Literary Theory Overview

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of stylistics in textual interpretation?

The author's intent alone

The historical background of the text

The themes presented in the text

The structure and patterns of language (correct)

Which statement reflects a common misconception about creativity in language?

All forms of writing can exhibit linguistic creativity.

Creativity is limited to literary texts. (correct)

Creativity can be analyzed through any linguistic structure.

Language innovation occurs solely in academic writing.

What does stylistics aim to reveal about language use?

The chronological evolution of a language.

The absolute rules of language without exceptions.

How language reflects cultural and cognitive contexts. (correct)

The popularity of different literary genres.

Which principle does stylistic analysis adhere to in terms of organization?

It should be retrievable through structured models. Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of most stylisticians when analyzing texts?

To relate literary effects to linguistic causes. Signup and view all the answers

What is literary theory primarily concerned with?

The methods and ideas used to interpret literature Signup and view all the answers

According to classical theory, what does 'mimesis' refer to?

The imitation of real life in literature Signup and view all the answers

What did Horace believe was the dual function of literature?

To teach and entertain Signup and view all the answers

How does literary theory address the significance of race, class, and gender?

By examining their thematic presence within texts Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does literary theory explore regarding historical context?

It examines the role of historical context in interpretation Signup and view all the answers

Which genre's evolution is traced by literary theorists?

Various genres including narrative, dramatic, and lyric Signup and view all the answers

What does literary theory suggest about the relationship between text and culture?

Text is both a product of culture and a creator of culture Signup and view all the answers

What is one way literary theory evaluates literature's quality?

By how well it imitates reality Signup and view all the answers

Which style is considered the highest form of beautiful literature?

Sublime Signup and view all the answers

What does the historical-biographical approach primarily investigate?

The author's biography and social context Signup and view all the answers

What did Wordsworth proclaim about poetry in the 1800s?

It is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of the romantic approach in literary criticism?

The author's relationship to their work Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'new criticism' refer to?

An approach that emphasizes the text over external factors Signup and view all the answers

Which theme is often emphasized in romantic literature?

Isolation of the writer Signup and view all the answers

Which of these characteristics is central to the romantic approach?

Imagination and individualism Signup and view all the answers

What key element does the biographical aspect of literary analysis focus on?

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

What defines the behavioral process in this context?

It reflects physiological and psychological behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a participant in verbal processes?

Existent Signup and view all the answers

What verb types are typically used in existential processes?

Verbs like be or its synonyms. Signup and view all the answers

What component answers the question 'who are the actors?' in a situation type?

Participants Signup and view all the answers

Circumstances in a situation type can include which of the following?

The manner, time, place, reason, and association. Signup and view all the answers

What does the transitivity process primarily study?

What people are depicted as doing in a text Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the Actor in the material process?

The doer of the process Signup and view all the answers

In the mental process, who is referred to as the senser?

The conscious participant who perceives Signup and view all the answers

What are the three main types of processes in Halliday's transitivity system?

Material, Mental, and Relational Signup and view all the answers

Which verb type is typically associated with relational processes?

Copular verbs Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a mental process?

She believed in fairies Signup and view all the answers

What does the Goal represent in the material process?

The object affected by the action Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following actions would categorize as a material process?

Writing a story Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Literary Theory

Literary theory explores the methods we use to understand literature.
It doesn't define the meaning of literature, but explains how we can interpret it.
Literary Theory tackles the relationship between the author and the work.
It explores the significance of race, class, and gender in literature, both in authors' lives and within the text.
It examines the role of historical context and linguistic and unconscious elements influencing texts.
It traces the history and evolution of genres like narrative, drama, and lyric, including the rise of novels and short stories.
It investigates the importance of literary structure.
It explores the degree to which texts are shaped by culture, and how they create culture.

Classical Theory

Plato's "Mimesis" suggests that art imitates reality.
Literature should be judged by its accuracy in reflecting reality (good if real, bad if it hides the truth).
Horace believed literature's purpose is to teach or entertain.
Longinus proposed three styles: low, middle, and high.
There's a fourth style called "sublime", which is considered the highest form of beauty.

Historical-Biographical Approach

Historical criticism examines the social, cultural, and intellectual contexts of a literary work, including the author's biography and social environment.
It investigates the period's impact on the work, also considering how meaning changes through time.
It explores how time and place of creation affect the meaning of the work.
Biographical criticism emphasizes the author's life experiences, recognizing how they can influence their work.
Understanding the author's life can aid in understanding the text.
Facts about the author's life are used to interpret the work, focusing always on the literary work itself.

Romantic Approach

This approach focuses on the artist and their relationship with the work.
Poetry is an expression rather than a mimetic art.
It emphasizes the artist's state of mind and individual, subjective experiences.
Recurring themes include imagination, idealism, inspiration, intuition, and individualism.
It often criticizes the past, stresses sensitivity, the writer's isolation, and celebrates nature.

New American Criticism

This approach focuses on the language of literary texts.
It emphasizes the text's internal structure, form, and style.
It shifts the focus from external factors (like the author's life or historical context) to the text itself.
Misconception - It is assumed that creativity in language is specific to literary writing.
Misconception – It is assumed that stylistic analyses are purely about analyzing language, when actually they aim to gain insights into linguistic structure and function.

Stylistics

Stylistics analyzes the language of texts, particularly literature, but also encompasses other forms of communication.
It examines language's role in conveying meaning and creating effects.
It explores language in its context, acknowledging that utterances are bound by time, place, culture, and cognition.
It involves exploring language, especially creativity in language use.
It sheds light on language systems by examining texts where rules are bent, stretched, or broken.
Stylistics aims to describe formal features of texts to understand their function and meaning, or relate literary effects to their linguistic causes.
Stylistic analysis should be rigorous, retrievable, and relevant.

Transitivity

Transitivity focuses on how language constructs meaning through verbs and their participants.
It explores the way people are depicted as acting and being acted upon.
It asks: Who are the actors? Who are acted upon? What are the processes involved?
Halliday believes reality is comprised of processes of going on, happening, doing, sensing, meaning, being, and becoming.
Transitivity focuses on individual clauses, examining the actors, acted upon, and processes involved.

Types of Processes

Material processes involve actions and events, with an actor and a goal (the entity affected).
Mental processes include perception, cognition, affection, and desire.
Relational processes describe relationships between entities, often expressed with the verb "be" or copular verbs.

Minor Processes

Behavioral processes represent outward expression of inner states, actions, and feelings.
Verbal processes represent the act of saying, involving a sayer, receiver, and the content of the statement.
Existential processes express states of being, existing, or happening, typically using the verb "be".

Components of Situations

Each situation type is composed of a process, its participants, and circumstances.
The process is realized by a verb and describes the action or state.
Participants are represented by nominal groups and answer questions about who is doing what.
Circumstances are represented by adverbial groups and include the manner, time, place, reason, and association of the action or state.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

This quiz delves into literary theory and classical critiques, examining methods for interpreting literature and the cultural contexts that shape texts. It emphasizes the relationship between authors and their works, alongside discussions on race, class, and gender in literature.