Close Reading, Literary Devices, Myth, and Critical Theories
Close Reading and Interpretation
Close Reading: Deep analysis of a text (novel, poem, film, song, image) focusing on word choice, literary devices, structure, and themes. The goal is to study a text carefully, make an evidence-based interpretation, and support claims with key moments (“proof”).
Death of the Author
Death of the Author: Roland Barthes (1967) argues that meaning belongs to the reader, not the author; the author’s intention is irrelevant or unreliable, and all interpretations are valid
Read MoreThe Dark Origins and Defining Features of Gothic Fiction
Gothic Fiction: Origins and Core Features
Gothic fiction emerged as a response to 18th-century rationality, pushing back against the Enlightenment and romantic idealism. As a genre, it exposes the darker sides of humanism and the Enlightenment, often focusing on supernatural threats, human evil, and social transgression.
Though Gothic writing isn’t entirely negative, it is deeply fascinated with the irrational, evoking ambiguous emotions surrounding boundaries and power in a world increasingly dominated
Major Western Literary Movements: A Historical Timeline
The Middle Ages (476 CE – 15th Century)
Historical Context
The Middle Ages began after the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476 CE) and lasted until the beginning of the Renaissance (around the 15th century). It was a time of feudalism, religious dominance, and a rigid social hierarchy in Europe. The Catholic Church was the main authority, not only in religion but also in education, morality, and knowledge. Most people were illiterate, and monks were the primary keepers of learning, copying manuscripts
Read MoreDefining Characteristics of Gothic Literature
Characteristics of the Gothic Genre
1. Gothic Fascination for the Past
- The 18th-century Gothic was a self-conscious revival of something older, though historical accuracy was of little importance.
- The fascination for ruins and relics permeated all the Gothic arts.
- In the range of forms available to Gothic writers, the ballad, dating back to an oral tradition, and the medieval romance were significant literary modes.
- In the 18th and 19th centuries, these literary forms were discovered and re-created.
2.
Read MoreSpanish Literature and the Baroque Era
ITEM 6: LITERATURE
The Seventeenth Century
The Baroque Period and Crisis in Spain
The Baroque is a European artistic movement that developed in the seventeenth century. It is characterized by pessimism and disappointment.
In Spain, the death of Philip II in 1580 marks the end of a golden age, and the country enters a general crisis:
- It is a period of continuous warfare. Spain is experiencing the end of a military hegemony of nearly two centuries.
- The defense of a universal monarchy and Catholic unity
Character Analysis in Greek and Roman Classics
Oedipus as a Tragic Hero in Oedipus Rex
Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is one of the greatest tragedies in classical literature, and its protagonist, Oedipus, embodies the essence of a tragic hero. According to Aristotle’s definition in Poetics, a tragic hero is a noble character with a tragic flaw (hamartia) that leads to his downfall, evoking pity and fear in the audience. Oedipus fits this definition perfectly, as his intelligence, determination, and sense of justice—qualities that make him a great
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