Introduction to hayden white, university of california at. A sampling of critical lenses literary theories were developed as a means to understand the various ways people read texts. Literary theory and schools of criticism introduction. Critically evaluate platos charges against poetry 2.
Poems for a new century, will appear in september 2010. Opoyaz, an acronym for russian words meaning society for the study of poetic language, founded in 1916 at st. Bennett and royle approach their subject by way of literary works themselves a poem by emily dickinson, a passage from shakespeare, a novel by salman rushdie, rather than by way of abstract theoretical ideas and isms. Petersburg later leningrad and led by viktor shklovsky. A history of literary criticism wiley online books.
Literary criticism or literary studies is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. An introduction to literary criticism and theory before we begin our examination and study of literary theory, it is important that we define exactly what literary theory is and is not, identify some of the main characteristics of such, as well as identify some of the key differences between traditional literary. Click on document a history of literary criticism and theory from plato to the present m a r a r habib. Introduction to literature, criticism and theory provides a completely fresh and original introduction to literary studies. Pdf an introduction to literature, criticism and theory. Significance and uses of literary criticism historical criticism feminist criticism criticism based on literary devices 7.
He is the author of seven books, including the highly acclaimed a history of literary criticism. Literary criticism notes a short history english summary. Rafey habibs history of literary criticism, with its substantial grounding in classical texts and its excellent coverage of contemporary criticism and theory, is certain to be as highly regarded as wimsatt and brooks literary criticism. Abstract the neurohumanities are largely traditional fields of humanistic study prominently including literature and related arts, such as film. However, literary scholarship since the 19th century often includesin addition to, or even instead of literary theory in the strict senseconsiderations of intellectual history, moral philosophy, social prophecy, and other interdisciplinary themes which are of.
The proponents of each theory believe their theory is the theory, but most of us interpret texts according to the rules of several different theories at a time. In this authoritative history of feminist literary criticism, leading scholars chart the development of the practice from the middle ages to the present. In as much as literary theory is a reflection of modern thought, not to mention its implications for biblical criticism, it is worth endeavoring to understand it. Though the two activities are closely related, literary critics are not always, and have not always been, theorists. First introduced in the early 20 th century in america by john crowe ransom, new criticism was created out of the formalist movement. Their methods understand the literary fact in terms of the circular aesthetic system of production and of representation. Can anyone recommend introductory material on literary theory and. It is designed to be clear and accessible to those who are beginning to study literature, as well as to. Psychoanalytic literary criticism is a way of analyzing and interpreting literary works that relies on psychoanalytic theory. Grounded in the close reading of landmark theoretical texts, while seeking to encourage the readers critical response, pelagia goulimari examines.
I work particularly on the history and theories of media, visual art, and literature, from the eighteenth century to the present. This incredibly useful volume offers an introduction to the history of literary criticism and theory from ancient greece to the present. English literature history and criticism theory, etc. English literature study and teaching highergreat britain. Habibs lucidity and wit will also make his book highly teachable.
Brings together key texts that are otherwise hard to locate covers all genres and critical schools provides the intellectual context for understanding african literature facilitates the future development of african literary criticism. To help you decide on a literary theory and to begin analyzing your chosen text, consider the questions presented below. New criticism was a formalist movement in literary theory that dominated american literary criticism in the middle decades of the 20th century. Literary criticism and theory in the twentieth century. We have covered all the major critics from ancient greek to neoclassical, enlightenment, romanticism to symbolism and aestheticism. What a work of literature says cannot be separated from how the literary work. History of literary criticism department of english. Feminism has transformed the academic study of literature, fundamentally altering the canon of what is taught and setting new agendas for literary analysis. Its by reading the novel in the context of the time period in which it was written.
A readers guide to contemporary literary theory 5th edition. My attempt to bridge the gap between literature and history, between historical and aesthetic approaches, begins at the point at which both schools stop. The primary function of literary criticism is to interpret literature in a way that will increase understanding, according to the english department of georgia perimeter college. With the great depression of the 1930s and the rise of fascism, literature and criticism in both europe and america took a turn away from formalism and humanism toward a more socially conscious mode, as in socialist and marxist criticism, and in the work of many poets. Literary theory, literary criticism, and literary history are interrelated and interdependent, and coexist in the field of literary studies as bound by their major and common obj ect of study. John kenny, centre for the study of human settlement and historical change, national university of ireland, galway a readers guide to contemporary literary theory fifth edition selden, widdowson, brooker cover image. Literary criticism from plato to the present wiley.
Literary theory and schools of criticism introduction a very basic way of thinking about literary theory is that these ideas act as different lenses critics use to view and talk about art, literature, and even culture. The humanists were challenged by more liberalminded critics such as edmund wilson, allen tate, and r. Literary theory in a strict sense is the systematic study of the nature of literature and of the methods for analyzing literature. From plato to the present 2005 and modern literary criticism and theory 2008. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of literature s goals and methods. The practical application of these theories emerges in literary criticism, where we make concrete arguments often supported by close readings of textual details. A brief history of literary theory xenos christian.
Literary criticism historical development britannica. This is the first anthology to bring together the key texts of african literary theory and criticism. Literary criticism presentation linkedin slideshare. An introduction to literature, criticism and theory. Habib received his doctorate from the university of oxford. This type of criticism may analyze the social content of a literary workthe cultural, economic. It offers new ways of thinking about literature and about what is involved in reading critically. It was created to show an alternative form of literary. I teach in both the english and the art history departments and edit the interdisciplinary journal, critical inquiry, a quarterly devoted to critical theory in the arts and human sciences. Literary criticism began in 19th century europe among the bourgeois class, writes professor terry eagleton of the university of manchester. This extraordinary opening sentence is all about beginnings.
In this field of literary criticism, the major concepts of psychoanalytic theory, such as the idea of an unconscious and conscious mind, the divisions of the id, ego, and. Brings together key texts that are otherwise hard to locate covers. These different lenses allow critics to consider works of art based on certain assumptions within that school of theory. The book is a history of western literary criticism and a general introduction to the subject of literary criticism and theory.
Literary criticism literary criticism historical development. A history of feminist literary criticism edited by gill plain. Feminist criticism readerresponse and reception theory postcolonial criticism new historicism. Literary criticism notes, a short history in this course, we will discuss literary criticism in detail.
Historical criticism its a way that classical literature can be brought to life. Formalism, also called russian formalism, russian russky formalism, innovative 20thcentury russian school of literary criticism. Nagarajan orient blackswan, new delhi, india, 2006. Although almost all of the criticism ever written dates from the 20th century, questions first posed by plato and aristotle are still of prime concern, and every critic who has attempted to justify the social value of literature has had to come to terms with the opposing argument made by plato in the republic. It emphasized close reading, particularly of poetry, to discover how a work of literature functioned as a selfcontained, selfreferential aesthetic object. Volume 8 of the cambridge history of literary criticism deals with the most influential and hotly debated areas of literary theory. Psychoanalytic theory was developed by sigmund freud to explain the workings of the human mind. Pdf literary history as a challenge to literary theory. Like historical criticism, sociological criticism examines literature in the cultural, economic, and political context in which it is written or received. A history of literary criticism from plato to the present m.
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