ENGL3703 - 01 - In & Out of the Tower: Critical Theory And the Academy

What does it mean to study literature? What does it mean to be a literary critic? What role does theory play for a literary critic in analyzing literature? Does "high theory" have any application outside of the academy? Should it? What are the connections between theory and practice? These are some of the questions we will explore as we study the history and development of literary and cultural theory. We will focus on the dominant theoretical approaches of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Marxism, structuralism, deconstruction, feminist criticism, queer theory, and post-colonial theory. This course is recommended for all interested in literary and cultural theories and especially those interested in the teaching profession or those continuing on to graduate school, where a basic working knowledge of major theories is expected.