c.
LITERARY THEORY
Introduction to Literary Criticism
Definition: Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature.
Why practise criticism at all? Because it's interesting, and opens the door to a wider appreciation of
literature, particularly that in other languages.
There are different approaches for the practice for literary criticism. Here we have a summary of the main
ones. We are not going to chose one of them, but we are going to use them all to some extent.
Approach Literature is its purpose methodology implications
autonomous aesthetic focus on structure revolutionized the
object; appreciation of and elements of the study of literature;
Formalism verbal art and work, especially helped create
unified in terms technique. how form and literature as a
New Criticism of form and meaning are serious object of
meaning; Literature valued related. Establish inquiry; became
as a high art unity of the work official way to
features irony, whose meaning through teach literature--
paradox, and can transcend interrelation of all anyone could learn
complexity time. its parts. to do a formalist
explication--didn't
need to research
has a single social,
valid biographical, and
interpretation historical contexts.
organized by Purpose and Identify Literary work can't
categories and value depends characteristics of be read out of the
Genre Studies derives on the genre. different genres of context of other
meaning For Aristotle, the literature and works similar to it.
through its purpose of categorize Authors write
relationship to tragedy was individual works. within certain
other works catharsis, the traditions and
with similar purging of the conventions, even
characteristics. emotions of fear if they break with
It is based on and pity. them.
generic
expectations
a means to an moral Consider author's literature is
end, an instruction, purpose and rhetorical since it is
Rhetorical instrument for inform and intention, how they always about ideas,
getting persuade the want the audience and often touches
something reader; to act; on ultimate
done; features questions about the
strategies and nature of
techniques humankind etc.
designed to Author always
govern the writes to an
reader's audience and the
response author's conception
of the audience
alters the work of
art.
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is an to alter reader's Study the complex Reader is really an
experience; text assumptions and process of a reader ideal or implied
Reader-Response is not separate characteristic constructing reader and often is
from its ways of viewing meaning from the fantastically
(Fish) realization by a the world; results words, what reader talented, erudite;
reader; in reader's self- brings to the text Reception approach
discovery to and gets from the notes that the
Phenomenology meaning is achieve a reading experience of it; meaning of a text
transactional-- that feels right study reception of changes over time
Psychology the result of the the work in its time and that readers get
(Holland) transaction and over time; more sophisticated
between the from learning to
reader and a read new literary
text styles. RR
diametrically
opposed to
formalism--no
objective reality to
the literature
outside of the
transaction with a
reader.
an individual a way to learn Study sets or very rationalistic--
instance of a more about the genres to determine assumes that
larger system system of the rules that meaning is
of language language and govern them. understood through
Structuralism and structure; structures that Divide the work up difference as
literature is a determine into divisible expressed through
special kind of cultural components based binary oppositions
based on linguistic language use production; can on functional codes (light/dark; male
theories of that has its own lead to a science to do with the plot, rationality/female
Saussure--langue, rules and of signs suspense, character emotionalism;
parole, signifier, conventions development, written vs. oral
signified, sign which govern social knowledge, language etc.)
how individual and themes
works are
formed.
Deconstruction text whose textual meaning doesn't just reverse Like Formalism,
meaning is is not finite; the hierarchy but involves close
Post-structural- known only close attention to undermines the reading of
through the play of idea of the language, but
ism difference. language yields opposition as valid. denies unity of
Language is pleasure Locate the point of form and meaning;
arbitrary; truth contradiction, uses the discovery
claims and where the text of rules in
intentions of a "breaks free of the Structuralism to
text are constraints undermine idea of
undermined by imposed by its own rational rules;
its own realistic form" recognizes author's
contradictions; intentions, as in
meaning is rhetorical criticism,
finally places power to
indeterminate. make meaning of
the text, as in
reader response.
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Approach Literature is its purpose methodology implications
grows out of Literature Identify and explain fits in with
previously written builds and how a work uses historical, new
Literary forms and works, improves on a traditional forms and historical, reader-
Tradition especially in great tradition. materials and how it reponse, genre
specific genre. Ex. Reader departs from them. criticism, and
Some Shakespeare appreciates View the work in others.
sonnets parody literature in terms of preceding
earlier Petrarchan context of other and succeeding
sonnets. great works. literature in similar
style, genre and
theme.
is not autonomous Literature Identify systems of is basic in literary
but is an expression provides thought and large study--to see the
Historicism of the powerful cultural and historical forces that work in terms of
ideas and world historical determine and historical
view of the author's insight. inform literary background. It has
culture and era. expression in an era. given way to New
Historicism.
Works show literature not Look at marginal criticized
themselves to be just aesthetic or texts as well as historicism for
New bound by social simply canonical. Look at using history only
Historicism codes and reflective of sex, gender, class, as a background for
conventions, while history and colonialism. Look at author's life and
they prove to ideas. Gives a interconnections work. Brought in
subvert or undercut sense of how among author's life "larger networks of
the dominant literature and behavior, meaning" to show
beliefs of their functions within written texts, and the how art functions
society culture to belief systems of the within a culture.
support and culture.
challenge its
culture.
is "a symbolic to reveal Study the text as an Suggests
statement of unconscious expression of the profoundly
Freudian unconscious fantasies of the author's unconscious personal reasons for
fantasies that the author, reader, fantasies. writing and reading
artist [and reader] critic, and even literature that has
could not otherwise fictional implications for the
admit" characters. psychological
health of writers
and readers.
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is an expression of Analysis of Study patterns of universalizes
universal literature can myths, images, literature. Thought
experience across reveal symbols, icons and to be reductionist
time and cultures archetypes other archetypes that by some critics in
Archetypal found in consistent across cultures appear in many its use of a few
patterns, myths, and help to cultures. View each patterns to explain
(Jung) and symbols called discern their literary work as an literature. Has
archetypes. meaning. individual spiritual
Literature reveals articulation of an implications in its
the "collective underlying metaphysical belief
unconscious," an archetype. Ex. in the collective
inborn repository rebirth archetype in unconscious.
of universal the Bible (Jonah and
images. the Whale and in
The Rime of the
Ancient Mariner).
Biographical Meaning of work is to provide Research author's can yield a greater
reflective of insight into life for connections understanding of
experiences of author's lives and parallels in the the work. But,
author. and thought and work. Formalists
the intent of the criticized it.
work to better
understand both
Feminist mirrors, resists, or can reveal sexist Analyze traditional Provides a new
reinforces constructions of canon of male perspective on
patriarchal, male- women and writers for sexist literature and the
centered culture, challenge their stereotyping; focus canon from the
stereotypes and inevitability. on women writers, point of view of an
oppression of Can raise especially those oppressed,
women. consciousness ignored. excluded minority.
and promote Uses many
change. approaches.
African- includes minority brings in Analyze how work challenges
American & literatures excluded alternative represents racial traditional modes of
Ethnic from the canon. materials such relationships. evaluating great
Establishes its as sermons, literature. Uses
relation to that work songs, many approaches.
tradition and its slave narratives, Has challenged
difference from it; jazz, corridos, racist. Legitimizes
is a celebration of Aztec myths. literature as
difference from Establishes political action for
oppressive minority justice.
tradition. traditions
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Sociological "a document of Literature Look at relationship links individuals
social phenomena illuminates the between authors and and texts to
or a product of study of social audiences; the effect collective
those same phemonena and of the organization phenomena, like
phemonena" vice versa. of the book trade; Feminist, Marxist,
explicit and implicit New Historicist,
political ideas in but tries to be more
literary works. "objective" in its
analysis.
Marxist reflects the Literature has Analyze the ways in In some cases,
material forces great moral which the human adheres to a rigid
operative at a force. Can raise subject is formed version of society
specific time and consciousness and socialized and politics. Very
promotes or about nature of through a frank in its political
impedes progress capitalism and manufactured view aims.
towards socialist the plight of the of reality and truth.
utopia. workers. Analyse how a work
reveals class
structure as a
political construct.
Taken from: [Link]
See also: [Link]
Some of these approaches are applied to a poem by Emily Dickinson
in [Link]
