English Literature is a complex subject and inevitably, many students end up having to take this course. With so much material to cover in this course, you may not know how to start studying English Literature. Whether you're studying for a test, an entrance exam, or a class on campus, you can take some steps to help you achieve your goals.
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Method 1 of 5: Preparing for the First Step
Step 1. Start early
Don't put off studying until the night before your big test day! Especially for subjects like English Literature which will ask you analytical questions as well as fill-in questions, you will need time to understand the level of complexity of your exam material. You'll be asked to answer questions that go beyond just summarizing the plot of the story or naming the characters.
Step 2. Recall what you already know
Write down all the details you can remember from when you first read the script as well as anything you remember from your lectures. Don't "cheat" by peeking at your notes or textbook -- just write down what you're sure you remember. This will be your basic step and point out the things you've forgotten.
Step 3. See if there are any literary terms you don't know
Many tests and exams in English literature require you to understand important terms, such as stanza, irony, alliteration, speaker, and figurative language. While you may not be expected to understand the full range of literary terminology, understanding some of these important concepts is critical to your success. There are many guides available, which can help you find definitions of important literary concepts. The following are some very important terms:
- Stanza is the division of lines of poetry and is equivalent to paragraphs in prose/free essay writing. Typically, stanzas are at least three lines long; groups of two lines are referred to as “couplets.”
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Irony, at a basic level means a word that has a different meaning to the word and the meaning is almost the opposite. For example, a character who meets another character during a blizzard says “The weather is beautiful, isn't it?” This is ironic because the reader can understand that the weather is really not beautiful. William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens are authors who often use irony.
Don't confuse irony with bad luck, as in the song "Ironic" by Alanis Morisette: "a black fly in your chardonnay" is bad luck, but not irony.
- Dramatic irony occurs when the reader learns important information that a character doesn't know, such as the fact that Oedipus killed his father and is about to marry his mother.
- Alliteration is the technique most often used in poetry and the performing arts; This technique is the repetition of the same initial consonant in several words with a short distance range. “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers” is an example of alliteration.
- The speaker usually refers to the person who is the point of view in a poem or it can also be used to refer to the narrator of a novel. It is important to distinguish between speaker and author, especially in dramatic poetic monologues such as Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess", which tells of a mad duke who confesses to murdering his first wife. In this case, of course, it was the speaker who acknowledged it, not Browning.
- Figurative language will be discussed at greater length in Part 2 of this article, but in a nutshell, figurative language is the opposite of “literal” language. Figurative language uses techniques such as metaphor, simile, personification, and hyperbole to describe one thing more clearly. For example, in Shakespeare's role play Antony and Cleopatra, Cleopatra describes Mark Antony this way: “His legs extend over the ocean. The forearm is the crown of the world.” This is an example of hyperbolic language: of course Antony's legs don't really extend over the ocean, but it does underscore Cleopatra's respect for Antony and his power.
Step 4. See sample questions if possible
If you get a study guide or sample questions, see how much material you have mastered. This will help you focus on the things that require a lot of practice, as well as help you create a study plan.
Method 2 of 5: Rereading Your Manuscript
Step 1. Reread your script
You should have read in class, but if you're studying for a test, make sure you read it again to master the things you missed earlier.
Step 2. Look for figurative language
Many authors use techniques such as metaphor, simile, and personification to emphasize their point. These things may be important for understanding the literary work you are reading. An example is knowing that the white whale in the Moby-Dick story represents (among other things) Captain Ahab's arrogance, you will better understand this novel by Melville.
- Metaphors make direct comparisons between two things that look dissimilar. Metaphors are more powerful than similes. An example is the last line of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, which provides a famous metaphor by comparing human life to a ship trying to go against a strong current: “So we kept going, our ship went against the tide, and was carried back endlessly back in time.."
- Simile also makes comparisons, but does not directly state that "x" is "y". An example is Margaret Mitchell who uses similes to explain Scarlett O'Hara's attraction to Ashley Wilkes in her novel Gone With the Wind: "Her mystery appeals to Scarlett's curiosity like a door without a key and without a key."
- Personification occurs when a non-human object or animal is given human characteristics to express an idea more strongly. An example is Emily Dickinson who often uses personification in her poems, as in this poem about the snake: “A long thin man is in the grass / sometimes walks gracefully; / You may have met him, -- didn't you notice, / how quickly he realized." Here, the snake is a “long thin person” who “walks gracefully” on the grass, so the snake is more like a handsome Victorian man than a reptile.
Step 3. Consider the structure of your script
The way an author expresses his ideas is usually as important as the ideas. In many cases, the form and structure of a manuscript will affect its content.
- If you're reading fiction, think about the sequence of events in the story. Are there flashbacks or places in the narrative that look back in time? Sandra Cisnero's novel Caramelo begins near the end of the true “story” and moves between different times and places, emphasizing the complexities of family history.
- If you're reading poetry, think about the form of the poem. What type of poetry is it? Was the poem formally structured, like a sonnet or a sestina? Does the poem have loose lines that use elements such as rhythm and alliteration, but lack a fixed rhyme scheme? The way in which poetry is written usually gives clues to the mood the poet wants to convey.
Step 4. Think about the main type of character
A character with the main type is usually a character - although it can also be an action or situation - which is believed to represent something universal that is recognized as part of human nature. The famous psychologist, Carl Jung, argues that the main types enter the collective unconscious of humans and therefore we can understand these main types from the experiences we have with other people. Because several types of literary analysis have been influenced by Jung, it is useful for you to identify some of the main types that appear in your manuscript.
- Hero or the Hero is a character who is a manifestation of good and usually fights evil in a fight to defend justice or restore order. Beowulf and Captain America are perfect examples of the main types of Heroes.
- Innocent Youth is a character who is usually inexperienced but is liked by others because he trusts others. For example, Pip in Charles Dicken's novel Great Expectations; and Luke Skywalker from Star Wars. Both are types of Innocent Young People. Often, this main type will experience a "maturation process" at the end of the story.
- Mentors are tasked with caring for or protecting the main character through wise advice and assistance. Gandalf in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien is a perfect example of the main type of Mentor type, as is Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars movies.
- Doppelganger is a character who is a twin of the main character, but represents the dark side of the hero. Common examples of Doppelgangers are Frankenstein and his Creature in Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein; and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Louis Stevenson's novel of the same name as the character.
- A villain is a character with an evil plan, which the hero must fight against. The Villain will usually do whatever it takes to defeat the Hero character and he is usually, though not always, smart. Examples are Shere Khan from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, Smaug the Dragon from The Hobbit, and Joker from the Batman comics and films.
Step 5. Think of a situational primary type
The other main type you'll likely find is situational, which is a familiar, predictable type of plot and storyline. Some of the main types of situational include:
- Journey. or Travel. It is a very common primary type and is referenced in almost all stories, from King Arthur to Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, to J. R. R. Tolkien. In this main type, the main character goes on a journey -- whether physically or emotionally, literally or figuratively -- to understand something about himself or the world around him, or to achieve an important goal. Often, this journey is very important in the plot of the story, as in the adventures of the Fellowship or the friendship to destroy the One Ring of Sauron in the Lord of the Rings story.
- Initiation or Initiation. This main type is similar to Journey, but the focus is more on the maturation of the hero through his experiences. This type of story may also be called a ''bildungsroman.'' Henry Fielding's Tom Jones is a good example of this type or origin of most comic book heroes (for example, Peter Parker's lesson on overcoming “great power and responsibility” when he becomes Spiderman).
- Fall is the main type which is also very common. In this main type, the main character experiences a fall from his peak state as a consequence of his actions. Examples of this common type are found in various works of classical literature, including Shakespeare's King Lear from King Lear, Ahab from Melville's novel Moby-Dick, and Satan from John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost.
Step 6. Consider how an action develops from conflict
In many texts, especially in drama and fiction, there will be “trigger incidents” that continue to drive the main action of the story. This moment will disturb the equilibrium point of the situation, raise a problem, and trigger a series of events that will make up the rest of the story.
- For example, in Shakespeare's Macbeth, Macbeth hears the prophecy of three witches saying he will become King of Scotland. Although he never wanted to be king before, the prophecy made him ambitious and murderous, which in turn became the source of his downfall.
- Another example is in Arthur Miller's role-playing game The Crucible where a group of young girls face a conflict: they are caught doing bad things in the woods and face punishment. To try to cover up his actions, they accused their friend of performing the arts of magic. This action triggers the story in this drama which tells about these girls' accusations that are getting out of control.
Method 3 of 5: Making Useful Notes for Fiction and Drama
Step 1. Summarize each chapter or make key points after you have read the script a second time
This will make the review easier, since you already have a rough summary that you can expand on.
Don't get too hung up on summaries. You don't have to sum up all the little things that happen in a chapter or chapter of the story. Center your notes on the main action of each chapter, as well as any key characters or thematic moments
Step 2. Write down the character profile for each main character
Include all the important things the main character did or said, as well as the relationships with the other characters in your text.
For plays, make sure you take notes that sound important, like Hamlet's "To be or not to be," or Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman "attention must be paid."
Step 3. Outline all the problems the characters are facing
This can sometimes be even more useful than a chapter summary. What challenges and conflicts do the main characters face? What are their goals?
For example, Hamlet in the story "Shakespeare" has several problems that he must solve: 1) Can the ghost of his father who push Hamlet to seek revenge can be trusted? 2) How can he take revenge against his uncle, in a courtroom full of people watching him? 3) How can he overcome his natural tendency to overthink things, in order to build the courage to get the revenge he really wants?
Step 4. Determine if these problems have been resolved
Sometimes, things are resolved pretty neatly at the end of the story: the Death Star being destroyed in Star Wars, or the One Ring being destroyed and Aragorn being reinstated as king in Lord of the Rings. Other times, matters are resolved, but not in an ideal way: for example, Hamlet manages to take revenge and fulfill the ghost's request, but he kills several innocent people and ends up dying himself. Understanding whether a character achieves his goals, or why he doesn't, is useful for discussing a literary work in your exams.
Step 5. Remember some important statements made in the story
While you don't have to memorize details about important statements and sayings, remembering what the outline of the story is can be very useful when you're writing an argument about a script.
For example, if you study Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, remember that Mr. Darcy admits that he has interfered in Elizabeth's family affairs will be useful in explaining why these two people hate each other in the beginning of the book (for example, Darcy is too proud to admit that meddling is completely wrong and Elizabeth is too prejudiced). to admit that Darcy may have reasonable motivations)
Step 6. Make more detailed notes, including about the main themes in the script and how important each character is in the script
Don't be stingy with details here! Noting that "the tone in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is so creepy" won't work in the exam if you can't explain what makes it feel scary.
- Write down the moments that bring your script to life. Not only will this help you remember what happened in a chapter, but it will also provide evidence you can use when you make claims about the text in your exam.
- For example, consider this quote, from Chapter 41 of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, when Ahab finally captures the White Whale: “He [Ahab] poured out the anger and hatred which his race had felt since the time of Adam on the pope's back; then, as if his chest were a mortar, he threw his bullets at the pope.” This is far more evocative than simply saying “Ahab attacked the pope.” This passage emphasizes that Ahab targeted the whale not only because the whale had broken its leg, but because Ahab thought that this whale was the embodiment of all the bad things that had happened to humans since the beginning of time, and he wanted to destroy the whale alone -- as if his chest. is a cannon, remember, with cannonballs ejected from it -- to kill the whale.
Step 7. Write down all the symbols in the script and their locations
Symbolism is a favorite tool of authors. If some element, such as a specific color or object, occurs more than once or twice, then this element is a symbol that represents something important.
For example, in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter, the letter "A" which Hester Prynne had to wear as punishment for her immorality was a clear symbol, but Pearl, her daughter, was also a symbol. Like the letter "A," Pearl is a reminder of her immorality, "a marker of shame." Hester often wore beautiful gold and red dresses on Pearl, thus physically linking her to the letter A and Hester's immoral acts
Step 8. Look for contemporary relationships
Referencing some relevant cultural or social issue that occurred at the time a manuscript was written is something that is usually very useful in your exams or essays. Use the study material you have, introducing critical editions of a manuscript and reliable sources for research, such as those you can find from library databases. Don't rely on websites like wikipedia or your own knowledge of the times, as both of these may be incomplete or inaccurate.
For example, if you study the short story "The Yellow Wallpaper," by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, you should be able to talk about the condition of women in the late 19th century. Gilman was a very important feminist writer, writing about her opposition to the traditional social structures of her time which emphasized that a woman's place is as a wife and mother. His argument is that these structures hurt men as well as women -- this is something very useful for you to discuss when discussing his works of fiction, and one that you may not know if you are merely acting on “common knowledge” of the era
Method 4 of 5: Making Important Notes for Poetry
Step 1. Know the type of poetry you are reading
Sometimes knowing the type of poetry you are studying, such as a sonnet, or a sestina, or a haiku, is very important so that you can discuss its meaning. You can often determine the type of poem you're reading by examining the rhyme scheme (rhyme pattern at the end of each line) and meters (the number of "feet" of poetry each line has).
- For example, Edna St. Vincent Millay shows how difficult it is to write poetry in his work entitled “I Will Put Chaos into Fourteen Lines.” Knowing that this poem is a sonnet about writing sonnets will help you to explain part of the purpose of this poem: to create a bit of modern "chaos" in a very old and mature form of poetry. Understanding that Millay uses the classic Petrarchan rhyme scheme and that many of the lines he writes are iambic pentameter (which means the sound is something like “ta-TUM ta-TUM ta-TUM ta-TUM ta-TUM”) will help you identify this poem as a sonnet.
- Many modern poets write in free lines, but that doesn't mean they don't pay attention to the form of their poetry. Look for elements such as alliteration, assonance, repetition, enjemen (line breaks), and rhythm in a free-line poem, just as you would analyze a poem with a more formal structure.
Step 2. Identify the speaker and listener of the poem if possible
This is especially important for poems in the form of dramatic monologues, where the “not” speaker represents the poet. Felicia Hemans, Robert Browning, and Alfred, Lord Tennyson, all write dramatic monologues from the perspectives of characters, who are very different from themselves.
Identifying the speaker in a lyric poem can be very tricky, as in poetry written by poets such as Wordsworth or John Keats, because these poems are usually written in the first person, without making a clear distinction between speaker and poet. In fact, in the poems written with first person pronouns such as "I" always refers to the speaker as the speaker himself, not the poet
Step 3. Write down all the symbols in the poem and the locations where they appear
As in prose, symbolism appears all the time in poetry. Pay attention to repeating elements, especially things like colors or natural images.
- For example, in William Wordsworth's poem "Tintern Abbey", the eye is an important symbol representing many things, including the poet's imagination. Wordsworth will often play on the sound similarity to the pronunciation of I and eye, further illustrating the relationship between the two concepts.
- Symbolism is all over the place in the epic poem Beowulf from the Anglo-Saxon period. One key symbolism is the Heorot hall, which is King Hrothgar's magnificent gilded hall. Heorot symbolizes community, courage, warmth, security, wealth and culture, so when Grendel attacks Heorot and kills the soldiers sleeping there, he has managed to mess up everything in the life of the Scylders.
Step 4. Remember that you don't have to memorize all the poems you learn
Just make sure you know the basics, such as the structure of the poem, the theme, and the overall idea or story.
Sometimes remembering a few key lines from a poem can help you use them as evidence. For example, if you are studying Walt Whitman's poem Leaves of Grass, you may want to remember the short phrase “dismiss whatever insults your own soul; and your very flesh shall be a great poem.” These short quotes sum up the meaning of the wider text, and using them in exams can help you to support your claims
Step 5. Find the context for your poem
Context is just as important for poetry as it is for works of fiction or drama. Knowing the type of issue the poet is trying to convey can help you understand the purpose of the poem.
Contextual information can also be useful to keep you from making untrue statements about poetry. For example, it is important to know that not all of Shakespeare's sonnets were written for women is important, because at that time, the standard for a sonnet was for women. In Shakespeare, most of his works are written to "handsome young men" or wealthy young people who attract the poet's attention deeply or perhaps romantically
Method 5 of 5: Coping With Difficult Texts
Step 1. Reread the passages you don't understand
Authors may use unusual language to create a stronger influence on the minds of readers, especially in poetry. This can be confusing at first, but slowly and carefully rereading it will pay off well.
Look for footnotes and other help. For books edited for students, editors usually include footnotes, word definitions, and other aids that can help you understand what's going on. Don't ignore this! This can help clear up confusing readings
Step 2. Avoid speed reading
Even if you read poetry or plays, reading them all is very important. Skipping over certain things like stage cues in Shakespeare's plays can lead you to miss important information. The language in poetry is chosen and structured precisely to have a certain effect, so skipping a word or two can mess up your understanding of the text as a whole.
Step 3. Read aloud
This technique works great for poetry and drama, but you can also use it for long, dense reading passages of prose in a novel, especially if the novel is like the novel by Charles Dickens, which contains sentences up to one paragraph long. full. Reading language aloud will help you become aware of elements such as rhythm, alliteration, and repetition. All of these things may be asked in your exam.
Step 4. Create a picture card
If you have trouble remembering certain things, make picture cards. Sometimes switching material from one medium to another (for example, from written notes to picture cards) will help you study more effectively.
Picture cards are especially useful for remembering things like literary terms and character names. Picture cards may not be very useful for remembering more complex information
Tips
- Use a highlighter to mark key passages so that they are clearly visible as you read them.
- Reread the text as often as possible.
- Make your notes in the form of a spider diagram or network map, as these shapes can help you remember important notes more easily.
- You can use guides like SparkNotes, York Notes, Shmoop, etc., but don't rely on these guides as your sole source of analysis. Teachers are usually also familiar with these guidelines and they won't be impressed if your analysis doesn't come up with anything better.
Warning
- Don't just read the summary or the back of the book. Read the whole script.
- Don't just memorize the storyline. You also need to be able to analyze the story.
