The importance and need to look literature critically(books, plays, poetry, theories)

Basic literary concepts

1. Language used in prose/poetry

Conventional/Unconventional Imagery
Imagery is the picture created by the author. Conventional- Something that is old fashioned, traditional and repeated over again and again. Example of Conventional imagery in lyrics of the film Chadhvi ka chand ho. (Aftab-sun)

Unconventional imagery
My mistresss eyes are nothing like the sun. Coral is far more red than her lip's red. If hairs be wires, black wires go on her head.
-Sonnet 130: William Shakespeare

2. Contemporary/Archaic
Example of Archaic And chiefly Thou, O, Spirit, that dost prefer. Before all temples the upright heart and pure, Before all temples the upright heart and pure, (invocation of the muse for composition of a literary work)

Anachronism

3. Mood of the poem, prose piece or play

The mood of the poem is the ambience created by the poem or the prose-passage. A Passage from The Better Man - Anita Nair. At home, I would have gone to the kitchen gathered a handful of dried coconut fronds, lit a fire and warmed a huge cauldron of water, while the water is heated , I would rub oil into my skin and then bathe in that water scented with smoke & wood fire. After that I would serene myself with a plate of rice, not these bleached white grains, but the reddish brown rice still tasting of the earth and sunshine. There would be a curry of green papaya cooked in buttermilk and a piece of fried fish- (378)

Setting of the novel.

Includes the locale, food habbits, dress codes or the

cultural practices of a specific area where the novel is set. For example: The general setting of Macbeth is medieval Scotland. In Five Point Someone the setting is IIT campusenvironment. Hinglish and lots of local terms and foul language is used by the author. Chetan vehemently asserts in one of his interviews that: Locations, places & venues are all very real. And the prices for parathas are real too. ( Authors homepage)

Ambiguity When two words with two possible similar meanings are applied to a single situation or an event it is called ambiguity. Ask me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man. Mercutio, in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet.

Satire The literary art of derogating a subject by making it ridiculous. Its aim is to evoke a an emotion of ridicule, contempt or indignation. Usually happened among the court poets of 17th and 18th century where there was a great amount of political rivalry among different political parties like Tories and Whigs. One of the best known satirical poets are Dryden and Pope. Drydens satire is political satire. Whereas Alexander Popes satire is mannerisms of the upper class elite. Refrain When a line or a part of a line is repeated over a course of a poem it is called a refrain. Usually happens in Ballads and childrens rhymes. Eg: Old Macdonalds had a duck; Eea, Eea oh A quack quack there and a quack quack here. Old Macdonalds had a duck Give example of another rhyme similarly having a refrain.

Poetic Justice. The term coined by Thomas Rhymer, an English critic of later 17th C . The term poetic justice means at the end of a literary work, there is a distribution of rewards and punishments, in proportion to the virtues and vices done. If the fate of the character is allotted as per her/his actions we say poetic justice has been assigned. (functions according to the principles of karma)
Example. Poetic justice is assigned to the characters. Shylock is punished for being such a cruel money-lender.