Literary Criticism Theories PDF

LIT313D: LITERARY CRITICISM Prepared by: Ms. Maybhel C.  LESSON 1 (PART 3): LITERARY CRITICISM  TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED Definition of Literary Criticism Purpose of Literary Criticism Literary Discussion vs. Literary Analy...

LIT313D: LITERARY CRITICISM Prepared by: Ms. Maybhel C.  LESSON 1 (PART 3): LITERARY CRITICISM  TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED Definition of Literary Criticism Purpose of Literary Criticism Literary Discussion vs. Literary Analysis vs. Literary Interpretation  LITERARY Lit·er·ar·y /ˈlidəˌrerē/ Adjective concerning the writing, study, or content of literature, especially of the kind valued for quality of form:  CRITICISM Crit·i·cism /ˈkridəˌsiz(ə)m/ noun 1. the expression of disapproval of someone or something based on perceived faults or mistakes: 2.the analysis and judgment of the merits and faults of a literary or artistic work: What is Literary Criticism? Literary criticism (or literary studies) is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of literature's goals and methods.  Literary Criticism vs. Literary Theory Literary theory helps to Literary criticism, differentiate literary texts the study of a from others; it works to classify literary texts into literary text, can categories and schools of begin with a thought. One way to think of literary theory is that it particular literary acts as a critical lens, or theory. a way to view a particular work. Literary Theories 1. Archetypal Criticism Archetypal criticism is the interpretation of a text based on the archetypes that appear time and time again in a wide variety of literature. 2. Feminist Criticism Feminist criticism uses the principles and ideals of feminism to critique literature. It suggests that civilization is largely patriarchal and that history and literature are largely written and studied from the male point of view. Literary Theories 3. Marxist Criticism Based on Karl Marx’s doctrines, this theory emphasizes class, socioeconomic situations, the power relations among different segments of society, and how these segments are represented. 4. Reader-Response Criticism In reader-response criticism, to understand a text, the processes that the readers use to create meaning and experience must be considered. This is in contrast to most other schools that focus more on the author or content of the work. Literary Theories 5. Deconstruction Deconstruction recognizes that literature has no fixed meaning (and thus can mean anything) because meaning itself is unstable. Language is ever-changing so attaching static meanings and ideals to a text is impossible. 6. Formalism Formalism treats a work of literature as its own distinct piece, separate from its cultural, social, historical, and even authorial context. As such, its focus is purely on its form, including grammar, syntax, meter, and rhythm. Literary Theories 7. Psychoanalytic Criticism Psychoanalytic criticism is based on Sigmund Freud’s theories in psychology, including those of the consciousnesses and the unconscious. It argues that much like dreams, literary texts are a manifestation of the author’s neuroses, revealing their unconscious desires and anxieties. 8. Postcolonial criticism Postcolonial criticism concerns itself with literature written by colonizers and those who were/are colonized. It looks at issues of culture, religion, politics, and economics within the text and how these relate to colonial hegemony (the colonizer’s act of controlling the colonized). Literary Theories 9. Queer Theory The queer theory explores the representation of gender and sexuality in literature. It challenges the assumption that heterosexuality is the preferred or normal mode of sexual orientation—a notion that is reinforced by certain social institutions such as marriage, employment, and adoption rights. 10. New Historicism New Historicism acknowledges that literature isn’t only influenced by the history of the author, but also that of the critic. Put simply, the writer’s circumstances shape their writing, their work reflects their time, and the critic’s circumstances and environment affect their criticism.  The Importance of Literary Theories All literary theories are starting points from which we can better understand a piece of literature, learn more about the author’s intentions, and improve the quality of said literature for both the author and the critic. One theory is not better than the others, each is just a different way of seeking an answer to a question.  The Function of Literary Criticism The overall functions of literary criticism are not easily compartmentalized. If someone were to attempt to critique a literary work, they might find that they are doing a broad spectrum of activities, ranging from book reviews to more in-depth theoretical discussions of not only the book but also the person who wrote the book and the historical events that occurred during the time of original writing. Other notable periods of literary criticism include: The Medieval Period The Renaissance Neoclassicism and its decline Romanticism The late 19thCentury The 20thCentury  Purpose of Literary Criticism Researching, reading, and writing literary criticism can help you make sense of the work, establish judgements about literature, analyze concepts from many points of view, and assess whether a literary work is worth reading on an individual level. Literary critics often seek to understand what books mean, how they influence readers, and what kinds of lives they can change for the better.  What is the job of a literary critic? A literary critic's principal responsibility is to examine and evaluate literary materials. They usually accomplish this by employing readily accessible and appropriate ideas (literary theories) to aid them in making statements and/or inferences about the specific literary work they have read or are reading. The term "critic" comes from the Greek kritikos, which means "to discern," "to distinguish," or "to classify." The person making the evaluation studies what is known as "the canon" (a collection of valuable writings) and uses that knowledge to discuss the new material accurately and How does literary criticism improve one’s critical thinking skills?  How do you read literary criticism? To read literary criticism, first, Reading literary criticism is understand what type of an important skill for writing it is. Is it analytical or anyone who reads for subjective? Does it focus on pleasure. It helps you facts or interpretations? How understand why some much background people find certain books information does it require? appealing and others not. It Once you understand the also helps you appreciate genre, use that to guide what quality writing elsewhere  What is the meaning of "literary critic"? Literary critics examine works of art from different time periods, places, and cultures for similarities and differences. The goal is to explain what makes certain writings significant and to explore how different authors express similar ideas or feel about similar subjects.  Literary Discussion vs. Literary Analysis vs. Literary Interpretation  Literary Discussion Literature discussion affords students an opportunity to think critically about the text and to reflect as they read, discuss, and respond to books and other reading materials (Keene & Zimmerman, 2007)  Literary Analysis Literary analysis is a close examination of sections of various writings. For example, students analyze any work of literature, like poems, novels, or songs, to have a deeper understanding of literary and rhetorical devices.  Literary Interpretation Literary interpretations broaden and deepen our understanding of a particular work, usually a text such as a short story, novel, poem, play, or film.  How to interpret? 1. 3. Interpretations Interpretations address are open to meaning in a 2. Interpretations debate. work. rely on in-depth textual analysis.