Functions of Literary Criticism Explained
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jannet lansanganFunctions of Literary Criticism Explained
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jannet lansanganMODULE 2
S.Y. 2025-2026 SECOND SEMESTER
LITERARY CRITICISM
EL114
Dear God,
We thank you for this day and for this opportunity to
learn. We pray for your guidance and wisdom as we
begin our class. Help us to understand the lesson
and activities we will have and will be able apply it in
our lives. Protect us from distractions and
temptations, and help us to focus on our studies.
We also pray for our teacher. Give
her the wisdom and patience to
lead us. Bless her with the strength
to teach us and to help us grow.
We pray for all of the students in the class. Help us
to learn from each other and to support each other.
As Marian Angels, may we embody the values of
simplicity, obedience, and humility in our daily lives
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Mama Mary , Pray for us.
Seven Archangels , Watch over us.
Saint Mary’s Angels College of
Pampanga
FUNCTIONS OF
LITERARY CRITICISM
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INTERPRETATION
•Explains the meaning of texts, symbols,
and themes.
•Helps readers uncover deeper layers of
significance beyond surface-level
reading
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Example in
Function Focus Area Practice
Explaining
Interpretation Meaning & allegory in
symbolism Animal Farm
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ANALYSIS
•Breaks down structure, style, language,
and techniques used by the author.
•Examines how elements like plot,
character, and imagery contribute to the
whole
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Example in
Function Focus Area
Practice
Studying
Structure & Shakespeare’s
Analysis
technique use of iambic
pentameter
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EVALUATION
•Judges the artistic quality, originality,
and effectiveness of a work.
•Distinguishes between enduring
literature and works of lesser value
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Example in
Function Focus Area Practice
Debating
whether The
Evaluation Artistic merit Great Gatsby
is timeless
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CONTEXTUALIZATION
•Places literature within historical,
cultural, philosophical, or political
frameworks.
•Shows how texts reflect or challenge
societal values
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Function Focus Area Example in
Practice
Linking Rizal’s
Contextualization Historical/ Noli Me Tangere
cultural setting to colonial
Philippines
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GUIDANCE FOR READERS AND STUDENTS
•Provides frameworks (e.g., feminist,
Marxist, psychoanalytic criticism) to
approach texts.
•Encourages critical thinking and deeper
engagement with literature
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Example in
Function Focus Area
Practice
Using feminist
Reader Frameworks for criticism to
Guidance study analyze Rose
for Emily
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CULTURAL PRESERVATION AND DIALOGUE
•Keeps literary traditions alive by
revisiting and reinterpreting classics.
•Stimulates debate about meaning,
morality, and human experience
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Why It Matters
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Without criticism, literature
risks being read only at face
value, missing its richness.
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With criticism, readers gain
tools to question, reflect, and
connect texts to their own
lives and society.
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It also bridges the gap between
author and audience, making
literature more accessible and
meaningful.
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TYPES OF CRITICS
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The main types of literary critics are grouped by
their approaches: formalists,
historical/biographical, moral/philosophical,
psychoanalytic, feminist, Marxist, reader-
response, structuralist, postcolonial, and cultural
critics. Each type focuses on different aspects of
literature, from its structure and language to its
social and political impact
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Formalist Critics
•Focus on the text itself—structure,
style, language, imagery.
•Example: Analyzing rhyme and meter in
poetry.
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Historical/Biographical Critics
•Connect literature to the author’s life or
historical context.
•Example: Reading Rizal’s Noli Me
Tangere in light of Spanish colonial rule.
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Moral/Philosophical Critics
•Judge literature based on ethical
lessons or philosophical ideas.
•Example: Asking what moral values a
fable teaches.
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Psychoanalytic Critics
•Use psychology (often Freud or Jung) to
interpret characters, symbols, or the
author’s mind.
•Example: Seeing Hamlet’s hesitation as
unconscious conflict.
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Feminist Critics
•Examine how literature represents gender
roles and women’s experiences.
•Example: Studying how Jane Eyre
challenges patriarchal norms.
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Marxist Critics
•Analyze class struggle, economics, and
power in literature.
•Example: Looking at labor and wealth in
Les Misérables.
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Reader-Response Critics
•Emphasize the reader’s role in creating
meaning.
•Example: Different readers may interpret
The Little Prince differently.
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Structuralist Critics
•Study underlying structures, patterns, and
language systems.
•Example: Comparing myths across cultures
for shared archetypes.
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Postcolonial Critics
•Explore issues of colonization, identity, and
cultural power.
•Example: Analyzing Philippine literature
after Spanish and American rule.
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Cultural Critics
•Connect literature to popular culture,
media, and social issues.
•Example: Studying how novels reflect
modern consumerism.
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