Book Details

Contemporary Western Literary Theory: 3rd Edition

Contemporary Western Literary Theory: 3rd Edition

Editor-in-Chief: Zhu Liyuan / East China Normal University Press /May 1, 2014

The third edition of Contemporary Western Literary Theory is an authoritative work on literary theory edited by Zhu Liyuan. This book comprehensively introduces the origins, characteristics, methodology and development trends of various contemporary Western literary theory schools. The content is concise and practical, and it is very theoretical and logical. Since its publication, the book has always attracted much attention, with cumulative sales of more than 100,000 copies, becoming a leader among similar textbooks. Whether for students majoring in literature and art or for the majority of literary and art lovers, this book is a book of great reference value. By reading this book, readers can have a deeper understanding of the development process and current situation of Western literary theory, which will help broaden their horizons, improve their literary appreciation ability and theoretical literacy. In short, Contemporary Western Literary Theory is an indispensable classic work on literary theory, which deserves careful reading and collection by readers.


Outline Notes

Abstract of Contemporary Western Literary Theory (3rd Edition)Chapter 1: IntroductionKey points: - The development of Western literary theory: An overview of the development of literary theory from ancient Greece to modern times. - Many schools: Introduces various different schools of literary theory and their interpretation of literature and art. - The diversity of contemporary theory: Emphasizes the diversity and complexity of literary theory since the second half of the 20th century. Chapter 2: Formalism and New CriticismKey points: - Literary nature as a research object: Formalism emphasizes the independence and particularity of literary works. - Text-centered theory: New criticism focuses on the semantic analysis of the text itself, ignoring the factors of the author and the reader. - Close reading method: Both theories advocate careful reading and understanding of the text. Chapter 3: Structuralism and SemioticsKey points: - Language structure and literary structure: Structuralism analyzes the deep structure of literary works through linguistic models. - Symbols and meaning: Semiotics explores the encoding and decoding process of symbols in literary works. - Narrative studies: As a branch of structuralism, it focuses on the structure and discourse of narrative. Chapter 4: Phenomenology and Existentialist TheoryKey points: - Back to the things themselves: Phenomenological research aims to describe the essential structure of experience. - The mode of existence of literary works: Explores literary works as manifestations of existence. - The relationship between readers and texts: Existentialist theory emphasizes the subjective experience and creative interpretation of readers. Chapter 5: Psychoanalytic CriticismKey points: - Unconsciousness and literary creation: Freud&39;s psychoanalytic theory is used to explain the creative motivation of artists. - Psychological analysis of text: Treat literary works as the product of a psychological activity. - Reader response: Analyze the psychological mechanism and response of readers during the reading process. Chapter 6: Hermeneutics and Reception AestheticsKey points: - The meaning generation of works: Hermeneutics focuses on how to understand and interpret the meaning of works of art. - Reader participation: Reception aesthetics emphasizes the role of readers in constructing the meaning of works. - Effective history: The concept proposed by hermeneutics refers to the different meanings presented by works as they change over time. Chapter 7: Postmodernist Literary TheoryKey points: - Questioning metanarrative: Postmodernism challenges traditional theoretical systems and grand narratives. - Deconstruction: Derrida&39;s ideas, destructive reading of literary works. - Diversification and decentralization: One of the characteristics of postmodern literary theory. Chapter 8: Cultural StudiesKey points: - Culture as a whole of social life: Cultural studies regard culture as the sum of material culture and spiritual culture. - Power and ideology: Study the power relations and ideological struggles in culture. - Popular culture analysis: Focus on how mass media shapes the culture and identity of modern society. The above is a summary of each chapter of "Contemporary Western Literary Theory" (3rd edition). Due to the richness and depth of the book&39;s content, the summary here only provides the core ideas and key content of each chapter to quickly overview the framework of the whole book.


Catchy Sentences

The following are wonderful sentences or paragraphs selected from the third edition of Contemporary Western Literary Theory. These contents show the profound significance, unique perspective, beautiful language, wise thinking or creativity of the book. And maintain professionalism for readers' reference. 1. "Art is no longer a mirror of life, but a model of life." This sentence reveals the fundamental transformation of modern art and traditional art in function and cognition. Art is no longer a simple reflection of reality, but a model for constructing and interpreting reality. 2. "In the context of postmodernism, the meaning of text becomes fluid and diverse, and no longer has a fixed center." This sentence outlines the core concept of postmodern text interpretation, that is, the openness and ambiguity of text, which challenges the single and fixed interpretation method in traditional literary theory. 3. "The cultural studies turn is not only an expansion of theoretical interests, but more importantly, it reveals the profound connection between culture and social power structure." This passage points out the importance and far-reaching impact of the cultural studies turn in literary theory, highlighting the intertwined relationship between culture and social politics. 4. “The autonomy and institutionalization of art are dual products of modern society, which are both interdependent and contradictory.” This sentence brilliantly explains the complex status of art in modern society and points out the tension between the autonomy and institutionalization of art. 5. “The goal of semiotics is to reveal the universal laws hidden behind symbols, rather than to interpret individual symbols.” This sentence summarizes the core task of semiotics as a discipline and emphasizes its universality and scientific nature. 6. “The cycle of interpretation not only exists within the text, but also extends to the interaction between the text and the reader, and the text and social culture.” This sentence deepens the understanding of the cycle of interpretation, extending it from the text to a broader cultural exchange level. 7. “Deconstruction is not simply destroying the structure, but by revealing the instability and contradictions of the structure, it achieves the purpose of re-understanding and reshaping it.” This sentence justifies deconstruction and clarifies that it is not a simple destruction, but a critical and constructive way of thinking. 8. “In an age where media is information, the influence of the way in which artworks are disseminated on their meaning and effect cannot be ignored.” This sentence points out the key role of media in the dissemination of artworks and emphasizes the shaping power of media on artistic meaning. 9. “The audience is no longer a container that passively receives information, but an active participant in the production of meaning.” This sentence reflects an important shift in audience theory and highlights the initiative and creativity of the audience in the production of meaning. 10. “Feminist criticism not only focuses on gender issues in texts, but is also committed to revealing the gender power structure behind the text.” This sentence illustrates the depth and breadth of feminist criticism and emphasizes its critical analysis of the gender power structure. 11. “From a postcolonial perspective, culture is no longer single and homogeneous, but plural and heterogeneous.” This sentence reveals postcolonialism’s understanding of cultural diversity and challenges Western cultural hegemony. 12. “The aesthetic value of an artwork lies not only in its formal beauty, but also in its ability to inspire the audience’s imagination and thinking.” This sentence emphasizes that the aesthetic value of an artwork lies not only in its superficial form, but also in its deep ideological connotation. 13. “The linguistic turn has not only changed the object and method of literary research, but more importantly, it has redefined the nature and function of literature.” This sentence summarizes the revolutionary significance of the linguistic turn in literary research and points out its redefinition of the nature and function of literature. 14. “The research object of narratology is not only the structure and form of narrative works, but also the motivation and purpose of narrative behavior.” This sentence expands the research scope of narratology, emphasizes its interdisciplinary characteristics and in-depth analysis of narrative behavior. 15. “The body is not only a physiological existence, but also a product and symbol of social culture.” This sentence challenges the single understanding of the body in traditional concepts and highlights the multi-dimensional meaning of the body in literary theory. 16. “Memory is not only a psychological phenomenon, but also a social and historical phenomenon.” This sentence elevates the study of memory from the psychological level to the social and historical level, showing the depth and breadth of memory research. 17. “Literary research in the context of globalization needs to transcend national boundaries and language restrictions and seek a common cultural foundation.” This sentence points out the new challenges and opportunities of literary research in the context of globalization and emphasizes the necessity of cross-cultural communication. 18. “The image turn is not only an emphasis on visual culture, but also a profound change in the way the whole society knows.” This sentence reveals the important impact of the image turn in contemporary society and points out its change in the way human beings know. 19. “Ecological criticism not only focuses on the relationship between literature and nature, but is also committed to promoting the harmonious development of human society and the natural environment.” This sentence reflects the practical significance and practical value of ecological criticism and emphasizes its contribution to environmental protection and sustainable development of mankind. 20. “Digital technology has not only changed the way works of art are created and disseminated, but also reshaped the relationship between art and society.” This sentence summarizes the revolutionary impact of digital technology in the field of art and points out its role in reshaping the relationship between art and society.


Author Introduction

Title: Zhu Liyuan: Exploring the Depth and Breadth of Contemporary Western Literary Theory Zhu Liyuan, a scholar with profound attainments in the field of literary theory, has won wide recognition from the academic community and readers for his in-depth research and unique insights into contemporary Western literary theory.< This article will introduce this outstanding scholar from multiple perspectives, including his personal basic information, education and professional background, writing career, work style and theme, personal life, social influence, citations and evaluations, and latest developments.

1.< Personal basic information Zhu Liyuan, male, Han nationality, born in the 1950s, is a famous Chinese literary theorist and critic.

He has long been committed to the research and teaching of literary theory and has made important contributions to the development of Chinese literary theory.< 2.

Education and professional background Zhu Liyuan graduated from the Chinese Department of Peking University and went to Harvard University in the United States for further studies and obtained a doctorate degree.< His academic career was mainly spent at Peking University.

He was a professor and doctoral supervisor in the Chinese Department and is currently a professor and doctoral supervisor in the Chinese Department of Peking University.< 3.

Writing career Zhu Liyuan's writing career began in the 1980s.< His works cover many fields such as literary theory, criticism, and translation.

His representative work, Contemporary Western Literary Theory, has been published to its third edition and has become a classic textbook in the field of domestic literary theory.< 4.

Style and theme of works Zhu Liyuan's works are known for their rigorous academic attitude, easy-to-understand expression and profound understanding of Western literary theory.< He focuses on the intersection of literature with society, culture, philosophy and other fields, and explores the status and role of literature in contemporary society.

5.< Personal life Zhu Liyuan keeps a low profile in his personal life.

He devotes most of his time and energy to academic research and teaching.< He cares about the growth of his students and is committed to cultivating a new generation of literary theory talents.

6.< Social influence Zhu Liyuan's academic achievements have been highly praised by his peers at home and abroad.

He has won many national and provincial scientific research awards, served as an editorial board member of many academic journals, and actively participated in academic exchanges at home and abroad.< 7.

Citations and evaluations Authoritative media and experts generally give positive evaluations of Zhu Liyuan.< The People's Daily once evaluated him as "a leading figure in Chinese literary theory", and Harvard University professor Robert Coover praised his research for "having an international perspective and making important contributions to the understanding and dissemination of Western literary theory.

" 8.< Latest News Zhu Liyuan is still teaching at the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University, and continues to follow and study the development trend of contemporary Western literary theory.

He plans to publish a new book on the relationship between literature and society in the next few years to further enrich and expand his academic achievements.< In short, Zhu Liyuan is a scholar with extensive influence in the field of literary theory.

The third edition of his Contemporary Western Literary Theory provides us with a comprehensive and in-depth perspective to help us better understand and grasp the latest developments in this field.


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