Literary Theory (Week 2)

Flashcards on New Criticism, covering key concepts and terminology discussed in the lecture.

New Criticism

Dominant from the 1940s-1960s, incorporated into other critical practices, and crucial for understanding subsequent theoretical movements.

Biographical Criticism

A traditional approach that focuses on the author’s life and intentions.

Historical Criticism

A traditional approach that focuses on the historical context of the text.

Intentional Fallacy

The assumption that the author's intention is relevant to the text's actual meaning.

Affective Fallacy

Interpreting the text based on how readers respond to it, which involves subjective and impressionistic responses.

Close Reading

Analyzing a text based on structure, imagery, symbols, metaphors, rhyme, metre, characterisation, etc.

Organic Unity

A literary text as a self-contained entity in which all its formal elements serve to create a unified whole.

Intrinsic Criticism

Another term for New Criticism, emphasizing the text's internal features.

Objective Criticism

Another term for New Criticism, emphasizing analyses over subjective evaluations.