The manual substantiates the system of concepts studied in the course of literary theory and used in the analysis of literary works of the epic, lyrical and dramatic kind; the leading aspects of the literary process (genus, genre, method, style, literary direction) are covered; The main concepts and points of view on the essence of literature that developed in literary theory and aesthetics in the 19th – 20th centuries are considered. The interpretation of concepts and categories takes into account modern approaches to their understanding; comprehension and justification of a number of concepts (lyrical work, spatio-temporal organization of an epic work, style) is accompanied by an analysis of specific literary texts. The manual is addressed to students, graduate students and other categories of readers specializing in the field of philology.