Literary Criticism Overview

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What is the primary purpose of literary criticism?

To avoid engaging with the literature

To tear down the work of the author

To summarize the text

To help the reader better engage with the writing (correct)

What does the term 'criticism' refer to in literary criticism?

Analyzing, forming an opinion, and substantiating it with evidence (correct)

Praising the work without any analysis

Ignoring the text completely

Agreeing with the author's viewpoint

What is the typical structure for literary criticism?

A summary followed by an analysis of the writing techniques

An examination of the arguments followed by a summary and evaluation (correct)

An evaluation followed by a summary of the text

A critique followed by a philosophical analysis

How are literary criticism and literary theory different?

Literary criticism analyzes specific works, while literary theory deals with literature on a philosophical level Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of literary criticism?

The author's intention in writing the book Signup and view all the answers

Which type of literary criticism disregards outside context and emotional response?

New criticism Signup and view all the answers

What is the main assumption of moral-philosophical criticism?

Literature performs an ethical or moral role in society Signup and view all the answers

What does reader-response criticism focus on?

The reader’s response to the text Signup and view all the answers

Which form of literary criticism analyzes a text through the angle of gender and sexuality?

Feminist criticism Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of historical-biographical criticism?

To better understand and analyze a text by drawing on an author’s biography Signup and view all the answers

Which type of literary criticism considers the political and social viewpoint of the author or characters within the text?

Sociological criticism Signup and view all the answers

What does critical race theory understand a text through?

The intersectional dimensions of race and culture Signup and view all the answers

Which approach asserts that a reader’s initial reaction is valuable information for evaluation?

Reader-response criticism Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of new criticism?

Form, structure, and the words themselves Signup and view all the answers

What does feminist criticism understand a text through?

The lens of feminism and gender roles Signup and view all the answers

In which type of literary criticism does all matters of biography provide relevant information to the critic?

Historical-biographical criticism Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of literary criticism?

To interpret the meaning of a text Signup and view all the answers

In Julian Lucas's review of 'Afterlives,' what does he use to write a comprehensive profile of Abdulrazak Gurnah?

Gurnah's life experiences and literary style Signup and view all the answers

What type of literary criticism emphasizes a reader's own reaction to the text?

Reader-response criticism Signup and view all the answers

According to Lily Meyer, what do the three new books she introduces in her review have in common?

They all blend liberation with darkness Signup and view all the answers

What type of literary criticism evaluates a book’s moral messages?

Moral-philosophical criticism Signup and view all the answers

What does Julian Lucas include as an example of biographical context in his review?

The author's life experiences and place of birth Signup and view all the answers

According to Julian Lucas, what does Zanzibar serve as?

A major crossroads for Africa, Asia, and Europe Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of Lily Meyer's review?

Introducing the reader to three new translated books Signup and view all the answers

'Afterlives' by Abdulrazak Gurnah is an example of which type of criticism?

Historical-biographical criticism Signup and view all the answers

What is Swahili civilization known as?

A loose network of coastal societies stretching from Somalia to Mozambique. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of NPR critic Lily Meyer in her review?

She evaluates and introduces three new translated books. Signup and view all the answers

In Plato's view, why was poetry considered untrustworthy?

It was seen as a mere copy of the physical world, which was already an imperfect copy of transcendent ideas. Signup and view all the answers

In Aristotle's Poetics, how does he counter Plato's indictment of poetry?

By emphasizing the normal and useful aspects of literary art. Signup and view all the answers

What was the main concern that every critic attempting to justify the social value of literature had to address?

The opposing argument made by Plato in The Republic. Signup and view all the answers

What did Aristotle believe motivated tragic poets?

A universal human need to imitate noble actions. Signup and view all the answers

What does katharsis refer to in the context of Aristotle's Poetics?

The purging of emotions like pity and terror in the audience through tragic poetry. Signup and view all the answers

According to Plato, what did he depict the physical world as?

An imperfect copy of transcendent ideas. Signup and view all the answers

Why did Plato believe that a man possessed by divine inspiration would subvert the interests of a rational polity?

Because such a man would be driven by irrational madness rather than reason. Signup and view all the answers

What did Aristotle believe tragic poetry imitated, as opposed to Plato's example of a bed?

Noble actions Signup and view all the answers

What were emotions like pity and terror expected to undergo when experienced by the audience in tragic poetry?

They were expected to be purged through katharsis. Signup and view all the answers

What view did Plato hold regarding poets and their divine inspiration?

He viewed divine inspiration as a cause for worry due to its potential subversion of rational polity. Signup and view all the answers

What did Aristotle emphasize about literary art in his Poetics?

The normal and useful aspects. Signup and view all the answers

What was considered misleading by literature according to Plato?

The seeker of truth. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Aristotle's practical contribution to criticism?

Inductive treatment of the elements and kinds of poetry Signup and view all the answers

What was Horace's verse epistle 'The Art of Poetry' primarily focused on?

Amplification of Aristotle’s emphasis on decorum Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes Longinus' approach from that of Aristotle and Horace?

Reversal of the Aristotelian concern with regulation of the passions Signup and view all the answers

What is the significant difference between ancient Greek and Roman criticism and Aristotle's originality?

Emphasis on universal aspects of audience psychology Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of Longinus' work 'On the Sublime'?

Encouragement for arousing elevated and ecstatic feelings in the reader Signup and view all the answers

What was one aspect that both Plato and Aristotle agreed upon regarding poetry?

The arousing of emotion in the perceiver Signup and view all the answers

What did Aristotle emphasize as the best way to serve the ends of tragedy?

Harmonious disposition of six elements: plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle, and song Signup and view all the answers

What is the distinguishing feature of Aristotle's approach to poetic modes?

'Distinctions assist the critic in judging each mode according to its proper ends instead of regarding beauty as a fixed entity' Signup and view all the answers

What did later Greek and Roman critics focus on, in contrast to Aristotle's originality?

'Technical rules of exegesis and advice to aspiring rhetoricians' Signup and view all the answers

How do Aristotle's dicta stand out according to the text?

Adaptable to genres developed long after his time Signup and view all the answers

What did Neoclassicists prize Horace's 'The Art of Poetry' for during the 17th century?

Its humour, common sense, and appeal to educated taste Signup and view all the answers