Literary Studies Flashcards
Discourse
The body of statements, analysis, opinions, etc., relating to a particular domain of intellectual or social activity, esp. as characterized by recurring themes, concepts, or values; also the set of shared beliefs, values, etc., implied or expressed by this
Code
-codify, decode, encode
A shared set of rules or conventions by which signs can be combined to permit a message to be communicated from one person to another; it may consist of a language in the normal sense or of a smaller-scale “language” such as the set of hand signals, horns, grimaces and flashing lights used by motorists.
Broad Definition (of literature)
- Encompasses all written communication
- Excludes orally mediated literature
Narrow Definition (of literature)
- No direct reference to reality (menu, map)
- Imaginative: Dynamic interplay between literature and reality (Form)
Normative Definition (of literature)
- Has to follow certain rules
- These rules are there!
Descriptive Definition (of literature)
-Look at literary works and define them according to certain criteria
Taxonomy
Science of classification
- Literary History and Periodization
- Genres
- Stylistic Devices
- Languages
- Nationality
- Gender
Genre
Three Main Genres
- Drama
- Poetry
- Narrative
Subgenre
Further classification of the main genres
E.g.: Revenge tragedy, epic poem, ballad, short story (…)
Literary History by Nünning
500-1150 Old English Period 1150-1500 Middle English Period 1500-1649 Renaissance 1649-1660 Commonwealth 1660- 1700 Restoration 1700-1780 Neo-Classicism and Enlightenment 1780-1837 Romantic Period 1837-1901 Victorian Period 1901-1914 Edwardian Period 1914-1945 Modernism since 1945 Post-War and Postmodernism
Literary History by Sanders
500-1066 Old English Literature 1066-1510 Medieval Literature 1510-1620 Renaissance and Performance 1620-1690 Revolution and Restoration 1690-1780 Eighteenth-Century Literature 1780-1830 Romantic Period 1830-1880 High Victorian Literature 1880-1920 Late Victorian and Edwardian Literature 1920-1945 Modernism and its Alternatives since 1945 Post-War and Post-Modern Literature
Tendencies of Poetry
Poetry has the tendency towards certain aspects
- relative brevity
- compression, condensation
- increased subjectivity
- musicality and proximity to songs
- structural and phonological complexity
- morphological and syntactic complexity
- deviation from everyday language and increased artificiality
- increase aesthetic self-referentiality
Stylistic Devices
- Phonological Structures
- Morphological Structures
- Syntactic Structures
- Semantic Structures
Phonological Structures
-work on the level of sound
Morphological structures
Work on level of words and word formation
Syntactic Structures
Work on level of sentence structure
Semantic Structures
Work on level of meaning of the words and expressions
- Metaphor
- Metonymy
- Synecdoche
- Simile
Metaphor
Metaphor
Something stands for something else
E.g.: “Eye of heaven” = sun
(Semantic Structure)
Metonymy
Metonymy
Something causally/ logically connected stands for something else
E.g.: “The pen (= writing) is mightier than the sword (= violence)”
(Semantic Structure)
Synecdoche
Synecdoche
“Pars pro toto” A metonymy, but a part stands for the whole
E.g.:
Sail = ship
Motor = car
Hands = Workers
(Semantic Structure)
Simile
Simile
Comparison that is shown by the use of “like”, “as” etc.
(Semantic Structure)
