1 A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature 6th Edition

2 The Precritical Response Deals with the senses and the emotions of the “common reader” Deals with the senses and the emotions of the “common reader” Focuses on initial responses not on technical skills of criticism Focuses on initial responses not on technical skills of criticism May be characterized as the fuel that sparks the critical response May be characterized as the fuel that sparks the critical response

Chapter 1 “Literature” not taught in universities until 19 th “Literature” not taught in universities until 19 thcentury Does literary criticism “ruin” the fun of reading? Does literary criticism “ruin” the fun of reading? *Yes: Sontag, Fieldler: erotics and estatics *No: Morse, Berthoff, Touster, Ciardi, Eagleton *Yes: Sontag, Fieldler: erotics and estatics *No: Morse, Berthoff, Touster, Ciardi, Eagleton Defense of beauty: Steiner, Scarry Defense of beauty: Steiner, Scarry Las Meniñas by Velázquez and Picasso versions Las Meniñas by Velázquez and Picasso versions

Chapter 1 I. Setting A. Precritical responses to films and paintings parallel precritical responses to literature B. How do the very different settings of our six works compare and contrast? 4

Chapter 1 II. Plot A. Conflict between protagonist and antagonist B. Freytag’s pyramid B. Freytag’s pyramid 1. exposition 2. rising action 3. climax 4. falling action 5. dénouement C. Reading Las Meniñas by Velázquez (1656) 5

Chapter 1 III. Character A. Analyzing characters’ values and motivations B. Role of ambiguity in characters IV. Structure A. Long, complex structures versus poems B. Classical tragedy C. Ambivalent structures such as Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and “Young Goodman Brown” 6

Chapter 1 V. Style A. Realism versus stylization B. Diction: high or low? “Young Goodman Brown” versus “Everyday Use” or Frankenstein C. Dialect: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn D. Blank verse and soliloquies of Hamlet E. Technical matters: versification, prose style, rhyme and rhythm, allusion 7

Chapter 1 VI. Atmosphere A. “To His Coy Mistress”: politeness, romance, courtly love, wit, but also philosophy, sexuality, and obsession with death and violence B. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: diction, character, costume, racist expressions, slavery C. Frankenstein: Eerie atmosphere appropriate to horror fiction: Alpine wastes, castles with mysterious laboratories, thunder and lightning, dark rural hovels 8

Atmosphere, con’t. D. Hamlet: Atmosphere of foreboding in opening scenes E. “Young Goodman Brown”: Melodrama of witches’ Sabbath; New England forest and Puritan gloom F. “Everyday Use”: tension between rural and city 9

Chapter 1 VII. Theme A. Should discuss theme only after assessing other narrative elements B. Themes can be simple or complex, and can be felt or thought; less likely to be part of a precritical response C. There is never a single theme to “explain” a work 10

11 “To His Coy Mistress” Had we but world enough, and time, This coyness, Lady, were no crime. We would sit down and think which way To walk and pass our long love’s day. Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide Of Humber would complain. I would Love you ten years before the Flood, And you should, if you please, refuse Till the conversion of the Jews. My vegetable love should grow Vaster than empires, and more slow; An hundred years should go to praise Thine eyes and on thy forehead gaze; Two hundred to adore each breast, But thirty thousand to the rest;

12 An age at least to every part, And the last age should show your heart. For, Lady, you deserve this state, Nor would I love at lower rate. But at my back I always hear Time’s wingèd chariot hurrying near; And yonder all before us lie Deserts of vast eternity. Thy beauty shall no more be found, Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound My echoing song; then worms shall try That long preserved virginity, And your quaint honor turn to dust, And into ashes all my lust:

13 The grave’s a fine and private place, But none, I think, do there embrace. Now therefore, while the youthful hue Sits on thy skin like morning dew, And while thy willing soul transpires At every pore with instant fires, Now let us sport us while we may, And now, like amorous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour Than languish in his slow-chapped power. Let us roll all our strength and all Our sweetness up into one ball, And tear our pleasures with rough strife Thorough the iron gates of life: Thus, though we cannot make our sun Stand still, yet we will make him run.