Here you will get the detailed summary of IGNOU MEG 5 Block 1 – An Introduction.
We have provided the summary of all units starting from unit 1 to unit 6.
Introduction
Block 1 of the IGNOU MEG-5 course, titled An Introduction, explores the foundational principles of literary criticism and theory, tracing the evolution of critical thought from classical Western traditions to contemporary approaches, while also incorporating Indian aesthetics. This block equips students with the conceptual tools necessary to engage with complex literary texts and theoretical discourses. It addresses fundamental questions about literature, its interpretation, the purpose of criticism, and the shifting role of theory in modern academia. The six units of this block provide a comprehensive overview of both historical perspectives and modern theoretical challenges, laying the groundwork for deeper study in subsequent blocks.
Unit 1 – Literature, Criticism and Theory
This unit introduces the core relationship between literature, criticism, and theory, explaining how these components interact in the field of literary studies.
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Literature is no longer viewed simply as creative or fictional writing; it is now considered a text open to multiple interpretations.
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Criticism is the practice of analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting texts, often focusing on meaning, structure, and technique.
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Theory goes beyond criticism by questioning the underlying assumptions about language, meaning, identity, power, and ideology.
The unit emphasizes how modern literary studies increasingly rely on theoretical frameworks to understand:
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How meaning is constructed
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The politics of representation
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The role of the reader
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The cultural and ideological contexts of texts
The rise of theory has shifted focus from authorial intent to the text itself, and later, to the reader’s role and socio-political contexts.
Unit 2 – Overview of Western Critical Thought
This unit offers a chronological survey of the evolution of Western literary criticism from Classical Antiquity to the 19th century.
Key developments include:
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Greek thought:
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Plato condemned poetry as imitation (mimesis) and morally suspect.
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Aristotle, in contrast, defended literature, especially tragedy, as a source of catharsis and ethical reflection.
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Roman criticism:
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Horace focused on decorum and usefulness of literature.
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Longinus introduced the idea of the sublime, or literary greatness.
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Medieval and Renaissance periods emphasized:
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Religious morality in literature.
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Allegorical readings and moral instruction.
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Neoclassical criticism (17th–18th centuries):
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Advocated for order, decorum, and adherence to rules.
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Writers like Dryden and Pope were prominent voices.
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Romanticism (late 18th–early 19th centuries):
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Stressed emotion, imagination, and individual genius.
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Key figures include Wordsworth and Coleridge.
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19th-century criticism:
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Matthew Arnold promoted a humanistic view of literature.
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Critics like Ruskin linked literature to morality and social values.
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This unit sets the stage for understanding the break that 20th-century theory makes with this tradition.
Unit 3 – Twentieth Century Developments
This unit outlines the major theoretical movements of the 20th century, which marked a significant shift in how literature was studied and interpreted.
Key movements and concepts:
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Russian Formalism:
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Focused on the literariness of texts and devices like defamiliarization.
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New Criticism:
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Emphasized close reading and the self-contained nature of the text.
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Structuralism:
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Based on linguistics (Saussure), it viewed literature as a system of signs.
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Poststructuralism/Deconstruction:
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Challenged structuralism by arguing that meaning is unstable and contradictory.
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Key figures: Derrida, Barthes, Foucault.
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Reader-Response Theory:
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Emphasized the active role of the reader in creating meaning.
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Psychoanalytic Criticism:
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Applied Freud and Lacan’s theories of the unconscious to literature.
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Marxist Criticism:
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Examined class, ideology, and the economic basis of literature.
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Feminist, Postcolonial, Queer Theory:
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Challenged dominant narratives by emphasizing gender, race, colonialism, and sexuality.
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The unit shows how theory became increasingly interdisciplinary, merging literature with politics, sociology, linguistics, and psychoanalysis.
Unit 4 – The Function of Criticism
This unit explores what criticism is supposed to do — its function and value in literary studies and culture.
Major themes include:
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The idea that criticism should serve as:
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A mediator between the writer and the reader.
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A means to evaluate and explain literature.
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Matthew Arnold viewed criticism as a way of engaging with the best thoughts and knowledge available.
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T.S. Eliot and Leavisite critics (like F.R. Leavis) emphasized literary tradition and moral seriousness.
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New Criticism treated criticism as a scientific, objective activity, focusing on the internal coherence of the text.
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Modern theorists like Terry Eagleton criticized traditional criticism for being elitist and apolitical.
The unit concludes that criticism is both interpretive and ideological, and its role is not fixed—it evolves with cultural, political, and theoretical shifts.
Unit 5 – Indian Aesthetics
This unit presents traditional Indian literary theory, offering a non-Western framework for understanding literature and its effects.
Core Concepts:
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Rasa Theory (from Bharata’s Natyashastra):
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Describes how art evokes emotional experiences (rasas) such as love, sorrow, heroism, wonder, etc.
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Dhvani (suggestion):
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Introduced by Anandavardhana, it stresses implied meaning over literal meaning.
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Alankara (ornamentation) and Riti (style):
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Deal with poetic devices and stylistic elements that enhance literary beauty.
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Abhinavagupta’s commentary refined rasa theory by analyzing the role of the sensitive reader/spectator.
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The goal of literature in Indian aesthetics is emotional, moral, and spiritual upliftment, not just entertainment.
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Modern Indian thinkers like Aurobindo and Coomaraswamy integrated ancient poetics with contemporary thought.
This unit affirms that Indian aesthetics offers philosophical depth and cultural specificity, standing as a robust system of literary interpretation.
Unit 6 – Resistance to Theory / How to Read a Reader
This unit tackles the suspicion or resistance toward theory, particularly from traditional scholars or institutions.
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Based on Paul de Man’s essay, the unit argues that resistance comes from theory’s tendency to destabilize meaning and authority.
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Theory is not optional in reading literature; it informs every interpretive act, even when unacknowledged.
It also discusses the issue of “How to Read a Reader”:
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Theory anthologies often reflect editorial choices and ideological positions.
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The way readers are taught to read theory (through selected texts and excerpts) can shape their understanding in limited or biased ways.
Important reflections include:
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The politics of syllabus-making.
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The constructed nature of academic “canons.”
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The problem of reducing complex theories to simple formulas.
The unit encourages learners to be self-reflexive, questioning not just the content but also the structures of learning and interpretation in literary studies.