UCL - Theory of Literature

[FLTR1550]

[30h + 7.5h] 3 credits

This course is taught in the 1st semester.

Teacher(s): Jean-Louis Dufays(coord.), Michel Lisse

Language: French

Level: First

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

To be able to problematize the relationship between the phenomenon of literature and the notion of genre by referring to the main definitions and approaches advanced in the course of critique.
To master the main elements allowing for the analysis of a poetical, narrative, or theatrical text, and to master the basic strategies for analyzing works from other genres of writing in future courses.
To master a reading strategy that is informed by literary theory.

Main themes

a) The lecture course begins by addressing the main modern definitions of literature and then briefly retraces the history of the problem of literary genres. We could, for instance, emphasize an analysis of narratives: we would then focus on the elements composing the diegesis (plot, characters, space, time), the narrative (attitudes of the narrator, narrative time), the narrative genres (epic, short-story, novella, novel, etc.), and narrative types (realism, the marvelous, the fantastic, the detective story, etc.). In short, we shall examine the many possible ways in which one can read a literary text.
b) The tutorial sessions: these are for the students to read literary theory texts with rigor, as well as to prepare for the final examination. The texts chosen will serve to deepen the students' understanding of the lecture course as well as to complement it and offer ways for students to continue their research beyond the lecture course.

Content and teaching methods

a) First, the magistral lessons will opposite several modern conceptions of the notion of literature and of the act of reading. On a second time, it will introduce to the problematic of the literary genres. Finally, it will analyse the constitutive elements of the dramatic text, of the poetic text and of the narrative text.
b) The exercises, which will be organized in specialized groups (GERM / GLOR and LAFR / ROM and ROGE), will train the students to read with accuracy texts of literary theory, which will be chosen in order to emphasize the contents of the magistral lessons, as a complement or as an opening related to these lessons.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

The exam, which will be writen or oral, will contain two parts : the explanation of some concepts exposed during the lessons, and the presentation of a personal work. This one will consist in showing how several theoretical texts choosen in the bibliography of the course allow the student to answer a problem question that he has asked to himself.

Course material : a large bibliography, classified by themes ; a portfolio of reference articles ; a detailed plan of the course ; an index with the main concepts.

Teaching team : The course and the workshops will be given by a team of teachers who will share the interventions out among themselves according to their skills. Ideally, it should be an interdepartmental team (GERM, GLOR et ROM).