Literary Criticism

differences? How do these events affect

Historical-biographical the text?
Approach
What Matters Most: Moral/Philosophical
 Author’s World Approach
 Author’s Life
 Real World Purpose of Literature:
 To teach morality (right or wrong)
Basic Tenets:
 Probe philosophical issues (search for life’s
1. Race (culture & history) question)
 Inherited disposition
Literature is:
 Temperament persists stubbornly over
thousands of years  Delightful & instructive (Horace)
 History of author’s life or world is  Moralism & Utilitarianism (Plato)
manifested  Capable of fostering values (Aristotle)
2. Milieu (circumstances/environment)  Teach morality and philosophical issues (Samuel
 Circumstances or environment that Johnson)
modify the inherited racial disposition  Source of moral and spiritual inspiration
3. Et Moment (time)
 Momentum of past and present cultural Reminder: Morality in relation to a particular ethical,
traditions philosophical, or religious system. Always have ethical
evidence.
B. Literature reflect:
Moral Meter Stick: Ethics, philosophy, religious
o Author’s life and times system
o The life and times of the characters in work
Morality Theories
C. How is this applied to a text?
 Moral Subjectivism- depending on the
1. Biographical criticism looks into: perspective of a person
 Who the author is?  Cultural Relativism- depends on the culture if its
 What are the author’s life events? right or wrong
 What are the author’s political views?  Ethical Egoism- as long as you’re benefitting for
 What is the author’s economic status your decision, it’s right
like?  Divine Command Theory- Allah, God
 What is the author’s educational  Virtue Ethics- depending on traditional virtues
background? (past experiences)
 What is the author’s family like?  Utilitarianism- greater good.
2. Historical Criticism looks into:
 What was the work written? What do critics investigate?
 What are the significant
political/economic/religious events  Quality of a work’s ideas and values (in
during the time it was written? What are terms of its truthfulness, usefulness, clarity,
the similarities and differences? consistency, or complexity)
 How do these events affect the text?  Moral effect or value of a work to its readers
 What are the salient philosophical as moral beings
beliefs during the time the text was  Other work’s values in relation to the work’s
written? What are the similarities and values
 Literary Criticism
desires and pleasures of what is
appropriate to be presented)
2. Tripartite Psyche (ID, EGO, SUPEREGO)
Formalism/New Criticism 3. Psychosexual Stages (Freud’s)
4. Dreams (methods or ways, desired being
Views of Literature: Form/Structure repressed)
 Condensation
 Complete work of art  Displacement
 An example to validate interpretation 5. Symbols
 Sole source to analyze and get the true meaning  Phallic Symbol -genital of male
of the text  Yonic Symbol- genital of female
6. Creativity
What does formalist study in a text?
1. Form (structure) and Organic Form (entirety of Mythological &
the word)
2. Texture, Image, and Symbol Archetypal Approach
3. Fallacies
 Intentional Fallacy- looking for authorial Literature as: carriers of symbols/patterns
content. What author’s mean is not
Archetypes- patterns of behavior that makes up a
actually the meaning of the text. No
character; recurrent patterns of symbols
authorial content
 Affective Fallacy- emotions as a reader Archetypes can be applies to:
(that’s not included)
4. Point of View  Image
 Semantic concept of diegesis  Theme
(narrative’s time-space)  Symbol
5. Speaker’s Voice  Idea
6. Tension, Irony, and Paradox  Character type
Tension-contradictory  Plot pattern
Paradox- a statement
Archetypes can be expressed in..
 Myths
 Dreams
 Literature
 Religions
 Fantasies
 Folklore
Hero: human being of extraordinary qualities
Psychological Approach Heroic Archetypes
Literature as: understand human psyche  Transcendent Hero- hero of tragedy whose fatal
flaw brings about his downfall (almost perfect)
Freudian Principles Ex. Oedipus, Hamlet, Macbeth, Beowulf
 Romantic/Gothic Hero- lover with a dark side
1. Unconscious
Ex. Dr. Frankenstein, Heathcliff
 Desires and pleasures
 Proto-Feminist -Female Hero
 Influences the behavior and thoughts of
Ex. Katniss, Elizabeth
human being (conscious filters our
 Apocalyptic Hero- Hero who faces the possible
destruction of society
 Literary Criticism
Ex. Neo, Leon (resident evil), Harry Potter to be a person. It can be an event of force, the
 Anti-Hero -a non-hero, given the vocation of start of war, a drought or famine.
failure; frequently humorous  The Shapeshifter- changes role or personality;
Ex. Homer simpson, Naruto, Jack Sparrow the shapeshifter’s alliances and loyalty are
 Defiant Anti-Hero- opposer of society’s uncertain, and the sincerity of his claims is often
definition of heroism/goodness questionable; it’s often a person of the opposite
Ex. Joker from Batman, Maleficent sex, often the hero’s romantic interest.
 Unbalanced Hero – protagonist has (or pretends  Anima/Animus- characters who we associate
to have) mental or emotional deficiencies. with our inner, subconscious images of male &
Ex. Budoy, Boyet female gender roles
 The Other (Denied Hero)- a protagonist whose
status or essential otherness makes heroism
possible
Ex. Invisible Man, Eren, Naruto Situational Archetype
 The Superheroic – Exaggerates the normal
proportions of humanity; frequently has divine 1. Monomyth (Campbell)
or supernatural origins. Is set apart from society;  Stage 1: the call to Adventure -hero is
but is nonetheless needed by society. represented with a problem, challenge, or
Ex: Mythological heroes, David (Bible) adventure
 Stage 2: The Reluctant Hero- Once
Campbell Character Archetype presented with the adventure, the hero is
sometimes reluctant to accept.
 The Mentor- also called the Old Man or Wise
 Stage 3: Wise Helpers/Mentors- The hero
old man or woman; character represented as a
meets mentor who gives advice & magical
kind and wise, older father type who uses
weapon. The Mentor prepares the hero to
personal knowledge of people and the world to
face the unknown, the hero must face the
help stories and offer guidance; they are seen as
unknown alone.
Foreign.
 Stage 4: Crossing the Threshold- This is
Ex. Aslan
when the hero leaves the safety of his
 The Warrior – Sidekick; words to describe the
normal world and begins the adventure
warrior are duty, honor, loyalty, discipline,
 Stage 5: Tests, Allies, & Enemies- hero is
boundaries;
forced to make allies and enemies in the
 The Child/Innocent- common archetype seen
unknown world and to pass certain tests that
across all cultures and countries; innocence is
are part of his/her training.
the ppower; this archetype is usually represented
 Stage 6: The Ordeal/ The innermost Cave
by a human, or a god who is considered an
innocent without corruption; represent hope, 2. Narrative Theory (Todorovs)
provide wisdom which stems from their  Equilibrium- normality & calmness
innocence.  Disruption- is caused when problems
 The Mother- nurturing and caring, volatile, and start to attack
tempermental; celebration of the uniquely  Resolution- part where the team finds a
female act of creation way to solve the problem; this is a goal
Ex. Maleficent that is weaved through the film and is
 The Trickster- embodies energy of mischief and eventually reached.
desire for change; dedicated to laughing at the  Restored Order-
“status quo” and mocking everything around  New Equilibrium- New normal
him 3. Vladimir Propt Archetype 31
Ex. Loki from Thor Narrathemes
 The Herald- announce the challenge which
begins the hero on his journey; Herald not need Symbol Archetype
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North Throp Representation for Season
Sunrise Spring Birth
Noon Summer Youth or
Marriage
Evening Autumn Old Age
Night Winter Death