ENG 111: Introduction to Literature and Literary Criticism Study Notes

Course Scope and Objectives

ENG 111: An Introduction to Literature and Literary Criticism is a $3$-credit unit foundational course for students in the second semester of the first year BA English Language at the National Open University of Nigeria. The course aim is to introduce the study of literature and literary criticism, familiarizing students with genres, characteristics, and procedures for analyzing texts. The curriculum consists of $18$ study units divided into $5$ modules. Assessment involves Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs), where the best four performances account for $30\%$ of the final grade, and a final two-hour examination that constitutes $70\%$ of the total grading.

Defining Literature and its Forms

Literature is defined as a permanent expression of thoughts or feelings about life experiences specially arranged in pleasing, imaginative patterns. Gyasi ($1973$) offers a broad definition as "anything that is written," while Rees ($1973$) provides a narrow definition focusing on writing that communicates attitudes toward life. Literature exists in two primary forms: "orature" (oral literature transmitted verbally through generations) and written literature. Language serves as the essential tool, manipulated by the writer to convey special meanings distinct from everyday use.

Literary Genres and Their Characteristics

The three broad types of literature are Prose, Poetry, and Drama. Drama is unique as a form written to be performed on stage, relying on Action, Dialogue, and Conflict. A playwright organizes these via acts and scenes. Poetry is written in verse form using rhythmic patterns, stanzas, and figurative language. Prose refers to the written form of ordinary speech and is divided into fiction (imagined stories like fables, allegories, and novels) and non-fiction (true narratives like biography, autobiography, essays, and travel literature).

Dramatic Structure and Traditions

Drama involves essential components such as characters, categorized into "flat" (static) or "round" (dynamic) types. The central figure is the protagonist, opposed by the antagonist. Conflict, leading to a climax and eventual denouement (resolution), drives the plot. The course outlines two traditions of tragedy: Classical Aristotelian tragedy features a noble hero with a "hubris" (tragic flaw) whose fall elicits "catharsis," while Modern tragedy centers on ordinary individuals. Comedy is divided into High Comedy (appealing to reason) and Low Comedy (including farce and slapstick).

Poetry, Language, and Appreciation

Poetic structure includes line arrangements and stanzas ranging from couplets to ottava rima. Analysis focuses on metre, rhythm, and rhyme schemes like $abab$ or $aabb$. Language in poetry employs imagery through similes and metaphors, as well as sound devices like alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia. Lyrical poetry records personal meditations, while Narrative poetry tells a story, subdivided into the Epic (long deeds of heroes) and the Ballad (short folk songs). Appreciation requires identifying themes, background settings, and structural devices.

Applied Textual Analysis

The course conducts textual analysis on specific representative works. Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s "The River Between" illustrates East African literature through conflicts between Western and traditional Gikuyu cultures. Niyi Osundare’s "The State Visit" is analyzed as a political satire on corruption and visionless leadership in Africa. John Milton’s "Sonnet XVII" (also called "On His Blindness") explores themes of Christian stewardship and accountability. Evaluation of unseen literature requires applying these analytical skills spontaneously to determine subject matter and stylistic effectiveness.

Questions & Discussion

Question: Why is literature an important subject and how does it differ from fields like Law or Biology? Response: Literature is important because it invigorates life and expresses human experiences in ways that other fields do not. It differs by being imaginative and using words in a special, captivated sense rather than strictly factual or technical ones.

Question: What is the difference between a first-person narrator and an omniscient narrator? Response: A first-person narrator provides authenticity as an eyewitness, while an omniscient narrator is free from the limitations of time and space, revealing the hidden thoughts and feelings of all characters.

Question: What are the three unities in Aristotelian tragedy? Response: The three unities are Time (action within one day), Place (concentration in one locale), and Action (a single plot without digressions).