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Literary Thought

Code: 100262
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Catalan Philology: Literary Studies and Linguistics OP 4
Spanish Language and Literature OP 3
Spanish Language and Literature OP 4
English Studies OP 3
English Studies OP 4
Science, Technology and Humanities OP 4
English and Catalan Studies OP 3
English and Catalan Studies OP 4
English and Spanish Studies OP 3
English and Spanish Studies OP 4
English and French Studies OP 4
English and Classics Studies OP 3
English and Classics Studies OP 4

Contact lecturer

Name :
Gonzalo Ponton Gijon
Email :
gonzalo.ponton@uab.cat

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

By obtaining the minimum of credits in basic training subjects, students have demonstrated to have acquired the basic competences and they will be able to express themselves orally and in writing. For this reason, any spelling and expression errors that may be committed will lead to a score decrease in the final grade.

Activities, practical sessions and papers submitted in the course must be original and under no circumstances will the total or partial plagiarism of third-party materials published on any medium be admitted. Any submission of non-original material without properly indicating its origin will automatically result in a failure rating (0).

It is also expected that students know the general rules of submission of an academic work. However, students could apply the specific rules that the teacher of the subject may indicate to them, if they deem it necessary.

It would be highly desirable -albeit in no way demanding- that the students had a clear interest in theoretical and literary texts prior to 1900.

Objectives

OBJECTIVES AND CONTEXTUALIZATION

The course is a historical and thematic overview through the main ideas that have shaped the western way of thinking, defining, explaining and evaluating literature from classical Greece to positivism and impressionistic criticism of the second half of the nineteenth century.

The subject combines the presentation of theoretical contents (about historical periods, authors and concepts) with the reading and commentary of the main texts of ancient, medieval and modern literary thought.

Learning outcomes

  1. Express ideas effectively in formal academic texts by adopting argumentative and textual procedures.
  2. Submit assignments in formats tailored to requirements and personal styles, whether carried out individually or in a small group.
  3. Seek out, choose and manage information independently, both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, or specialist journals) and from internet searches.
  4. Write text commentaries from a critical standpoint.
  5. Summarise the knowledge acquired about the origin of the various fields within the discipline and the transformations they have undergone.
  6. Argue a case regarding several literary topics and problems arising from different works and evaluate the results.
  7. Critically interpret literary works, taking into account the relationships between the different areas within literature and their relationship to humanistic, artistic and social areas.
  8. Resolve tasks on authors, methods and trends in comparative literature by drawing on knowledge of other humanistic disciplines.
  9. Identify the ancient Greco-Latin sources that have inspired artists and literati of the Western cultural tradition.
  10. Recognise the influence of the Greco-Latin literary genres and works in texts of the post-classical European literary tradition.
  11. Set a plan for working on an assignment on the subject area.
  12. Match literary texts to their corresponding genres.
  13. Match literary texts to their corresponding formal and cultural contexts.
  14. Argue a case regarding several literary topics and problems arising from different works, and evaluate the results.
  15. Solve problems related to methods of study of different literatures.
  16. Solve problems related to the theoretical foundations and the main concepts in the study of literary criticism.
  17. Solve problems related to the historical placement of literary texts.
  18. Explain the basic characteristics of the compared literary texts.
  19. Detect the degree of cohesion and coherence of the different genres and identify the factors that contribute to these and to their suitability in different contexts.
  20. Identify and explain the fundamentals of the literary communication process in each genre and those of the interpretation process based on questions and theoretical and/or practical activities.
  21. Identify and explain the basic characteristics of literary texts and the interpretation process.
  22. Identify different literary elements and their insertion in different texts and styles of discourse.
  23. Analyse literary texts using the different concepts and methods of comparative literature.
  24. Make a plan for producing a paper on the subject area.
  25. Summarising acquired knowledge about the origin and transformations experienced in its several fields of study.
  26. Solving problems autonomously.
  27. Using suitable terminology when drawing up an academic text.
  28. Preparing a summary from a given text.
  29. Commenting on literary texts, applying the acquired tools and taking into account the historical and sociocultural context.
  30. Solving problems about authors and currents of comparative literature, connecting them with knowledge of other humanistic disciplines.
  31. Describing the characteristics of a literary text and the characteristic methods of analysis of the discipline.
  32. Identify and explain the basic structures of literary works.
  33. Perform tasks on authors, methods, and currents in Comparative Literature, linking them to content from other human disciplines.
  34. Critically interpret literary works, taking into account the relationships between the different areas of literature and the relationship between literature and the human, artistic and social areas.
  35. Interpreting the regulatory information that is located in the web pages of regulatory institutions.
  36. Arguing about several issues and literary problems for the purpose of different works and the assessment of the results.
  37. Submitting works in accordance with both individual and small group demands and personal styles.
  38. Critically interpreting literary works taking into account the relationships between the different areas of literature and its relationships with human, artistic and social areas.
  39. Solving problems about writers, methods and currents of comparative literature, and connecting them with knowledge of other humanistic disciplines.
  40. Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network.
  41. Analyse the formal, thematic, cultural and historical characteristics of works of literary creation and reflection on the literature of different languages and countries.
  42. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic theoretical foundations of the main methods and trends in literature and criticism.
  43. Present written work or oral presentations on the main concepts of literary theory.
  44. Critically interpret literary works taking into account the relationships between the different fields of literature and their relationship with human, artistic and social areas.
  45. Present work in formats suited to personal demands and styles, both individually and in small groups.
  46. Solving problems related to the study of different literatures.
  47. Identify and explaining the basic foundations of the process of literary communication in every genre and the interpretation process from questions and theoretical and/or practical activities.
  48. Effectively communicating and applying the argumentative and textual processes to formal and scientific texts.
  49. Solve problems related to the study of different literatures.
  50. Explaining the basic characteristics of comparative literary texts.
  51. Identifying and explaining the basic characteristics of literary texts and the interpretation process.
  52. Autonomously search, select and process information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network.
  53. Carry out tasks on authors, methods and trends in comparative literature, relating knowledge of other disciplines in the humanities.
  54. Analysing literary texts using different concepts and methods of comparative literature.
  55. Use the skills acquired with autonomy.
  56. Use traditional sources to collect, classify, interpret and analyse relevant data related to the study of literary theory.
  57. Use digital tools to obtain, classify, interpret and analyse relevant data related to the study of literary theory.
  58. Identify and explain the basic characteristics of literary texts and the process of interpretation.
  59. Express oneself effectively by applying argumentative and textual procedures in formal and scientific texts.
  60. Solve problems related to the theoretical foundations and major concepts in the study of literary criticism.
  61. Use digital tools to obtain, classify, interpret and analyse relevant data related to the study of literary theory.
  62. Prepare an individual paper explaining the work plan and the timing of activities.

Contents

CONTENTS


Preliminary: thinking literature throughout history: patterns and questions


1. Mímesis: poetics of classical antiquity


2. Hermeneutics: classical and medieval theories of interpretation


3. Ancient and modern: classicist poetics of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries


4. Taste: artistic judgment, the sublime and the emancipation of art in the eighteenth century


5. Expression: the concept of genius, romantic poetics and modern subjectivity.


6. Context: positivist scientificism and impressionist reaction


Epilog: the invention of literature and its demolition

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Lecture sessions, seminar and/or practical sessions 52.5 2.1 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 29, 31, 32, 34, 39, 41, 42, 48, 50, 56, 57
Individual work (reading, studying, writing course's papers) 82.5 3.3 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62
Tutorials & e-mail consultations 15 0.6 5, 6, 11, 15, 16, 17, 19, 25, 42, 56, 57

The course follows the pattern of continued learning, with seminary-type classes.

The primary texts are submitted to discussion in class, and they will be interrogated based on the general historical and critical contents. Students must commit to read and reflect on the texts prior to the discussions in class, which will be led by the professor.

This form of learning is evaluated through two exams in the classroom and one written essay also produced in the classroom.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Paper 1 30% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62
Exam in the classroom 1 35% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62
Exam in the classroom 2 35% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62

Students must attend 2 written exams, each of them devoted to a half of the syllabus (weight: 35% each exam), and 1 written essay about one of the recommended books on a list prepared by the teachers, related to on one of the authors, texts or problemes the syllabus contains (weight: 30%).

On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.

To have the right to access to reevaluation, the student should made 2/3 of the activities, and obtain a global qualfication no lesser than 3,5. The student can only reevaluate 2 of these 3 activities (both exams or 1 exam and the essay).

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, she/he will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities. Any submitted work that contains content generated using AI will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade will be awarded a zero, without the possibility of reassessment. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.


Erasmus and exchange students who request to advance an exam must present a document from their home university justifying their request.


SINGLE EVALUATION

- Written exam in the classroom 1 (first half of the syllabus): 35%

- Written exam in the classroom 2 (second half of the syllabus): 35%

- Paper 1 (middle-length essay): 30%

All three activities will be delivered in a single day, which will be made public during the first week of the semester.


The global qualification for passing grade is 5/10.


The same assessment method as continuous assessment will be used.


Bibliography

Abrams, Meyer Howard (1953), El espejo y la lámpara. Teoría romántica y tradición crítica, Barral Editores, Barcelona, 1975.

Asensi, Manuel, Historia de la teoría de la literatura (desde los inicios hasta el siglo XIX), Tirant lo Blanch, Valencia, 1998.

Blamires, Harry, A History of Literary Criticism, MacMillan, Londres, 1991.

Bobes, Carmen, et al., Historia de la teoría literaria. I: La antigüedad grecolatina, Gredos, Madrid, 1995.

---, et al., Historia de la teoría literaria. II: Transmisores. Edad Media. Poéticas clasicistas, Gredos, Madrid, 1998.

Bozal, Valeriano, Historia de las ideas estéticas y de las teorías artísticas contemporáneas, Visor, Madrid, 2000, 2 vols.

Burguera, María Luisa, Textos clásicos de teoría de la literatura, Cátedra, Madrid, 2004.

Compagnon, Antoine, El demonio de la teoría. Literatura y sentido común, Acantilado, Barcelona, 2015.

Eagleton, Terry., La función de la crítica, Paidós, Barcelona, 1999.

Habib, M.A.R., A History of Literary Criticism. From Plato to the Present, Blackwell, Oxford, 2007.

Marino, Adrian., The Biography of the 'Idea of Literature'. From Antiquity to the Baroque, State University of New York Press, Nueva York, 1996.

Nisbet, Barry, y Claude Rawson (eds.), The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1989-, 9 vols.

Pozuelo Yvancos José María (dir.), Las ideas literarias (1214-2010), vol. 8 de José Carlos Mainer (dir.), Historia de la literatura española, Crítica,Barcelona, 2011.

Pulido Tirado, Genara, El pensamiento literario: introducción teórica e histórica, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, 1995.

Richter, David H. (ed.), The Critical Tradition. Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, Bedford Books, Boston, 1998.

Rivas Hernández, Ascensión, De la poética a la teoría de la literatura (una introducción), Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca, 2005.

Todorov, Tzvetan, La literatura en peligro, Galaxia Gutenberg, Barcelona, 2009. 

Viñas, David, Historia de la crítica literaria, Ariel, Barcelona, 2002.

Wahnón Bensusan, Susana, Introducción a la historia de la teorías literarias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, 1991.

Wellek, René, (1955-1986), Historia de la crítica moderna (1750-1950), Gredos, Madrid, 1959-1988, 6 vols.

---, Historia literaria. Problemas y conceptos, Laia, Barcelona, 1983.

Software

  

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Spanish first semester morning-mixed