Literary Theories

The Basics of Criticism

The Basic Idea

The point of criticism is to argue your
point of view on a work of literature.
You dont have to criticize a text (but
you can)
You do have to analyze a text and
support your assertions with specific
evidence from experts and the text.

The Basic Idea

A critical analysis is an in-depth
examination of some aspect of the literary
work
you may examine any element of the text:
character development, conflicts,
narrative point of view, etc.
Even though its an examination of a
literary work, its still a persuasive essay

The Basic Idea

The goal is to prove something about the
work
There must be a point to the
discussion.
You must answer the questions Why?, or
So what?
For example, why is a recurring symbol
important? Or, why is the development of
the female characters significant?

The Basic Idea

There are many different approaches we
can take to critical analysis
Literary theories provide a framework for
our discussion of a text
We dont have to identify the theory were
using, though.
We use it as a starting point for our own
ideas and opinions

Historical/Biographical
Approach
views literature as the reflection of an
author's life and times (or of the
characters' life and times).
it is necessary to know about the author
and the political, economical, and
sociological context of his times in order
to truly understand his works.

Historical/Biographical
Approach
Advantages:
works well for some which are obviously
political or biographical in nature.
places allusions in their proper classical,
political, or biblical background.
Disadvantages:
"the intentional fallacy"
tends to reduce art to the level of biography and
make it relative (to the times) rather than
universal.

Application
What are some historical or biographical
elements we might examine in a
discussion of our current novel?

Moral / Philosophical
Approach:
asserts that the larger purpose of
literature is to teach morality and to probe
philosophical issues
authors intend to instruct the audience in
some way

Moral / Philosophical
Approach:
Advantages:
useful for works which do present an
obvious moral philosophy
useful when considering the themes of works
does not view literature merely as "art" isolated
from all moral implications
recognizes that literature can affect readers and
that the message of a work is important.

Moral / Philosophical
Approach:
Disadvantages:
such an approach can be too
"judgmental"
Some believe literature should be judged
primarily (if not solely) on its artistic
merits, not its moral or philosophical
content.

Application
What are some moral or philosophical
elements we might examine in a
discussion of our current novel?

Formalism / New Criticism

involves a close reading of the text
all information essential to the
interpretation of a work must be found
within the work itself
focuses on analyzing irony, paradox,
imagery, and metaphor
also interested in the work's setting,
characters, symbols, and point of view.

Formalism / New Criticism

no need to bring in outside information
about the history, politics, or society of
the time, or about the author's life
does not view works through the lens of
feminism, psychology, mythology, or any
other such standpoint
not interested in the work's affect on the
reader.

Formalism / New Criticism

Terms Used in New Criticism:
intentional fallacy - the false belief that the
meaning or value of a work may be determined
by the author's intention
affective fallacy - the false belief that the
meaning or value of a work may be determined
by its affect on the reader
external form - rhyme scheme, meter, stanza
form, etc.

Formalism / New Criticism

Advantages:
can be performed without much research
emphasizes the value of literature apart from its
context
virtually all critical approaches must begin here
Disadvantages:
text is seen in isolation
ignores the context of the work
cannot account for allusions

Application
What are some formal elements we might
examine in a discussion of our current
novel?

Psychoanalytical
Approach
views works through the lens of
psychology
looks either at the psychological
motivations of the characters or of the
authors themselves
most frequently applies Freudian
psychology to works, but other
approaches also exist.

Freudian Approach to
Personality
Three parts to an individuals psyche:
the id: the instinctual, pleasure seeking
part of the mind
the superego: the part of the mind that
represses the id's impulses
the ego: the part of the mind that controls
but does not repress the id's impulses,
releasing them in a healthy way

Sex is Everything
Freud believed that all human behavior is
motivated by sexuality
Oedipus complex: a boy's unconscious
rivalry with his father for the love of his
mother
Electra complex: a girls unconscious
rivalry with her mother for the love of her
father (a.k.a. daddy issues)

Freudian Imagery
Recognizes symbols that are linked to sexual
pleasure
concave images, such as ponds, flowers, cups,
and caves as female symbols
phallic symbols, objects that are longer than
they are wide, are male images
dancing, riding, and flying are associated with
sexual pleasure
water is usually associated with birth, the
female principle, the maternal, the womb, and
the death wish.

Psychoanalytical
Approach
Advantages:
can be a useful tool for understanding some works in
which characters obviously have psychological issue
knowing something about a writer's psychological
make-up can give us insight into his work.
Disadvantages:
can turn a work into a psychological case study
sometimes attempts to diagnose long dead authors
based on their works
tends to see sex in everything, exaggerating this aspect
of literature
some works do not lend themselves readily to this
approach.

Application
What are some psychological or
psychoanalytical elements we might
examine in a discussion of our current
novel?

Archetypal Approach
assumes that there is a collection of
symbols, images, characters, and motifs
(i.e. archetypes) that evokes basically
the same response in all people
identifies these patterns and discusses
how they function in the works
asserts that these archetypes are the
source of much of literature's power.

Archetypal Approach
based on the theories of psychologist
Carl Jung
he states that mankind possesses a
"collective unconscious" that contains
these archetypes and that is common to
all of humanity

Some Archetypes

archetypal women - the Good Wife/Mother, the Terrible Mother, the

Virgin (often a Damsel in Distress), and the Fallen Woman.
water - creation, birth-death-resurrection, purification, redemption,
fertility, growth
garden - paradise (Eden), innocence, fertility
desert - spiritual emptiness, death, hopelessness
red - blood, sacrifice, passion, disorder
green - growth, fertility
black - chaos, death, evil
serpent - evil, sensuality, mystery, wisdom, destruction
seven - perfection
hero archetype - The hero is involved in a quest (in which he
overcomes obstacles). He experiences initiation (involving a
separation, transformation, and return), and finally he serves as a
scapegoat, that is, he dies to atone.

Archetypal Approach
Advantages:
provides a universalistic approach to literature
and identifies a reason why certain literature
may survive the test of time
it works well with works that are highly symbolic
Disadvantages:
literature may become a vehicle for archetypes
may ignore the "art" of literature

Application
What are some archetypal elements we
might examine in a discussion of our
current novel?

Feminist Approach
concerned with the impact of gender on writing and
reading
usually begins with a critique of patriarchal culture
concerned with the place of female writers
concerned with the roles of female characters within
works
often argues that male fears are portrayed through
female characters
may argue that gender determines everything, or just
the opposite: that all gender differences are imposed by
society, and gender determines nothing.

Stages of Female Identity

Feminine: the female accepts the
definitions and roles male authorities
have created for her
Feminist: rebels against male authority
and intentionally challenges all male
definitions and roles
Female: no longer concerned with male
definitions or restrictions; defines her own
voice and values

The Mad-Woman in the Attic

Critics Gilbert and Gubar identify a
pattern in the treatment of female
characters in literature, even when written
by women.
based on the plot of Jane Eyre
the practice of removing a female
character who is no longer useful to the
male characters

Feminist Approach
Advantages:
redresses the problem of under representation
seeks to provide a more realistic portrayal of
women within a text
examines the power struggle between the
sexes.
Disadvantages:
can turn literary criticism into a political
battlefield
can overlook the merits of works they consider
"patriarchal"

Application
What are some gender-based elements
we might examine in a discussion of our
current novel?

Reader Response
Criticism

analyzes the reader's role in the production of meaning

lies at the opposite end of the spectrum from formalism
the text itself has no meaning until it is read by a reader
The reader creates the meaning.
can take into account the strategies employed by the
author to elicit a certain response from readers
denies the possibility that works are universal (i.e. that
they will always mean more or less the same thing to
readers everywhere)
makes someone's reading a function of personal
identity.

Reader Response
Criticism
Advantages:
recognizes that different people view works
differently and that people's interpretations
change over time.
Disadvantages:
tends to make interpretation too subjective
does not provide adequate criteria for
evaluating one reading in comparison to
another

Application
What are your personal responses to this
novel?
Are there certain elements you respond
to strongly or with which you identify?

Marxist Approach
Karl Marx perceived human history to
have consisted of a series of struggles
between classes--between the oppressed
and the oppressing.
Marx thought that materialism was the
ultimate driving force in history, a notion
involving the distribution of resources,
gain, and production

Marxist Approach
Feudalism exploits workers to the point of
revolt
This leads to bourgeois capitalism
In bourgeois capitalism, the privileged
bourgeoisie rely on the working
proletariat
Workers are exploited to the point of
revolt