Literature: An Introduction to Theory and Analysis

Description

How does literature work? And what does it mean? How does it relate to the world: to politics, to history, to the environment? How do we analyse and interpret a literary text, paying attention to its specific poetic and fictitious qualities? This wide-ranging introduction helps students to explore these and many other essential questions in the study of literature, criticism and theory. In a series of introductory chapters, leading international scholars present the fundamental topics of literary studies through conceptual definitions as well as interpretative readings of works familiar from a range of world literary traditions. In an easy-to-navigate format, Literature: An Introduction to Theory and Analysis covers such topics as: Key definitions — from plot, character, and style to genre, trope, and author Literature’s relationship to the surrounding world — ethics, politics, gender, and nature Modes of literature and criticism — from books to performance, from creative to critical writing With annotated reading guides throughout and a glossary of major critical schools to help students when studying, revising and writing essays, this is an essential introduction and reference guide to the study of literature at all levels. Cover Contents Foreword J. Hillis Miller Introduction Mads Rosendahl Thomsen, Lasse Horne Kjældgaard, Lis Møller, Dan Ringgaard, Lilian Munk Rösing, and Peter Simonsen Part I Texts 1 Literature Lasse Horne Kjældgaard and Peter Simonsen 2 Interpretation Jesper Gulddal 3 Genre Eva Hättner Aurelius 4 Narrative Stefan Iversen 5 Character Lis Møller 6 The Narrator Jan Alber 7 Style Lilian Munk Rösing 8 Sensation Isak Winkel Holm 9 Rhythm Dan Ringgaard 10 Tropes Christoph Bode 11 Intertextuality Elisabeth Friis Part II Contexts 12 Author Jon Helt Haarder 13 Reader Winfried Fluck 14 History Mads Rosendahl Thomsen 15 Ethics Lasse Horne Kjældgaard 16 Politics Jakob Ladegaard 17 Gender Lilla Tőke and Karen Weingarten 18 Ethnicity Tabish Khair 19 Desire Lilian Munk Rösing 20 Nature Peter Mortensen 21 Place Frederik Tygstrup 22 Things Karin Sanders 23 Mobility Søren Frank 24 Memory Ann Rigney Part III Practices 25 Archive Dennis Yi Tenen 26 Books Tore Rye Andersen 27 Remediation Kiene Brillenburg Wurth 28 Art Peter Simonsen 29 Performance Claire Warden 30 Translation Karen Emmerich 31 Creative Writing Kiene Brillenburg Wurth 32 Critical Writing Gloria Fisk 33 Quality Susan Bassnett An Overview of Schools of Criticism About the Authors Index