What sort of books do I need to study English literature ?

I'm starting Winchester university in September and what to know what sort of books I need to look at. I know books differ from uni to uni but are their any general ones I need to get? Like critical theory?
If so where can I get them?
thanks Sarah :smile:

Reply 1

Swanbow

Try look at the course section on the university website, or email the department for a preliminary reading list.

Reply 2

SarahPx

Original post by Swanbow

Try look at the course section on the university website, or email the department for a preliminary reading list.

Thanks for the advice but I emailed the uni a couple of weeks ago asking and have yet to get a reply :frown:

Reply 3

simplylldxo

Original post by SarahPx

Thanks for the advice but I emailed the uni a couple of weeks ago asking and have yet to get a reply :frown:

It'll tell you on the website. :smile:

Reply 4

ImpalaF

As far as I am aware the main book for the first semester is supplied for us and Othello is the only required reading. Is this correct??

Reply 5

TritonSails

Original post by ImpalaF

As far as I am aware the main book for the first semester is supplied for us and Othello is the only required reading. Is this correct??

Wow, really?

Reply 6

simplylldxo

I'm buying Studying English Literature by Tory Young (it's perfect for undergraduates) and An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory by Andrew Bennett and Nicholas Royle - they are non-specific textbooks so any English Lit student could use them. I recently bought Oxford's Dictionary of Literary Terms which is another great non-specific book for English Lit students; more specific books would depend on the university as each uni varies their modules.

I studied Merchant of Venice and Othello for my foundation year and disliked the pair of them although they were quite similar (both set in Venice in the 16th Century)... so you would focus on the same piece of literature for the whole semester. That's weird.

Reply 7

TritonSails

Original post by SarahPx

On topic, my recommendation is the classic Terry Eagleton book simply called 'Literary Theory'. What better way to start an English degree than to be told that it is pointless and indulgent by an angry Marxist?

Reply 8

ImpalaF

Original post by TritonSails

Wow, really?

This reply wasn't helpful, just stupid and rude, if you know of the full reading list instead of being spiteful and up yourself, maybe you could actually help?

Reply 9

TritonSails

Original post by ImpalaF

This reply wasn't helpful, just stupid and rude, if you know of the full reading list instead of being spiteful and up yourself, maybe you could actually help?

I don't. I did in a later post offer a suggestion for more general reading that would be good for anyone starting an English degree. I'm not suggesting you are wrong. I'm just amazed at the idea that Othello might be the only thing you'd be required to read for a whole term's work.

Reply 10

ImpalaF

Original post by TritonSails

Sorry, I doubted it myself so that's why I wanted confirmation and I thought you were being mean rather than helping when you knew otherwise sorry

Reply 11

The Empire Odyssey

Original post by simplylldxo

Where did you get your undergraduate textbooks from? Was it preowned?

Also, how can you NOT like those two plays? Those are by far 2 of the BEST Shakespeare plays I have ever read. Absolutely adore Merchant! Shyyloooock though!! Amazing!

Reply 12

simplylldxo

Original post by The Empire Odyssey

Amazon

they aren't pre-owned but there is a deal on Studying English Literature and Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory because these two books are frequently purchased together - they are £34.15 instead of £37 when brought separately but there are used options too. I'm not a huge fan of pre-owned books as they normally have annotations, highlighted passages and words underlined which is my ultimate pet peeve.

I think the reason I don't like them is that I did them in two of my modules at the same time; I did Merchant for my Level 2 English Lang module on a Monday and Othello for my Level 3 English Lit module on a Tuesday! :confused:

and the fact they were quite similar in terms of setting and location. Also some themes were similar too. I did like Iago though :smile:

Reply 13

TritonSails

Another slightly off-piste recommendation: Keywords by Raymond Williams. It's not directly about literature, it is more a series of historical/sociological essays describing terms which he sees as being especially loaded or interesting in culture. Quick, good read, you can probably find cheap used copies on the internet.