1 orientation 北京外国语大学 文学概论 教学课件.pptVIP

Introduction to Literature Orientation OBJECTIVES Textbook Course Requirement and Evaluation What Is Literature? Why Do We Read Literature? Why Do We Study Literature? What Is Fiction? What Is Plot? Textbook 金莉、张剑编，《文学原理教程》，北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2004/2008。 Course Requirement and Evaluation Attendance and Class Performance 20% Assignments 20% Final Exam 50% What is literature? Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become. --C.S. Lewis, British Scholar and Novelist) Attempts to Define Literature linguistic violence literature is non-pragmatic imaginative writing creative writings of recognized artistic value written works of fiction and nonfiction in which compositional excellence and advancement in the art of writing are higher priorities than are considerations of profit or commercial appeal Illusive nature of literature What is not literature? Some common features of literary works written texts, marked by careful use of language, including features such as creative metaphors, well-turned phrases, elegant syntax, rhyme, alliteration, meter; in literary genre (poetry, prose fiction, or drama); read aesthetically intended by the author to be read aesthetically containing implicatures deliberately left open in interpretation. Why should we study literature? Or What is the function of literature? To instruct Moral, pragmatic/Aristotle To please fun, entertainment To instruct and please Francis Bacon, “Of Studies” Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment, and disposition of business. 读书足以怡情，足以博采，足以长才。其怡情也，最见于独处幽居之时；其博采也，最见于高谈阔论之中；其长才也，最见于处事判事之际 。 --王佐良译 Why Should We Study Literature? The wisdom thesis Literature is an art, and…as an art it is able to enlarge a