Literature

Literature
For future assignments in this class you will be required to formally use literary criticism to help you
support your arguments in your essays.     Literary criticism/critical theory is different than interviews
or reviews of books or plays found in publications like Time  or USA Today.     Instead, literary
criticism is published in peer – reviewed scholarly journals (some of which have web sites).
Read the chapter on “Critical Strategies for Reading” in The Compact Bedford Introduction to
Literature.     (This is  chapter 48 in the 10th edition, pages 1441- 1464).     This is  a very important
chapter.    ***You do NOT need to memorize all of these critical approaches to literature.    The idea
here is to discover that there are various ways to read, and how/why one might do that.    You will be
given directions about specific ones to focus on later***
In addition, explore the link called  “Introduction to Modern Literary Theory”   found in the
External Links module. (Here is the web address if the link doesn’t
work:  http://www.kristisiegel.com/theory.htm). This website is an introduction to Literary Criticism
and Theory. You should also review the document called “Intro to Critical  Theory” located in the
Course Documents module for additional, general information.
Post a message to the discussion board topic   “Critical Theory”   that addresses/answers the
following:
1.         Explain the differences between the older critical approaches called Formalist   Strategies
and the more recent approach called New Historicism.
2.   Why did literary criticism “evolve” past “New Criticism”?
3.   And what about New Historicism makes it a more complex approach to   literature than New
Criticism?
Then please respond to  two   (2 )   of your peers commenting on/connecting through differences and
similarities  in your definitions.

In the  Compact Bedford Introduction to  Literature,   look at the list of “ Elements of Poetry ”   on page
543.  Each of these elements has a short (usually one or two page) explanation/introduction, and you
should read all of them.  The sections on rhythm, poetic form, and open form are less important for
what we will be doing, but it can be helpful  information.  The secti ons numbered   19- 25 (Reading
Poetry, Writing Ab out  Poetry, Word Choice, Figures of Speech, Symbol, and Sounds) are especially
important, and you should look at each of these.
Make sure you read the first section, Reading Poetry, pages 545 – 550.  You do not necessarily need to
read the poems it includes as examples, but they can be he lpful.
Go to the next page for your assignment…

Read the following poems in the Compact Bedford Introduction to  Literature, all of which deal with
women, or with relationships between men and women (or both):
Herrick, “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time”    p. 599
Marvell, “To His Coy Mistress”    p. 601
Lauinger, “Marvell Noir”    p. 602
Olds, “Last Night”    p. 604
Song, “Youngest Daughter”     p. 611
Smith, “What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl (for Those of You Who Aren’t)”     p. 634
Croft, “Home- Baked Bread”     p. 636
McCabe, “Paperboy”    p. 640

On the discussion board topic  “Poetry: Men and Women  –  feminist/gender criticism”  post a 250
word response analyzing one of the poems you read  using  the specialized approach to  literary
criticism you have read about.      Make clear references to what you have READ about Feminist
Theory…don’t simply make comments about what you THINK Feminism is…Feminism (in a
larger cultural/political/social context) is not the same thing as Femin ist Literary Criticism.     They
have some very large similarities, but also differences…so make sure you know what you’re
talking about.

Be sure to use correct MLA format for in – text citing of poems  –   see p. 1504 in the  Compact Bedford
Introduction to Liter ature.   Respond to   two   other posts   making sure you respond to posts on
poems  OTHER  than the one you posted on,   and that you specifically continue the discussion
connected to gender theory.