Literary Criticism Course: From Plato to Leavis | IIT Madras
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 207 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Core |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 12 weeks |
| Categories | Humanities and Social Sciences, English Studies |
| Credit Points | 3 |
| Level | Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 19 Jan 2026 |
| End Date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 02 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 20 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 25 Apr 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
Literary Criticism: A 12-Week Journey from Plato to Leavis
Embark on an intellectual voyage through the cornerstone texts of Western literary critical thought. This advanced 12-week postgraduate course, offered by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, is meticulously designed to guide students through the evolution of literary theory, from its classical origins to its modern formulations. Under the expert guidance of Prof. Merin Simi Raj, you will not only read these seminal works but learn to situate them within their historical and literary contexts, understanding their enduring impact on how we read, interpret, and value literature today.
Meet Your Instructor: Prof. Merin Simi Raj
Prof. Merin Simi Raj is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Madras. With specialized expertise in Postcolonial Writing, Modernity Studies, and Historiography, she brings a rich, interdisciplinary perspective to the study of literary criticism. Her teaching portfolio includes History of English Language and Literature, Indian fiction in English, Feminist Writings, and this comprehensive course on Literary Criticism.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is specifically intended for:
- Postgraduate students of English Literature.
- Advanced undergraduate students seeking a rigorous foundation in literary theory.
- Academics and researchers looking to revisit the foundational texts of the discipline.
- Enthusiastic readers who wish to deepen their analytical engagement with texts.
Note: This course is designed for academic enrichment and is supported primarily by the academic community.
Course Overview & Learning Objectives
The course moves beyond a simple survey of names and dates. It aims to provide a deep, contextual understanding of critical paradigms. Throughout the 12 weeks, learners will be encouraged to perform close readings of primary texts, grapple with specific concepts and frameworks, and trace the development of literary traditions. The goal is to equip you with the critical vocabulary and historical awareness essential for advanced literary study.
Detailed 12-Week Course Layout
| Week | Topics & Key Thinkers |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Classical Criticism: Foundations with Aristotle’s Poetics. |
| Week 2 | Longinus’s On the Sublime and the landscape of Criticism in the Middle Ages. |
| Week 3 | The Renaissance defense: Sir Philip Sidney’s Apology for Poetry. |
| Week 4 | Neoclassical Principles: John Dryden’s Preface to The Fables and Samuel Johnson’s Preface to Shakespeare. |
| Week 5 | The Romantic Revolution: Wordsworth’s Lyrical Ballads Preface, Coleridge’s Biographia Literaria, Keats’s Letters, and Shelley’s Defence of Poetry. |
| Week 6 | 19th-Century Transitions: Matthew Arnold’s Preface to the Poems, Henry James’s Art of Fiction, and Edgar Allan Poe’s The Poetic Principle. |
| Week 7 | Modernist Foundations: T.S. Eliot’s Tradition and the Individual Talent and The Metaphysical Poets. |
| Week 8 | Modern Criticism Expands: Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own and the rise of Practical Criticism with I.A. Richards. |
| Week 9 | Mid-20th Century Debates: F.R. Leavis’s The Great Tradition and René Wellek’s analysis of The New Criticism: Pro and Contra. |
| Week 10 | Formalism and Its Discontents: Viktor Shklovsky’s Art as Technique and Walter Benjamin’s The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. |
| Week 11 | The Author in Question: Roland Barthes’s The Death of the Author and Michel Foucault’s What is an Author? |
| Week 12 | Feminist Interventions: Elaine Showalter’s Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness and Annette Kolodny’s Dancing through the Minefield. |
Why Study Literary Criticism?
Literary criticism is the backbone of English studies. It provides the tools to:
- Decode Texts: Move beyond surface-level reading to uncover deeper meanings, structures, and contexts.
- Understand History of Ideas: See how concepts of beauty, truth, representation, and authorship have evolved over centuries.
- Formulate Arguments: Develop coherent, theoretically informed critiques of literary and cultural works.
- Engage in Scholarly Dialogue: Participate in the ongoing conversation that defines the field of literary studies.
This course offers a structured pathway to mastering these skills by engaging directly with the source material that shaped the discipline.
Enroll in a Tradition of Critical Excellence
This postgraduate-level course from IIT Madras represents a unique opportunity to study the history of literary criticism in a systematic, rigorous, and contextually rich environment. Guided by Prof. Merin Simi Raj’s expertise, you will traverse the landscape of Western critical thought, from its origins in ancient philosophy to its transformative modern and feminist phases. Whether you aim to strengthen your academic foundation or refine your analytical prowess, this journey from Plato to Leavis is an indispensable intellectual pursuit.
Enroll Now →