Routledge - The Role of the Literary Canon in Teaching Literature

Explore the complex history and influence of the literary canon in this academic study from Routledge. Part of the Routledge Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Literature series, this book examines how the concept of a literary canon affects the teaching of literature in United States colleges and secondary schools. The text traces the evolution of the canon from the 1800s, when the discipline of teaching literature first began, through the second half of the 20th century. It looks at the period when the term became widely used in literary studies and when the idea of certain texts being more worthy of study than others started to be viewed as politically and culturally problematic. This book provides a deep look into how these ideas have shaped educational standards and classroom discussions. It is an essential resource for educators, students, and scholars interested in the history of literary theory and the changing ways we approach literature in a classroom setting.