The document provides an introduction to literature and literary studies, explaining the different meanings and significance of literature in English. It discusses the distinction between literary criticism and literary theory, as well as the importance of literary history in understanding texts within their cultural context. Overall, it emphasizes the systematic study of literary texts and the role of literature in culture and society.

1. INTRODUCTION TO LITERARTURE
AND LITERARY STUDIES
Dr. Deeptha Achar
Dr. Sachin Ketkar
Associate Professors,
Department of English, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara

2. What is Literature?

3.  In English we generally use the word `literature’ in two
ways.
 We use it WITH A DEFINITE ARTICLE or we use it WITHOUT
A DEFINITE ARTICLE.
 When we use it with a definite article, as in `I want to read
all THE literature available on swine flu’, it implies I have
read everything which has appeared in print.
 When we use it without the definite article, as in ` I have
selected literature as one of my subjects in the college’, it
implies I am studying TEXTS which have SIGNIFICANT
ARTISTIC VALUE in a particular culture, e.g. If I am studying
Gujarati literature I am studying things like poems of
Jhaverchand Meghani or novels of Pannalal Patel.
Meanings of the term `literature’

4.  We tend to use the term ` English Literature’ for all
literature written on the British Isles in English, e.g.
Plays of Shakespeare, poems of Keats or novels of
Thomas Hardy
 Sometimes we also study literature AVAILABLE in
ENGLISH LANGUAGE, e.g. short stories of Indian
writer in English like RK Narayan or poems of an
American poet Robert Frost
 We also study literature from other languages
TRANSLATED into ENGLISH when we study `English
Literature’, e.g . Plays of Girish Karnad or short stories
of Rabindranath Tagore
‘English Literature’ or
`Literature in English’

5.  We study literature because it is extremely
important part of our culture and society.
 Literary studies is an all inclusive term for
systematic study of literary texts. Literary
studies adds to our knowledge of literature.
 Literary studies includes literary criticism,
literary history and comparative literary studies
Literary Studies

6.  Literary criticism is a reasoned and systematic
discussion of literature.
 The word `criticism’ usually does not have the
negative meaning we usually associate with the
word `criticism’.
 Criticism is usually of two types: Theoretical
criticism and practical criticism.
Literary Criticism

7.  `Theory’ is usually contrasted with `practice’.
 By `theory’ we imply more generalized, abstract and
conceptual discussion of literature like the definition of
`literariness’, classification of various types of literature,
relation of literature and society, literary values and so
on.
 Aristotle’s Poetics and Bharata’s Natyashastra would be
examples of earliest theoretical criticism.
 Rene Wellek and Austin Warren’s Theory of Literature
and Jonathan Culler’s Literary Theory: A Very Short
Introduction are recent examples of theoretical criticism.
Literary Theory

8.  Practical criticism involves ANALYSIS,
INTERPRETATION and EVALUATION of
PARTICULAR literary texts, rather than
discussion of literature in general.
 Theoretical issues may be explicitly stated or
implicitly assumed in practical criticism.
Practical Criticism

9.  Literary History implies history of particular
literature, e.g History of Gujarati Literature or History
of English Literature
 Literary history is concerned with changes in
literary norms, periodization , dominant trends,
authors, texts of various periods and traditions.
 Historical criticism is an attempt to understand
authors and literary texts in their cultural, social
and historical context.
 Historical criticism helps in writing literary history
and literary history helps historical criticism.
Literary history and
historical criticism