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Assignment 1 Literature Theories

This document contains a student's assignment on discussing the merits and demerits of literary theory in studying literary texts. It provides an overview of several key literary theories, including formalism/New Criticism, psychoanalytical criticism, feminist criticism, archetypal criticism, and reader response criticism. For each theory discussed, it outlines both the potential advantages and disadvantages of using that theoretical approach to analyze literature. Overall, the document examines how literary theory can aid in interpreting texts but may also have limitations depending on the specific theory applied.

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taurai oliver
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24 views

Assignment 1 Literature Theories

This document contains a student's assignment on discussing the merits and demerits of literary theory in studying literary texts. It provides an overview of several key literary theories, including formalism/New Criticism, psychoanalytical criticism, feminist criticism, archetypal criticism, and reader response criticism. For each theory discussed, it outlines both the potential advantages and disadvantages of using that theoretical approach to analyze literature. Overall, the document examines how literary theory can aid in interpreting texts but may also have limitations depending on the specific theory applied.

Uploaded by

taurai oliver
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Faculty of Arts

Department of Language, Literature and


Cultural Studies

NAME: TAURAI .O CHINYANGA

LEVEL: 2:2

REG NUMBER: R092064Y

MODULE: BAEH 212: THEORIES OF LITERATURE

LECTURER: PROF T. JAVANGWE

ASSIGNMENT QUESTION: Discuss the merits and demerits of literary theory


in the study of literary texts 2 (PAGES)
Etymologically the word criticism is derived from Greek word meaning ‘Judgement’. It is an

exercise in judgement. Literary criticism is the exercise of judgement on works of literature. To

examine the merits and demerits and finally to evaluate the artistic worth, is the function of

criticism. Thus, literary criticism is the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of

literature.

Beckson and Ganz (1989) Literary criticism is the evaluation of literary works. This includes its

classification by genre, structure, and judgement of value Literary criticism asks what literature is,

what it does, and what it is worth. (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Literary criticism helps readers like

you and me interpret the literature we read. Each literary theory provides us with a different way of

looking at a given literary work, which can ultimately reveal important aspects about it.

Literary criticism helps us to understand what is important about a literary text for example its

structure its context, social, economic and historical how the text manipulates the reader. It also

helps us to understand the relationship between authors, readers and literary texts. Moreover

Ransom (1988) postulates that it refers to description, analysis, interpretation and evaluation of

literary texts. The function of Literary criticism is to examine the merits and demerits or defects of

a work of art and finally its worth.

Another important factor to note is that the view of criticism is directly related to the critic’s own

intellectual philosophy or outlook of life. It is determined by the likes and prejudices of the critic

or himself and this is equally shaped by the socio political sensiblities of the critic’s enviroment as

such critical theories are shaped by the spirit of the era.

Literary criticism is the practical application of literary theory to a literary text. In literature, critic

theories are used in literary criticism. These include Marxism, Post Coloniality, historicism, new

historicism, feminism, mythology, and semiotics which are themselves in one way or another, the

product of criticism, and by that right, shade a different, but not necessarily wrong light on a text.

Whereas theory could be general or abstract, literary criticism is its application of literary theory.

As far as criticism is concerned, it is not supposed to be a haphazard process of literary


appreciation and considering that it should be reliable, credible and logical, one can therefore think

of literary criticism as the process of logical, systematic and scientific understanding,

interpretation, analysis and evaluation of a literary text more often than not, through the use of

theories. Theories are meant to interpret and evaluate works of literature with the mind of

revealing the in-depth implications of such works.

Some of the theories we come across include the philosophical, feminist, archetypal, reader

response criticism and formalism or new criticism to mention but a few. The moral philosophical

approach is useful for works that present an obvious moral philosophy, useful when considering

the themes doesn’t view literature merely as art isolated from all moral implications. The approach

recognizes that literature can affect readers and that the message is important its disadvantage is

that it is judgemental.

Formalism or New Criticism notes that analysis can’t be performed without much research

emphasizes the value instead of the context of literature virtually all critical approaches must begin

here. It is an disadvantage because a text is seen in isolation ignores the context cannot account for

allusions. The other approach psycho-analytical approach can be useful in undderstanding works

in which characters obviously have psychological issues knowing about a writer’s pschological

make up can give us insight into his work. A disadvantage of this approach is that it can turn into a

psychological case study sometimes attempts to diagnose long dead authors sees sex as everything

and exagerates this.

The Feminist approach addresses the problem of under representation seeks to provide more

realistic potrayals of women within the text examines the power struggle between the sexes an

example Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions is a feminist text. A disadvantage it changes

analysis into a political battlefield for the sexes. The archetypal approach provides a universalitic

approach and identifies a reason why certain Literature may survive the test of time works well

with works that are highly symbolic eg the Bible it’s disadvantage is that it may ignore the art of

literature. Reader response criticism recognizes that different people view works differently and

that interpretations change overtime on the downside it makes an interpretation too subjective.
REFERENCE LIST

Culled J.D.(1981) The pursuit of signs New York Cornell University Press

Eagleton T. (2001) Literary Theory: An Introduction. (2 nd ed). Minnesota: The University of

Minnesota Press

Ransom J.C. (1988) The New Criticism (Folcroft, Pa Folcroft Library Editions 1971)

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