EN 421 HISTORY OF LITERARY CRITICISM
DR. D.R. PINGATORE
FALL SEMESTER 2004
T-R 10:30 -12:00
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: An investigation of the history of critical theory to include
classicism, neoclassicism, romanticism, New Critics and contemporary critical trends.
TEXTS:
Richter, David, ed. THE CRITICAL TRADITION: Classic and Contemporary Trends, 2nd
edition, 1998, Bedford Books, St. Martin's Press
Bressler, Charles E. LITERARY CRITICISM: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, 2nd
edition, 1999, Prentice-Hall.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: As an introductory course to the history of literary criticism, it will
be our objective to discover what has been said by whom regarding this attempt to understand
the nature and development of literature in the Western world over the past two thousand
years. These are inherently philosophical questions about the origins and value of literature;
thus, we should expect these questions to pose difficult and essentially unresolved issues. The
readings will challenge your skills of interpretation and analysis and ask you to thinkTn a
highly sophisticated way about your assumptions about literature.
Given the intellectual challenge of the course, it is imperative you bring the required
knowledge and preparation to the task. Therefore, you must be a senior, and have fulfilled the
prerequisites noted above at a satisfactory level.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: There will be extensive reading assignments on which you will
be required to produce a written response at the beginning of each class session as well as to
participate in a discussion of the salient issues raised in the reading. Three unit tests, as well
as a comprehensive final exam, will provide opportunity to ensure your mastery of major
concepts and relationships.
GRADE DISTRIBUTION:
Daily written responses:
Class discussion
Research Paper
Mid-tern Exam
Final Exam
20% = 200 points
10% = 100 points
20% = 200point
20% = 200points
30% = 300points
97-100% = A+; 94-96% = A; 90-93% =
A-87-89 % = B+; 84-86% = B; 80-83% =
B-77-79 % = C+; 74-76% = C; 70-73% = C-
OFFICE: LB 309, X-2101, dpinsatore(q),lssu.edu:
HOURS: M-W-F 10am-12pm and by appointment EN
421 HISTORY OF LITERARY CRITICISM FALL
SEMESTER 2004 READING SCHEDULE
WEEK ONE:
8/31-9/2
WEEK TWO:
9/9
WEEK THREE:
9/14-9/16
WEEK FOUR:
9/21-9/23
INTRODUCTION Critical
Tradition: pp. 1-14 Bressler,
Chp 1 & 2
PART I: CLASSIC TEXTS: Idealsim
Plato: 17-29 (Republic, BookX)
Mimesis
Aristotle: 38-56 (Poetics, 1-18)
Rhetorical Theories
Horace: 65-80 (Ars Poetica)
Definition of Literary Classic
Longinus: 79-107-excerpts (On the Sublime)
WEEK FIVE:
9/29-9/30
English Tradition of literary criticism
Renaissance: Sidney 131-159 (An Apology for Poetry)
WEEK SIX:
10/5-10/7
Neo-classical: Art versus Nature Pope:
206-217 (An Essay on Criticism) Johnson:
218-238 (Preface to Shakepeare)
WEEK SEVEN:
10/12-10/14
Romanticism: Expressive Theories
Wordsworth 300-314 (Preface to Lyrical Ballads)
Shelley: 337-356 (A Defence of Poetry)
WEEK EIGHT:
10/19-10/21
WEEK NINE:
10/26-10/28
Reapplication of classical criteria
Arnold: 394-411 (The Function of Criticism)
Arnold: 411-416 (The Study of Poetry)
Mid-term Exam
Part II: Formalisms: New Criticism (699-713)
Formalism: The New Criticism Chp. 3 Bressler (36-47)