Fundamentals of Literary Analysis

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course introduces students to key terms, concepts, and theories from the humanities and social sciences as they relate to the study of literary texts. The orientation and format of the course are expressly hermeneutical and heuristic; we will discuss readings in theory and criticism not simply on their 'own terms' but rather in terms of how they may be used to deduce, adduce, or produce meaning from literary texts. Each student will be asked to choose a text from South Asia with which to work over the course of the quarter, applying the theories and methods learned in the course to the chosen text. Critical writings will be taken from a variety of intellectual traditions both within and outside of South Asia, including Marxism, Post-Structuralism, Post-Colonial Studies, psychoanalysis, Continental philosophy, Feminism, Queer theory, Sanskrit alaṁkāra, and Persian adab.