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ENGL 1020: Literary Criticism

This module will explore the concept of literary criticism. It is intended to supplement the Comp II library session.

Introduction

Encyclopedia Britannica defines literary criticism as “the reasoned consideration of literary works.”  

But what does that really mean?  In the module below, you will explore:
 

  • What literary criticism is NOT

  • What literary criticism IS

  • Three different types of literary sources

Databases for Literary Criticism

What Literary Criticism is NOT

Before we talk about what literary criticism is, let’s look at some things that are not literary criticism.

Literary criticism is NOT:

  • a review

  • plot summary

  • A biographical account of the life of the author​

 

In this context, you are being tasked with thinking critically about an author’s work.  That may include finding faults with the story or play, but it goes much deeper than expressing distaste or disapproval.  

What Literary Criticism IS

Literary Criticism IS:
 

  • An analysis of the story, play or poem

  • A discussion of the work’s themes

  • An examination of the language and symbolism

  • An interpretation of the meaning of a work

  • An analysis of the work’s structure and style

  • Written by scholars, professors, and other literature experts

 

At the CSCC Library, you will find literary criticism in books (including reference books and eBooks), as well as in academic journals. For your research paper, you may need to collect an assortment of books and articles.  You will learn how to locate these items in the next module.

Three types of literary sources you’ll find at the CSCC Library

While conducting research at the CSCC Library, you will encounter different types of literary sources. Please read below to find out how to identify these source types and which are most appropriate and helpful when writing a literary analysis.

Literary Criticism

These are the sources you are looking for!  They go above and beyond a simple discussion of the plot of a work. Explore the following examples of literary criticism to get a feel for the types of sources you need to use as support for your analysis.

Source Works

Source works are the stories, plays, or poems themselves.  The library contains many collections of source works from many different time periods, ranging from ancient Greece and Rome to today’s best sellers. Occasionally your instructor may allow you to write about a source work of your own choosing,  but typically you will be tasked with writing about source works that have been assigned as class readings. Explore the following examples to gain a better understanding of source works.

Biographies

These are works written about the author whose works you are researching. The library has many of these works, which explore the major life events and family histories of famous people from all time periods. While these sources may enhance your appreciation and understanding of an author, these materials are at best supplemental and should not be the primary type of source you include in your analysis.

Explore the following examples to gain a better understanding of biographies. 

A final note about these categories: they are not precise, cut-and-dried groups.  Sometimes you will see overlap.  For instance, a biography may contain some original poems or stories, while a collection of short stories may include some critical essays.  Be sure to examine your sources carefully to make sure you are getting the most out of them!