Literary Criticism

There are several theoretical viewpoints through which literature can be discussed and interpreted

Formalism
• Focuses on form and the literary elements of a piece: theme, setting, character, point of view, metaphor, irony, etc. etc.
• The meaning resides in the text itself

Biographical Criticism
• Information and details about the life of the author can lend insight to his or her literary work
• The meaning resides in the author

Historical/Cultural Criticism
• The time period and surrounding culture have an influence on the literature
• Literature influences culture

Marxism
• Examines themes of class, money, power, and race in works of literature
• What is not present or is only mentioned briefly can be very significant

Feminism
• Examines the roles of men and women in works of literature
• How are gender roles defined? Subverted? Upheld?

Reader-Response Theory
• Readers’ prior experiences and backgrounds influence the way they interpret works of literature
• The meaning resides in the reader

Each theory both reacted to and borrowed from the theories that came before.