John
McRae (1994) distinguishes between literature
with a capital L - the
classical texts
e.g. Shakespeare, Dickens - and literature with a small
l,
which refers to popular fiction, fables and song lyrics.
The
literature used in ELT classrooms today is no longer
restricted to
canonical texts from certain countries e.g. UK,
USA, but includes the
work of writers from a diverse range
of countries and cultures using
different forms of English.
Literary texts can be studied in their
original forms or in
simplified or abridged versions.
An increasing
number of stories in English are
written specifically for learners of
other languages.
Importance of teaching Literature:
1-Gets one acquainted with the world‟s great minds,
personalities and great teachers of all ages.
2-Aims at helping one understand oneself as well as
others.-
3-Provides opportunity for development of sensory,
effective, social, intellectual and religious senses or
faculties.
4-Provides vicarious experiences to those exposed to it
5-Trains the mind and equips the child for independent
work and unbiased judgment
i.e in analysis and criticism.
6-Helps one operate one‟s rationale facilities.
It in fact exposes one to healthy human
values and attitudes, character and behavior and to
understand the complex nature of human being
7-Helps one in analysis, interpreting and dealing with
the world of reality.
8-Helps in the acquisition of the language skills.
9-Imposes a high discipline on those who are exposed
to it.
10-Broadens the cultural needs and horizon of the child.
11-Exposes the child to the beauty and potentials of
language
12-Encourages attempts at creative writing which stems
from understanding a creative processes as well as
appreciating the principal of creativity.
Overview
English literature is divided into major eras like
:
Old English,
Middle English,
the Renaissance,
Neoclassical,
Romantic,
Victorian,
Modern, and
Postmodern,
Each defined by distinct cultural shifts, writing styles, and
key
authors, spanning from Anglo-Saxon invasions to
contemporary works.
These periods track the evolution
of the English language and literary
traditions, from epic
poems to novels and experimental forms.
The major periods and
their approximate dates:
Old English (Anglo-Saxon) (c. 450–1066): Characterized by heroic poetry (like Beowulf), alliterative verse, and religious themes, reflecting Germanic tribal culture.
Middle English (c. 1066–1500):
Emerged after the Norman Conquest, blending Old English with French;
features works by Chaucer, focusing on romance, allegory, and religious
tales.
The Renaissance (c. 1500–1660):
A period of rebirth in arts and sciences, including the Elizabethan Age
(Shakespeare, Spenser) and Jacobean Age, marked by drama, poetry, and
humanism.
Neoclassical Period (c. 1660–1785):
Also known as the Restoration and the Enlightenment; emphasized reason,
order, and classical forms, with satire and wit (Dryden, Pope, Swift).
Romantic Period (c. 1785–1832):
Reacted against Neoclassicism, focusing on emotion, nature,
individualism, and the sublime (Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Keats).
Victorian Period (c. 1832–1901): The era of the novel, exploring social issues, industrialization, and morality (Dickens, Austen, Brontë sisters).
Modernism (c. 1914–1945):
Broke from traditional forms, reflecting fragmentation, disillusionment
after WWI, and exploring new consciousness (Woolf, Joyce, Eliot).
Postmodernism (c. 1945–Present): Questions grand narratives, uses irony, pastiche, and metafiction, blending genres (Beckett, Pynchon, Atwood).
Types of literary texts:
1 Short stories
2 Poems
3 Novels
4 Plays
5 Song Lyrics.
1-Teaching a Short Story
( Beginning / Middle / End )
Defining a Short Story
A
short story is a piece of brief literature, usually
written in
narrative prose. Short stories can be
written in a variety of formats,
but the most typical
features a small cast of characters with names
and
focuses on a single, self-contained incident.
Short stories make use of
a plot and other normal
literary components, just to a lesser and
shorter
degree than a novel. They also vary in length.
Types of Short Stories
Now that we know generally what a short
story is,
we can discuss the different types of short stories.
This is
by no means a comprehensive list, since
short stories come in a wide
variety of lengths and
styles. But this is a list of the most common.
Anecdote
An anecdote is a short account of
something
interesting and amusing, which usually tells
a story about a
real person and/or incident.
Often, anecdotes are used to illustrate or
support a point in an essay, article, or chapter.
They are very short,
but have no specific limits.
“In [Ralph Waldo] Emerson’s later years his
memory began
increasingly to fail. He used to
refer to it as his ‘naughty memory’
when it let
him down. He would forget the names of things,
and have to
refer to them in a circumlocutory
way, saying, for instance, ‘the
implement that
cultivates the soil’ for plow.
Worse, he could not
remember people’s names.
At Longfellow’s funeral, he remarked to a
friend,
‘That gentleman has a sweet, beautiful soul,
but I have entirely
forgotten his name.’
Perhaps most touching was his term for
umbrella–‘the thing that strangers take away.'”
Drabble
A drabble is an exceptionally short piece
of fiction,
usually of exactly 100 words in length –
not including the
title. The purpose of a drabble is
extreme brevity and to test an
author’s skill at
expressing himself/herself meaningfully and
interestingly in a very confined space.
A drabble example, by the lovely Matty, is available