1. Literary Theory and Methodology Session Six: The Ethics of Reading

2. Agenda What is ethics? The Ethics of reading / ethical criticism and narrative From liberal humanism to structuralism and poststructuralism Examples

3. What is ethics? Ethics = moral philosophy Universalism, relativism, pluralism –Good / bad –Right / wrong –Virtuous / sinful

4. Ethical criticism and narrative Why narrative? Why not poetry? Narrative Story / plot Character / characterization

5. The ethics of reading / ethical criticism Liberal humanism: Universalism –The author –The characters Structuralism / poststructuralism: –The text –The reader

6. The ethics of reading / ethical criticism Liberal humanism The author (and the text) –Complex experience of life –Moral intensity, moral intelligence –Spiritual health

7. The ethics of reading / ethical criticism The tradition of liberal humanism (universalism) –Characters = real human beings –Motivations and actions –Thought and speech –Actions and consequences –Evaluations and discussion

8. The ethics of reading / ethical criticism Feminism Postcolonialist theory Gay, lesbian and queer theory Green reading / ecocriticism

9. The ethics of reading / ethical criticism (Structuralism: –Sign systems rather than authors –Characterization rather than character) Poststructuralism –The openness of the text –The signifier rather than the signified

10. Jeanette Winterson, Written on the Body ”It’s the clichés that cause all the trouble” The narrator-protagonist’s invention of Louise Louise’s invention of herself

11. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus The dangers of excessive ambition Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay To mould me man? Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me? John Milton, Paradise Lost

12. James Joyce, ”The Dead” What ought Gabriel to do / to have done regarding his dinner speach? What happens to Gabriel? Death or new start?

13. Nadine Gordimer, ”The Moment Before the Gun Went Off”