This introduction to literary studies provides an entry into literature and the science surrounding it by establishing and practicing personal experiences in engaging with them. It enables - and this is its novelty - an active and productive exploration of literature, its forms and structures, as well as their functions, achievements, and effects, through hands-on work with the key literary methods ranging from analytical to productive approaches. It aims to convey concrete personal experiences with literature and a foundational competence in engaging with it. This introduction focuses on the core areas of literature: poetry, narrative, and drama, and it systematically examines the structurally constitutive features of each genre in their systematic contexts. It primarily addresses conventional literature.