Studying and interpreting literature

Question 1

Basic disciplines of literature

Answer 1

1. Literary theory
2. Literary history
3. Literary criticism

Question 2

Literary theory

Answer 2

-systematic study of the nature of literature (forms, genres, language, composition)
-literary analysis that helps reader to evaluate a piece of literature
-method through which reader can understand meaning of literature

THEORY TYPES:
1. Traditional theory
2. Formal theory
3. Structure
4. Marxism
5. Modernism
6. Post-modernism
7. Gender studies

Question 3

Litrary scholarship

Answer 3

Newer and more complex term covering literary theory + various aspects of literary research

Question 4

Discourse

Answer 4

“Expression of thought through language”

1. EXPRESSIVE
   -To express personal point (letters, online blogs)
2. TRANSACTIONAL
   -establish interaction with the reader, push him into some action (advertisements, manuals, instructions - no ambiguity)
3. POETIC
   -Appeal to readers emotions (poetry, novels, short stories, drama…)

Question 5

Literary criticism

Answer 5

-The entire way, how to understand a meaning of a work, study evaluation, and interpretation of literature
-Practical (Literary critic)

Question 6

Literary history

Answer 6

-Historical development of literature, follows evolution from earliest to present time

Question 7

Literary summary

Answer 7

-Highlights keypoints of a text
-Helps to understand a piece of literature
-Summarizes plot
-Identifies characters, genre, structure of a text, place and time of the story

Question 8

Literary analysis

Answer 8

Examination of a text (as a whole or only a part of it - e.g. a character)-> who is the protagonist, antagonist, how believable are the characters…