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Literary Criticism First Lecture

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22 views

Literary Criticism First Lecture

bookhhgghhgggyhyhgghhhhh

Uploaded by

mustaga.alaskary
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Literary criticism

refers to the analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of literary works. It involves a


close reading of texts to understand their themes, structures, styles, and meanings,
while also examining the author's intentions, the reader's reception, and the work's
cultural and historical context.
Literary theory is a framework or set of principles used to understand, analyze, and
interpret literature. It offers various lenses or perspectives through which literature
can be viewed, helping readers and critics understand the deeper meanings,
structures, and functions of texts.
Literature is a broad term that refers to written or spoken works that express ideas,
emotions, stories, or experiences through language. It includes a wide variety of
forms, such as novels, poems, plays, essays, short stories, and even non-fictional
works like biographies or letters, as long as they possess artistic, cultural, or
intellectual significance.

The relationship between literary criticism: and the literary text is both interactive
and complementary. Literary criticism exists to interpret, evaluate, and analyze
literary texts, while the text itself serves as the foundation or primary subject of critical
inquiry. Here’s a closer look at this relationship:

.1Interpretation of Meaning
Literary criticism helps in uncovering deeper meanings, themes, and symbols within a
literary text. While the text offers narrative, characters, and literary devices, criticism
provides insight into what these elements represent and how they interact to convey
larger ideas.
Example: A poem may describe nature, but a critic might interpret it as a reflection of
the poet's feelings of isolation or connection to the natural world.
.2Different Perspectives
The same literary text can generate a variety of interpretations depending on the
critical approach applied. Different schools of literary criticism (like Marxism,
feminism, psychoanalysis, etc.) provide diverse lenses for reading the text, offering
multiple perspectives on its significance.
Example: A feminist critic might explore gender roles in Shakespeare's Hamlet, while
a psychoanalytic critic might focus on Hamlet’s psychological conflicts.
.3Evaluation and Judgment
Critics evaluate literary texts in terms of their artistic merit, complexity, and
contribution to literature. Criticism often involves comparing a text to others within
the same genre, tradition, or historical period, and determining how effectively it
engages with universal human themes or issues of its time.

Example: Literary criticism of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations may assess the
novel’s narrative structure, character development, and commentary on social class,
offering judgments about its place in literary history.
.4Contextualization
Literary criticism often situates the text within its broader historical, social, and
cultural context. This helps readers understand how external factors, such as the
political climate or the author's personal background, may influence the themes and
style of the text.
Example: Criticism of George Orwell’s 1984 frequently explores its relationship to
totalitarianism and the political tensions of Orwell’s time, adding layers of meaning to
the dystopian narrative.
.5Shaping the Canon
Literary criticism plays a crucial role in determining which texts are valued and
included in the literary canon. Critical assessments over time contribute to a text’s
reputation and its place in academic and cultural discourse.
Example: Early criticism of Emily Dickinson's poetry helped elevate her work from
obscurity to recognition as a major voice in American literature.
.6Dialogue between Text and Criticism
The relationship between a literary text and criticism is ongoing, as new critical
perspectives emerge over time. As a text is revisited by successive generations of
critics, its meanings and interpretations can evolve, leading to new readings and
understandings.
Example: Shakespeare’s works have been reinterpreted across centuries through
varying critical lenses—ranging from formalist to postcolonial criticism—each adding
new dimensions to is plays.

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