Genre Criticism and Stylistics

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of genre criticism?

To examine the author's biography and intentions

To evaluate the historical context of literature

To analyze texts based on their literary forms and conventions (correct)

To classify texts into predefined categories

Which classic work is notable for its insights on genre criticism?

The Divine Comedy by Dante

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Republic by Plato

Anatomy of Criticism by Northrop Frye (correct)

How does genre criticism contribute to understanding literature?

By disregarding traditional genre expectations

By identifying and clarifying literary relationships among texts (correct)

By promoting the creation of new literary forms

By focusing solely on the author's intent

What was a significant change in the perception of genre criticism from the eighteenth to the nineteenth century?

It lost importance and became less vital Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about genre criticism in relation to ancient Greece is true?

The Greeks established foundational terminology for genre criticism Signup and view all the answers

What role did audience expectations play in the context of genre criticism, specifically in ancient performances?

Understanding of genre conventions shaped the audience's enjoyment Signup and view all the answers

What is an important outcome of analyzing how a work adheres to or deviates from genre expectations?

It reveals deeper insights into the work's meaning and effect Signup and view all the answers

What does genre criticism NOT primarily aim to achieve?

To classify literature into specific genres Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of linguistics?

Syntactic forms and grammar available to users Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes stylistics from linguistics?

Stylistics is concerned with author's language choices Signup and view all the answers

What does Fish argue about the nature of meaning in literary works?

Meaning is negotiated by readers, line by line. Signup and view all the answers

According to Roger Fowler, how should linguistic materials be viewed?

In relation to the performance made of them Signup and view all the answers

How did Fish modify his view on the reader's role in interpretation?

He attributed more initiative to the reader in the interpretive act. Signup and view all the answers

What does stylistics prioritize in literary works?

The text as a complete unit Signup and view all the answers

Which dimension of language is emphasized by Fowler as important to the English-speaking community?

Performance over theoretical knowledge Signup and view all the answers

What are the two distinguishing features of response criticism identified by Fish?

The effect of literary works on readers and the diminished importance of the text. Signup and view all the answers

What encapsulates rhetorical criticism according to the content?

Interaction between the work, author, and audience Signup and view all the answers

What principle does Fish propose concerning readers and their cultural backgrounds?

Cultural heritage influences readers' interpretations of literary texts. Signup and view all the answers

How does stylistics relate to text evaluation?

It debates the importance of text evaluation Signup and view all the answers

How does Fish view the relationship between a text and its interpretation?

Readers actively create interpretations as they engage with the text. Signup and view all the answers

What does rhetorical criticism investigate?

The effects of linguistic activity Signup and view all the answers

What does Bakhtin emphasize as a key area of social conflict in literature?

Language Signup and view all the answers

How does Bakhtin describe the difference between monologic and dialogic works?

Monologic works are dominated by a single narrator, while dialogic works allow multiple voices. Signup and view all the answers

Which author is particularly associated with creating a polyphonic discourse according to Bakhtin?

Fyodor Dostoyevsky Signup and view all the answers

What is the main idea behind Bakhtin's concept of dialogicity?

It allows for the coexistence of multiple voices in a narrative. Signup and view all the answers

In which year did Bakhtin return to Saransk as chairman of the literature department?

1930 Signup and view all the answers

What major contribution did Bakhtin make to critics of literature?

An understanding of the many-voiced open-ended novel Signup and view all the answers

Which event marked a significant transition in Bakhtin's academic career?

His involvement in Bakhtin's circle Signup and view all the answers

What does Bakhtin criticize about the psychological approach to literature?

It might materialize the human soul and sacrifice human freedom. Signup and view all the answers

What does Greenfield suggest about the relationship between linguistic analysis and stylistic criticism?

Linguistic analysis shades into stylistic criticism. Signup and view all the answers

What is recognized as important in the development of structuralism in literature?

Structural linguistics. Signup and view all the answers

Which article is noted as part of studies focusing on the sounds of poetry?

Ransom's article. Signup and view all the answers

How is stylistics characterized within the context of literary criticism?

A standalone approach in its own right. Signup and view all the answers

What do the editors of the essays on the Language of Literature emphasize regarding the rift between linguists and literary critics?

Repairing the rift is essential. Signup and view all the answers

What significant aspect of the linguistics approach to literature is highlighted?

Both its intensiveness and extensiveness. Signup and view all the answers

What fundamental aspect distinguishes the study of stylistics from linguistics?

Stylistics includes analysis of text and sentence structure. Signup and view all the answers

Which scholar is noted for discussing the interrelationship between linguistics and stylistics?

Leo Spitzer. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Genre Criticism

Genre criticism analyzes literary works by examining their relationship to specific genres and their conventions.
It focuses on how a work adheres to or deviates from typical genre expectations and how these choices contribute to the overall meaning.
This approach has been influential throughout history, with early examples seen in ancient Greek theater and Roman epics.
Northrop Frye’s Anatomy of Criticism and works by E.D. Hirsch and Robert Scholes provide valuable insights into genre criticism.
Genre criticism emphasizes understanding the relationship between a work and its genre, rather than simply classifying it.

Stylistics

Stylistics is the study of an author's choices in language, focusing on how these choices contribute to the overall meaning and effect of the work.
It analyses elements within the sentence and the text as a whole, including word choice, grammar, and figurative language.
A key distinction between linguistics and stylistics is that linguistics deals with the materials of language, while stylistics focuses on how authors choose and use these materials.
Roger Fowler highlights the importance of "sociolinguistic competence" in understanding how authors craft their works.
Stylistics emphasizes the author's performance and choices, recognizing that language is a structured system used within specific cultural contexts.

The Rhetorical Approach

The rhetorical approach analyzes literary works by examining the interaction between the work itself, its author, and its audience.
It considers the process, product, and effect of linguistic activity, whether it's imaginative or utilitarian.
Mikhail Bakhtin's work emphasizes language as an area of social conflict, highlighting how character dialogue can disrupt and subvert dominant ideologies.
Bakhtin contrasts monologic novels (e.g., Leo Tolstoy) with dialogic novels (e.g., Fyodor Dostoyevsky), where multiple voices have equal importance.
Fish's reader-response theory argues that meaning in a literary work is negotiated by readers and that they actively create the work as they read, resulting in new interpretations based on their individual strategies.

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Description

This quiz explores the concepts of genre criticism and stylistics in literature. It examines how literary works relate to genre expectations and how language choices influence meaning. Dive into key texts and understand the critical framework that shapes our reading of literature.