What is "close reading"? This course is a survey and discussion of close reading and its formative role in twentieth century literary criticism and studies. Technique, explication, interpretation, method, practice, judgement: we will discuss various understandings of close reading's tasks, its history, and its implications for how and why we read literature. Readings include foundational texts (I. A. Richards, William Empson, Cleanth Brooks; Jane Gallop, Jonathan Culler, Eve Sedgwick, etc.) and contemporary debates (John Guillory, Jonathan Kramnick, N. Katherine Hayles, etc.).
3-5 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit
What is "close reading"? This course is a survey and discussion of close reading and its formative role in twentieth century literary criticism and studies. Technique, explication, interpretation, method, practice, judgement: we will discuss various understandings of close reading's tasks, its history, and its implications for how and why we read literature. Readings include foundational texts (I. A. Richards, William Empson, Cleanth Brooks; Jane Gallop, Jonathan Culler, Eve Sedgwick, etc.) and contemporary debates (John Guillory, Jonathan Kramnick, N. Katherine Hayles, etc.).
Offered in Autumn 2025 at Stanford University.