DANTAN HIGH SCHOOL (H.

S)
TOPIC OF DISCUSSION : TEXT –
STUDY
 IMPORTANCE / RELEVANCE OF TEXT
STUDY
• A student of literature of any language needs to
study different texts . He /She needs to queeze
out the last drop from a piece of text . Only then
he/she becomes successful in understanding the
text in its entireity. Right now text study has
become quite relevant a topic for a student of
any literature . Very recently this area has
broadened remarkably, become more scientific
and has included other subjects in its dominion.
Right now text study needs an out and out
scientific approach.
 WHAT IS A TEXT ?
• Lets check out two reputed dictionaries for the literal
meaning of the word “TEXT”.
OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY (OED):
1. A book or other written or printed work.
2. The main part of a written work as distinct from
appendices, illustrations etc.
3. Written or printed words/ computer data.
4. A written work chosen as a subject of study.
5. A passage from the Bible as the subject of a sermon.
6. A text message.
• WEBSTER’S STUDENT DICTIONARY:
1. The actual or original words of an author or speaker, as
distinguished from notes ,commentary,illustrations etc.
2. Any of the written or printed versions or editions of a piece of
writing .
3. The main body of written or matter of a book or a single page ,
as distinguished from notes , indexes, illustrations etc.
4. The words of a song , opera etc.
5. A verse of scripture,esp. when cited as the basis of a sermon .
6. Any subject of discourse; a topic ; theme.
7. One of several styles of letters or types.
 A piece of literature

An art work / a piece of painting

A stage/theatrical presentation

A lyric

TEXT A musical symphony

A movie / a film work

An opera work

A dance form

A sculpture/ a sculptural work

WHAT SHOULD BE AN IDEAL APPROACH TO STUDY A PIECE OF TEXT?

Step- 1 ------- Context

Step- 2 ------- Text
Step – 3 ------Subtext
Step – 4 ------ Intertext
 ELABORATION / RAMIFICATION OF
THESE STEPS
STEP – 1 --- CONTEXT
• OED : “ The circumstances that form the
setting for an event , statement or an idea.”
• WEBSTER: “ The portions of a discourse ,
treatment etc preceding and following a
passage quoted or considered .”
 Creational motivation/urge/ impetus
• “Circumstances” that form the “setting” for
a creation .
• Creation of any kind needs motivation, urge(
personal) , impetus .
• William Shakespeare: “ Literature is a mirror
holding upto nature.”
 TYPES OF CREATIONAL
URGE/IMPETUS/MOTIVATION
1. Historical
2. Political
3. Social
4. Economical
5. Philosophical
6. Psychological
7. Emotional
8. Imaginational
9. Circumstantial
 EXAMPLES
( Historical)
I. Macbeth ----- William Shakespeare –( The Scottish
history)
II. Iavanho ---- --- Walter Scott –(set in the period of
Norman domination of the Saxons at the regin of
Richard I.)
III. “ A Tale of Two Cities”– Charles Dickens– ( set in
Paris and London during the French Revolution .)
IV. “War and Peace”– Leo Tolstoy –( set in Russia
during the invasion by Napoleon)
V. Sea of poppies---- Amitav Ghosh --- --( colonial
context of poppy business in the South- East Asia.)
VI. Tuglag --- Grish Karnard
 POLITICAL IMPETUS

a. Animal Farm --- George Orwell

b. Hard Times----- Charles Dickens
c. Midnight Children--- Salman Rushde
d. Bankim’s novels
Socio-Economical
i. Waiting for Godot– Sameul Becket
ii. Look back in Anger- John Osborne
iii. White Tiger --- Arvind Adiga
iv. Five – Point Someone– Chetan Bhagat
v. The Hungry Tide – Amitav Ghosh
 PHILOSOPHICAL

i. Farenheit -421----- Ray Bradburry

ii. The Lord of The Rings --- R.K.Tolkein
iii. The Jurassic World – Arthur Connon Doyle
iv. Harry Potter– J.K.Rowling
 PSYCHOLOGICAL
1. Crime and Punishment ---- Fyodor
Doystovisky
2. Poems of Robert Browning
3. Works of James Joyce
4. Works of modern writers
A. The Rape of The Lock --- Alexander Pope
B. Poems of Sunil Gangapadhya
Text
Step ---3
 SUBTEXT----- Inner meaning/ deeper meaning /text
within text
STEP –4
INTERTEXT

 Comparing of text with other cognate texts.

Here one can compare a specific text with other
cognate /like- contented texts from different
branches /disciplines. It will help the reader to
have an effective realization of the text he/she
is studying.
APPLICATION OF THIS TEXT-
STUDY APPROACH
 TEXT------ R.K.NARAYAN’S LEELA’S FRIEND
 CONTEXT—Indifference/aloofness/distance/suspicion and
ill-sympathy of the so-called rich people of the society to
their fellow netizens of the lower sections of the society/
Decline of relationship between different social classes/ need
of moral values within the very system of justice.
I. SUBTEXT----
II. Indifferent/ill-sympathy/suspectile attitude of the so-called
high class towards the people of the lower class.
III. Relationship of master- servant and the need of humanity
/trust/self-belief in that relationship.
IV. Relation of Sidda and Leela------ sublimeness and purity of
the relation.
Intertext
1. John Galsworthy– Justice
2. Langston Hughes—Thank
you,Ma’am
3. Habib Tanver- Choron Das
Chor
4. V.Shataram--- Do ankhei
bara hath( movie)
Example—2
1. Text– Lines composed upon Westminister
Bridge by William Wordsworth
2. Context--- imaginational/sensual
3. Subtext– love for nature /poetic
presentationof the beauty of Westminister
Bridge / sublimity of imagination
4. Intertext–
i)The Daffodils
ii)The Solitary Reaper
iii)Lines Composed a few miles
above Tintern Abbey