Literary Theoriesin very brief

summary

Formalist Theory Nothing outside of the text Independent No outside influences All within context

analyze plot, character, setting, diction, imagery, structure, point of view, form, genre

evaluate uses of these forms close reading of passages emphasis on determining tension and/or ambiguity

Connections to Structuralism and Deconstruction

Biographical Theory knowing the life of the author reveals information in the text author’s life influenced the text

analyze author’s experiences analyze author’s process/struggle in writing emphasis on author’s knowledge

Connections to Psychological Theory

Historical TheoryOld Historicism

history forms a background to the text literary text must be read with knowledge and

understanding of the time and place of its creation

analyze historical documents contemporary to the text analyze language of text and its time

Historical TheoryNew Historicism

text is a reflection of the events, ideas, and attitudes of the time and place of the text’s creation

literary text must be read with social backgrounds and intellectual ideas of the time and place of its

creation analyze political structures of the time and place of the text’s

creation analyze values, conflicts, social events of the time and place of

the text’s creation

Connections to Psychological and Cultural Theories

Queer Theory andGender Studies

Psychological Theory text is a revelation/product of author’s mind and personality reflection of the author’s consciousness and mental world reflects the creative process of the author - imagination

analyze the author’s/character’s motivations and behaviors interpret the actions of the characters interpret the intentions of the author

evaluate the text/characters/author as you would a patient

Connections to:• Psychoanalysis• Jungian symbolism

* theories tailored from whichever psychological theory preferred

Semiotics

Sociological Theory social context of the time and place of texts are critical influences of power relations within society values and ethics of society economics, politics, culture are reflected in text

Two major branches within this: Marxist criticism Feminist criticism

Sociological TheoryMarxist Criticism

applies theory of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels to literature

subjugation, exploitation, alienation bourgeoise versus proletariat

analyze class conflicts evaluate politics and economics within text evaluate power structures acknowledge text as “product” not art form acknowledge text as part of the revolution

Sociological TheoryFeminist Criticism

importance of the social, economic, cultural roles of women in the text

male author’s portrayal of women, female author’s portrayal of women

acknowledge text as “agent for social transformation” or as means of maintaining patriarchal social structures

analyze female characters within the text evaluate feminine voice(s) in the text

Connections to Gender studies

Sociological TheoryFeminist Criticism

Focus on four tenets:

Patriarchy of Western Civilization

Gender traits and roles and how they are viewed, imposed, changed

Canon of literature is “androcentric,” male-centered

Traditional analysis of literature is gender-biased in favor of the masculine

Reader-ResponseTheory

Three perspectives used:

text is a mirror for the reader o focus on the text

“temporal aspect of reading”o focus on the “space” (time and place) between the

reader and the text

themes identified by the reader are unique to the readero focus on the reader, text is background

Reader-ResponseTheory

text is different for every person, gender, culture, historical period, economic background, class, etcetera

reader’s imagination, identity, and feelings are key, but are regulated by the text

process of reading is important

evaluate your feelings and thoughts as you read a text analyze the “triggers” in text for your feelings and thoughts analyze tone and mood acknowledge differing views of a text between types of

readers subjective information is equal to objective information

discovered in a text

Mythological Theory universal story patterns common, familiar, universal human experiences representations of “religious beliefs, social customs,

cultural attitudes”o common human events are used for symbolic meanings:

birth = beginning, death = ending, etcetera

Identify, analyze, and evaluate: Archetypes: universal symbols found in all types of

literature throughout history and around the world Story types: quest, revenge, death, loss, transformation,

enlightenment, etcetera Genres: novel, poem, play, song, short story, proverb,

etceteraConnections to Structuralism and Semiotics, linguistic theory of language development

Structuralism

identify and analyze binary opposites analyze use of sounds, letters and syllables evaluate differences in word and sentence structures

derives from linguistics and anthropology language as an arbitrary system of signs focus on “binary opposition” onomatopoetic use of sounds (pleasant vs. unpleasant, soft

vs. harsh, harmony vs. discord)

Connections to Deconstruction

identify and analyze signs in a text evaluate signs to guide interpretation of a text utilize signs of one text to evaluate and interpret other texts

study of signs, sign systems, and codes how signs help in understanding human interaction –

literature is only one aspect of this

StructuralismSemiotics

Deconstruction

reduce text to binary oppositions analyze binary opposites evaluate ambiguities in text and how they defer meaning

derives from structuralism binary opposites are seen as equally valid reveals prevailing ideologies that are questioned in the text emphasizes ambiguity in all texts language is oppositional all texts are self-contradictory the meaning of a text is allusive

Cultural Studies

identify challenges and differences to “accepted” norms and values

evaluate how challenges redraw so-called cultural boundaries

analyze differences of cultures

multidisciplinary – utilizes all forms of criticism humanistic disciplines and sciences culture as a way of life and culture as the best of humanity focuses on conflict inside and between “cultures”

identify and analyze how gender is defined in a text evaluate differences of cultural gender versus biological

gender as presented in a text analyze and evaluate sexual orientation of characters in a

text – utilizes psychoanalytic theory

Feminist criticism Gay/Lesbian studies

Cultural StudiesGender Studies

Queer Theory

identify all people/characters as “queer” acknowledge that there is no such thing as “normal” evaluate the lack of sexual/gender boundaries