English Literature Masterclass

On Sunday, March 14, a diverse group of students from London and beyond gathered for the English Masterclass with the aim of getting to grips with the theory and methods of modern literary criticism. After an introductory look at the way in which literary criticism has evolved over the last century, students spent the morning engaging in a  lively discussion of the aims of feminism and feminist literary criticism, before applying these ideas to readings of Christina Rosetti and Virginia Woolf. In the afternoon, two short workshops introduced students to two central problems of literary criticism: the role of the author’s intentions in the interpretation of a text and the place of literature in society today. The day concluded with an introduction to postcolonial literature and theory, stimulating another energetic debate, and encouraging students to put these and other ideas to work in their own experiences of literature.

-Paul Earlie, Debate Chamber English Literature Tutor