LIT CRIT. 3

Introduction to Literary Criticism

What is Literary Criticism?

• Enhances understanding of the text by focusing on specific elements or perspectives.

• Opens up the text to meanings that might not be immediately apparent.

Elements of Literature

• Contains both a textual and human element.

  • Text: The actual literary work.

  • Human Element: Comprises both the author and the reader.

• Basis of the rhetorical triangle.

The Rhetorical Triangle

• Interactions among three elements: Text, Reader, Author.

• Critical theories can focus on one or more of these components.

• Each approach has its own advantages and limitations.

• No single theory provides the "right" meaning of a text.

Main Theories

• Formalist: Focuses on form and structure of the text.

• Biographical: Considers the author's life.

• Psychological: Draws on psychoanalytic theories.

• Historical: Uses historical context.

• Sociological: Examines social dynamics within the text.

  • Marxist: Focuses on ideological impacts on culture and class.

  • Feminist: Analyzes representation of women.

Formalist Criticism

• Concentrates on text's language, structure, tone.

• Analyzes intrinsic elements: metaphor, symbol, character, plot, narrative technique.

• Not focused on author’s intention or cultural context.

Biographical Criticism

• Explores the author’s life to enhance understanding of their work.

• Can enrich appreciation but may also complicate understanding if misleading.

Psychological Criticism

• Utilizes psychoanalytic theories for depth understanding of text and author.

• Explores character motivations and symbolic event meanings.

• Investigates themes of dreams, unconscious desires, and repression.

Historical Criticism

• Uses historical background to clarify literary works.

• Contextualizes the text within its time to illuminate aspects of the work.

Sociological Criticism (Political Criticism)

• Examines social groups, relationships, and values in literature.

• Analyzes effects of social forces on the power structure between groups/classes.

Marxist Criticism

• Investigates cultural and ideological impacts of work.

• Focuses on the working class and wealth distribution.

• Aims to expose and correct inequities.

Feminist Criticism

• Concentrates on representation and treatment of women in literature.

• Explores patriarchal forces affecting women’s equality.

Other Sociological Theories

• Examines text relevance to marginalized or silenced groups:

  • African Americans.

  • Gays & Lesbians.

  • Elderly.

  • Children.

Mythological Theories

• Identifies universal patterns in literature, termed archetypes.

• Archetypes reflect basic human experiences irrespective of time or culture.

Archetypes

• Viewed as "psychic residue" embedded in collective human memory.

• Examples include hero’s quest, rites of passage, fertile earth mother.

Reader Response Criticism

• Shifts focus from the text to the reader's experience.

• Emphasizes reader-created meanings over text-based meanings.

• Interested in the impact of literature on the reader rather than text itself.

Deconstructionist Criticism

• Argues that texts do not have fixed meanings.

• Asserts that language can misrepresent intentions, leading to multiple interpretations.

• Strives to deconstruct established meanings rather than affirm them.

Remember...

• Literary theory can be complex but is valuable for understanding literature.

• Critical Theory allows for deeper understanding, discussion, interpretation, evaluation, enjoyment, and diverse perspectives in experiencing literature.