Browsing Category: World Literature

Introduction Terry Eagleton’s Literature and History stands as a landmark in Marxist literary criticism. It challenges readers to see literature not as an isolated art form, but as a reflection of social and historical realities. From the start, Eagleton dismantles the illusion that stories exist in a vacuum. He argues that every novel, poem, or play grows out of the material conditions and class struggles of its time.​ His work invites us...

INTRODUCTION Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing is a masterpiece of Canadian literature that unravels the tangled relationship between selfhood, nature, and cultural identity. First published in 1972, this novel sits at the intersection of feminism, ecology, and psychoanalysis. It is deeply introspective and disturbingly honest, exploring the emotional aftermath of trauma and the struggle of reclaiming identity in a patriarchal and colonised world.​ Set in the dense wilderness of northern Quebec, Surfacing follows an unnamed woman who...

Introduction Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads is more than just a literary introduction. It is the cornerstone of English Romanticism—a bold declaration that forever altered the course of poetry. Written for the 1800 edition of Lyrical Ballads, a collaborative collection with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, this preface serves as Wordsworth’s poetic manifesto. It articulates his revolutionary vision of poetry: a heartfelt expression rooted in simplicity, emotional depth, and the language of everyday people. Exploring William...

Introduction “Jacques Derrida’s Deconstruction” occupies a seminal position in contemporary literary theory, philosophy, and cultural studies. Jacques Derrida, a pivotal figure in twentieth-century thought, irreversibly shaped academic discourse with his theory of deconstruction—a method for revealing the inherent instability in texts and the fundamental indeterminacy of meaning. In the intricate interplay between language, meaning, and interpretation, deconstruction actively interrogates foundational certainties, exposes internal contradictions, and challenges privileged hierarchies embedded in the Western...

Introduction When it comes to literary theory, few essays have sparked as much debate and reshaped critical thinking as Roland Barthes’ “Death of the Author.” Written in 1967, this seminal work challenges the traditional view that a text’s meaning is pinned down by the intentions or biography of its author. Instead, Barthes shifts the focus from the creator to the reader, suggesting that meaning is not fixed but fluid, shaped by each...

Introduction Horace’s Ars Poetica stands as a towering achievement in literary criticism, famous for its blend of practical advice and poetic reflection. Written as an epistolary poem, its influence has rippled through centuries, shaping how scholars, poets, and dramatists approach the craft of writing. When considering “Horace Ars Poetica”, the world is invited to a dialogue with the wisdom of ancient Rome—one that thrives in the modern age, especially for writers seeking...

Introduction It is a rare experience to open a book written over seven centuries ago and to feel its grip tighten over one’s imagination, conscience, and vision of the world. Reading Dante’s Inferno for the first time, I recall an uncanny sense of being personally summoned—called, as Dante was, to traverse the winding paths of moral insight and existential reckoning. The Inferno is not just a catalogue of punishments; it is a living, breathing confrontation between...

Introduction Few works of literature have held such monumental power and timeless allure as The Odyssey—Homer’s epic poem that recounts the adventurous journey of Odysseus as he strives to return home after the Trojan War. This ancient Greek epic, rich with gods and monsters, heroism and human frailty, explores universal themes that transcend time and culture. It is not just a tale of adventure but a profound inquiry into identity, loyalty, fate, and perseverance. At its core, The Odyssey is the story of a man—Odysseus—whose physical journey across the seas parallels a spiritual journey of self-discovery and endurance. Written...

Introduction Few philosophical works have shaped the intellectual landscape of Western civilization as profoundly as Plato’s The Republic. Written around 375 BC, The Republic stands both as a foundational treatise in philosophy and as an enduring literary masterpiece. It grapples with fundamental questions about ethics, political order, the nature of reality, and the ultimate purpose of human life. Reading Republic is analogous to embarking on a dialectical journey—one led by Socrates and...

Introduction Aristotle’s Poetics occupies a singular position in the history of literary criticism. Written in the 4th century BCE, it is the earliest surviving treatise to rigorously interrogate the nature, structure, and social functions of poetry and drama. While the treatise’s primary focus is on tragedy, Aristotle’s lucid analysis of mimesis, catharsis, and the elements of tragedy established conceptual frameworks that continue to inform literary theory and creative practice. As a learner and teacher of literature, I have...