Poetics and Comparative Literature Department

The department was among the pioneers in breaking away from the methodological constraints of studying national literatures and in putting poetics and the theory of literature at the center of literary studies. Thus, in addition to the traditional disciplines of literature, including national literatures and thematic and stylistic comparisons of texts, schools, period concepts and individual authors, the department has brought to the forefront the study of general questions. These include such questions as what is literature? what constitutes literary history? which rules govern literary periodizations? how are literary effects produced? what is a literary interpretation? and what is the relationship between authors, narrators, and protagonists? Particular emphasis is placed on the semiotic aspect: the study of literature as a system of signs used in cultural communication.

Today the department combines the three major contemporary approaches to the study of texts in general and literary texts in particular: poetics and comparative literature, cognitive poetics and discourse analysis, and socio-cultural critique. Students can study literature from all three angles with varying degrees of specialization. After taking introductory courses in text theory, the systematic study of prose and poetry, and linguistics, and after gaining knowledge of the Western and Hebrew canon, the student can concentrate on one approach or opt for a wide synthesis. Translation studies in which poetics and semiotics converge with practical training add to the broad choice offered by the department.

The individualized curriculum encourages students to attend classes in other departments, including Philosophy, Hebrew Literature, English or French Literature, Psychology, Anthropology, and Art History. At the same time, students from other departments take courses in the department. For example, the introduction to prose narrative hosts students from Theater and Film departments; courses in the cognitive study of texts attacts students from other cognitive disciplines, as well as linguistics and other literary departments; and introductory courses to socio-cultural critique serve students from the department of philosophy and other literary departments.

The department holds a seminar, the M.A. Forum, where graduate students discuss works presented by their peers, and a staff seminar in which work in progress is presented. The interdisciplinary character of the department is reflected in both seminars and in the topics addressed at its annual conference. Other activities are organized by the Porter Institute for Poetics and Semiotics, the research arm of the department.

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