Literary Canons: Then and Now

How do we know what a great work of literature or theatre is? In this English and Theatre Studies subject, you will grapple with ideas about the value and status of literature. Is it possible to read a great work for both pleasure and critique? Which narratives become classics and why? Should reading edify, represent, entertain? With peers, you will undertake detailed readings and viewings of influential plays, poems, novels, and essays from Early Modern England to contemporary Australia. We will critically engage with the framework of the literary canon, tracing its origins in eighteenth-century essay culture, and its consolidation in contemporary culture. You will gain an understanding of canon as a hotly contested container for values, tastes, and traditions, subject to radical reorganisation and revaluation with time. Our encounters with voices from the past will provide a foundation for you to engage in critical and cultural debates about literature in today’s world. You will have the opportunity in this subject to explore these debates through class discussions and

• 1Define key concepts in the context of English and Theatre Studies, including canon, genre, value, and taste
• 2Critically evaluate complex literary material and criticism including Shakespearean drama, poetry, and the Austenean novel
• 3Articulate their own response to critical perspectives and support this through close reading and performance analysis
• 4Reflect critically on the development and renovation of literary canon
• 5Engage in key debates about the value and reception of major literary works.