with a glossary of Terms to understand , revision

questions and assignments for study and discussion. Chapters Six and Seven are followed by assignments

for self-study and/or project work. Select printed and Internet bibliography and a comprehensive index of

names and terms are provided at the end of the book. Boldface type indicates the key terms discussed in a

given section. Terms in italics are defined more fully in the final section of each chapter, entitled Terms

to understand .

It is recommended that at the outset students should read Chapters One and Two in order to

get some initial insight into literary study. The remaining chapters may be read in an arbitrary order.

Students will be encouraged to do analytical reading of selected literary texts and to read assigned full-

length texts. They will eventually submit a final project applying literary analysis and interpretation to

a favourite literary work.

I hope that this book will be of interest to all who enjoy reading and discussing literature in

English. It will help them feel more confident in their ability to recognise specific forms, modes and

techniques of literary expression and to appreciate the distinctness of literary effects.

The size of the book does not allow to embrace all that is worth mentioning. Nor is the book

exempt from drawbacks. Therefore, all remarks and criticism concerning its content as well as its

construction will be welcomed. Students or teachers who have suggestions for improving this book are

encouraged to email me at: asdiniejko@poczta.onet.pl.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Professor Andrzej WeseliĔski of Warsaw University, who took the time to read

the manuscript, comment on more than one draft, discuss it with me at length, and provide me with

advice and much intellectual stimulation. Thanks are also due to Teresa Castelluzzo and Maágorzata

Piątkowska for thorough and meticulous proofreading. Finally, the acknowledgements are to my

students, who repeatedly urged me to convert my notes and scattered ideas into a finished piece. Of

course, all responsibility for errors or omissions is my own.

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