"I tried to break the spell--the heavy, mute spell of the wilderness--that seemed to draw him to its pitiless breast by the awakening of forgotten and brutal instincts, by the memory of gratified and monstrous passions. This alone, I was convinced, had driven him out to the edge of the forest, to the bush, towards the gleam of fires, the throb of drums, the drone of weird incantations; this alone had beguiled his unlawful soul beyond the bounds of permitted aspirations."
- Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
Attention intellectual peers concerned with the vast and often confusing world of literary theory! I welcome you to my personal exploration through the jungles of Literary Criticism. I am currently taking an English 436 course (Major Critical Theories) at CSUN with professor Wexler and look forward to trekking through this dense area of scholarly pursuit/interest with you by way of this blog. What wonders will I uncover? What nerdy English Gems will I walk away with? What obscure truths will I attempt to unravel? We shall find out together.
So what have I learned so far? What is Literary Theory? And why does my Literary Theory textbook contain readings from 139 great philosophers, poets, and writers, ranging from 483 B.C.E. to 1961? Well, Literary Theory is the organized or methodical study of literature. And, in order to study literature one must understand the intellectual, social, moral, and spiritual history of the human approach to understanding; I.E. how humans have attempted to infer and decipher meaning within themselves and their world; because, literature is an expression of this search for meaning. Thus, by studying works by great philosophers, poets, and writers: those who are emotionally and artistically tied to the human condition and the art of written expression, I can garner an understanding of criticism while earning a slight intellectual foundation/background in the field of Literary Theory that will allow me to approach and interpret Literature in a critical fashion.
Great! I think I understand what this class is about, but, if we delve deeper into the field of Literary Criticism we encounter two fundamental questions that must be discussed before we break into this jungle of meaning: What exactly is “interpretation” and what qualifies as “literature”? Interpretation is something that occurs when a reader approaches a text. My textbook, The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism 2nd edition, a book I will be approaching quite regularly this semester, states that interpretation “involves such activities as personal response, appreciation, evaluation, historical reception, explication, exegesis, and critique (2).” In other words, when you interpret a text you are not merely reading it, taking it in at face value, or blindly believing the author’s words, you are attempting to discern a certain level of meaning from the work based on your perspective or intended area of interest. One could interpret a text by way of a plethora of perspectives, a few examples being Marxist, Feminist, Postcolonial, or Queer Theory readings. Literature can be mimetic in that it represents life, it can be expressive in that it reflects the inner being of a writer, and it can be didactic in that it is a source of knowledge or prophecy. In order to separate “Literature” from writings such as that of Newspapers, Science, and even blogs such as this, modern theorists often argue that Literature must and does contain “poetic effects (particularly tropes and figures) that range from alliteration, assonance, metaphor, and paradox to rhythm and rhyme” (4). Literature, by being distinctive and special connects the artist and the audience to the “universe,” while expressing, in some way, the cultural unconscious of the day.
Now let us Dive into this seemingly obscure world of Literary Criticism! I think I am ready.
