structuralism

[atena_63]

Hi there,
What is structuralism ? how can we analyse a literary work in terms of this critical approach?

[LitNetIsGreat]

I can recommend an excellent book for you to help answer all of your questions called Beginning Theory by Peter Barry (Manchester University Press). I have used this book from year one of my degree and I still dip into it quite often. In this book you will find good, solid information on liberal humanism, structuralism, post-structualism, postmodernism, psychoanalytical theory, feminist criticism, lesbian criticism, Marxist, new historicism, culural materialism, postcolonal crit, stylistics, narratology and ecocriticism. All of which are reader friendly and offer working practical examples of each area, complete with short exercises etc, I think that you will find this book of massive value.

For example under structuralism it lists some of the main areas of interest to the structuralist critic who may seek:

Parallels................IN .... plot
echoes..................... structure
Reflections.................. character/motive
contrasts.................... situation/circumstances
patterns..................... language/imagery

[Veva]

This is really interesting because I study Political Science at uni and it means something completly different in my field than what Neely just wrote, though it has something to do with social system :)

[atena_63]

Thank you Neely .
I'll buy it…

[LitNetIsGreat]

Great stuff. It is really quite inexpensive, I think I bought mine for about £10 brand new and I am still using it four years later.

Veva, yes that may be a totally different thing in your field I'm not sure. In literary terms structualism is simply identifying the structures present within the work, as opposed to the meaning of the work itself necessarily, though with things of this nature it tends to resist easy definition.

[JBI]

The ultimate text for North American structuralism, and structuralism relating to English texts would have to be Frye's Anatomy of Criticism. There are strong French theorists, notably coming out of the 70s, before Derrida destroyed the perceptions of structuralism, but I think for English, Frye's book seems the most a) accessible, and b) practical.

[atena_63]

thank you JBI.