Read complete books and articles on: Literary Theory

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11 of the Best Books and Articles on: Literary Theory

as selected by Questia librarians

1.

Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction » Read Now
by Jonathan Culler. 144 pgs.

Collections: Literature, Entire Library

What is Literary Theory? Is there a relationship between literature and culture? In fact, what is Literature, and does it matter? These are the sorts of questions addressed by Jonathan Culler in a book which steers a clear path through a subject which is often perceived to be impenetrable. It offers...
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What is Literary Theory? Is there a relationship between literature and culture? In fact, what is Literature, and does it matter? These are the sorts of questions addressed by Jonathan Culler in a book which steers a clear path through a subject which is often perceived to be impenetrable. It offers insights into theories about the nature of language and meaning, whether literature is a form of self-expression or a method of appeal to an audience, and outlines the ideas behind a number of different schools: deconstruction, semiotics, postcolonial theory, and structuralism amongst them.
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2.

Studying Literary Theory: An Introduction » Read Now
by Roger Webster. 138 pgs.

Collections: Literature, Entire Library

This new second edition builds on the previous edition in several ways. Like its predecessor, it provides an accessible introductory guide to some of the most important aspects of literary theory, linking them to more traditional terms and approaches to ensure that the areas discussed are not wholly...
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This new second edition builds on the previous edition in several ways. Like its predecessor, it provides an accessible introductory guide to some of the most important aspects of literary theory, linking them to more traditional terms and approaches to ensure that the areas discussed are not wholly unfamiliar territory. In doing so, it offers a fuller introduction to a wider range of literary theories, including post-structuralism, postmodernism, New Historicism, post-colonial theory, and theories of sexual identity.
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3.

Literary Theory: The Basics » Read Now
by Hans Bertens. 260 pgs.

Collections: Literature, Entire Library

Tackling literary theory for the first time can seem a daunting task, it but it can be rewarding. This accessible guide provides the ideal first step in understanding theory, as the author:
-- leads you through the major approaches to literature which are signaled by the term "literary theory"
--...
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Tackling literary theory for the first time can seem a daunting task, it but it can be rewarding. This accessible guide provides the ideal first step in understanding theory, as the author:
-- leads you through the major approaches to literature which are signaled by the term "literary theory"
-- places each critical movement in its historical (and often political) context
-- illustrates theory in practice with examples from much-read texts
-- suggests further reading for those especially interested in a particular critical approaches
-- shows not only that theory can make sense but that it can radically change the way you read.
Covering all the basics and much more, this is the ideal book for anyone interested in how we read and why that matters.
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4.

Contemporary Literary Theory » Read Now
by G. Douglas Atkins, Laura Morrow. 256 pgs.

Collections: Literature, Entire Library
5.

Literary Theory after Davidson » Read Now
by Reed Way Dasenbrock. 316 pgs.

Collections: Philosophy, Literature, Entire Library
6.

Literary Theory and the Claims of History: Postmodernism, Objectivity, Multicultural Politics » Read Now
by Satya P. Mohanty. 270 pgs.

Collections: Literature, Entire Library
7.

Interpretation, Deconstruction, and Ideology: An Introduction to Some Current Issues in Literary Theory » Read Now
by Christopher Butler. 180 pgs.

Collections: Philosophy, Literature, Entire Library
8.

What's Left of Theory? New Work on the Politics of Literary Theory » Read Now
by Judith Butler, John Guillory, Kendall Thomas. 292 pgs.

Collections: Literature, Entire Library

A debate on the politics of theory is being conducted within literary studies. What is meant by politics? What is meant by theory? What's Left of Theory? is a vigorous engagement with the question : how today are theory and progressive thought connected? This book brings together not only...
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A debate on the politics of theory is being conducted within literary studies. What is meant by politics? What is meant by theory? What's Left of Theory? is a vigorous engagement with the question : how today are theory and progressive thought connected? This book brings together not only outstanding questioners, but outstanding questions.
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9.

The Senses of the Text: Intensional Semantics and Literary Theory » Read Now
by William C. Dowling. 122 pgs.

Collections: Philosophy, Entire Library

Dowling aspires to a double goal: to approach the problem of determinate meaning in literature from a new angle; and to introduce the work of J.J. Katz to those in literary theory who have heard about his New Intensionalism but have also heard that is was too technical for anyone not working...
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Dowling aspires to a double goal: to approach the problem of determinate meaning in literature from a new angle; and to introduce the work of J.J. Katz to those in literary theory who have heard about his New Intensionalism but have also heard that is was too technical for anyone not working directly in logic or linguistics. Well OK, he admits, the two things are really the same.
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10.

Defending Literature in Early Modern England: Renaissance Literary Theory in Social Context » Read Now
by Robert Matz. 188 pgs.

Collections: Literature, Entire Library

Robert Matz analyzes the defense of literature in Renaissance England in the context of social transformations of the period, particularly those affecting the aristocracy as it evolved from a feudal warrior class to a civil elite. Through close readings centered on works by Thomas Elyot, Philip...
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Robert Matz analyzes the defense of literature in Renaissance England in the context of social transformations of the period, particularly those affecting the aristocracy as it evolved from a feudal warrior class to a civil elite. Through close readings centered on works by Thomas Elyot, Philip Sidney and Edmund Spenser, Matz argues that literature attempted to mediate a complex set of contradictory social expectations. His original study engages with important theoretical work such as Pierre Bourdieu's and offers a substantial critique of New Historicist theory.
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11.

Introduction: Ethnocentrism and the Very Idea of Literary Theory, in College Literature » Read Now
by Patrick Colm Hogan. 14 pgs.

Collections: Education, Literature, Entire Library