Introduction to Literary Study
The Elements of Literarature
This course introduces students to four main literary genres: the Novel, the Drama, the Essay, and Poetry. It is also designed to improve students’ writing skills, and to develop their knowledge of literary terms and critical techniques as a foundation for further literary study.
J.A. Cuddon, editor of the renowned Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory, defines genre as “a kind, type, or class of literature,” recognizable through its distinctive attributes and features. One way readers can come to a deeper understanding about a work of literature is by seeing it as part of a larger genre, and by assessing how it adheres to—or departs from—those defining characteristics. All genres have discrete elements, which enable readers to subject a work to a close reading and analysis, and to unpack its various layers of meaning. Many genres have sub-genres or even sub-sub-genres, which allow readers to explore a work with increasing levels of sensitivity, and to communicate those ideas to others in a coherent way. This course will introduce students to four main literary genres: short fiction, drama, literary non-fiction, and poetry. It will impart a vocabulary and taxonomy for analysing literature, and it will construct a framework that emphasizes effective writing, critical thinking, and close reading. By doing so, this course will provide students with a sense of the richness and variety of literature, and it will equip them with the reading and writing skills they need for further English studies.
Course Information
ENGL 100 is a Queen's University online course. Log on to onQ with your Queen's NetID for complete information. All documents on this Web page will also be found on the ENGL 100 onQ page.
Course Syllabus
Download the printer-friendly version of the Course Syllabus in .pdf by clicking on the thumbnail below. Be sure to download the correct Course Syllabus. This Course Syllabus is for the Fall and Winter 2024-2025 ASO (online) version of ENGL 100.
