1. Introduction
Professor Fry introduces the core concepts of literary theory, examining its relationship with philosophy, defining literature, and tracing the emergence of modern criticism through the foundational ideas of Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud. This lecture establishes the framework for understanding 20th-century theoretical developments.
Introduction to Theory of Literature (ENGL 300)
In this first lecture, Professor Paul Fry explores the course's title in three parts. The relationship between theory and philosophy, the question of what literature is and does, and what constitutes an introduction are interrogated. The professor then situates the emergence of literary theory in the history of modern criticism and, through an analysis of major thinkers such as Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud, provides antecedents for twentieth-century theoretical developments.
Seminar notes & discussion
No public seminar notes on this lecture yet.