Literary_Criticism_LecturenoteEnglish.pp

This file summarizes the key ideas and major schools of literary criticism in concise slides for easy presentation

1. What Is Literary Criticism? The analysis of a literary text through various lenses that highlight authorial stance, purpose, and perspective. Helps readers understand and appreciate literature more fully.

2. Overview Literary criticism dates back to ancient Greece and Rome. Traditional approaches: historical, moral, biographical. 20th century: expansion of diverse critical approaches. Goal: understand and appreciate a work more fully.

3. Traditional Critical Approaches 1. Historical-Biographical: Reflects author's life/times. 2. Moral-Philosophical: Teaches morality, explores ethics and philosophy. 3. Formalistic Criticism: Views work as independent artistic object; close reading of structure, patterns, imagery.

4. Newer Approaches 1. Psychological Criticism: Work as expression of author's psyche or character psychology. 2. Feminist/Gender Criticism: Examines gender roles and perspectives. 3. Sociological/Marxist Criticism: Focus on political, economic, and social contexts of oppression and class.

5. Approaches & Methodologies Critical viewpoints are lenses for analysis. Methodology = system of methods + philosophical attitude. Multiple approaches can be combined for richer understanding.

6. Schools of Literary Criticism Author-Focused: Biographical, Psychological. Text-Focused: Formalism, New Criticism. Reader-Focused: Reader-Response. Context-Focused: Historical, Feminist, Post-Colonial, Critical Race Theory.

7. Key Questions by Approach Author-Focused: How does the author's life inform the work? Text-Focused: How do form and content reveal meaning? Reader-Focused: How does the reader's experience create meaning? Context-Focused: How do historical, cultural, political forces shape the work?

8. Metaphors: Toolboxes and Lenses Toolbox: Critical theories provide tools for analysis. Lens: Each theory offers a new way of seeing the text, highlighting different elements. Different lenses can yield fundamentally different readings.

9. Example: Homer's Iliad Biographical: Influence of Homer's life. Psychological: Inner lives and symbolic meanings. Reader-Response: Modern vs. ancient reader experience. Historical: Context of ancient Greece. Feminist: Roles and portrayals of women.