A literary work that uses rhythm , sound, and meter to convey meaning.

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY

CRITICISM SUB-TYPES OF POETRY:
 Lyric Poetry
 Narrative Poetry
Review of Purposes and Benefits of Literature Studies  Dramatic Poetry
 Epic Poetry
PURPOSES OF LITERARY CRITICISM  Haiku
 Can help make us better sense of our world, our lives, and ourselves.
 Sonnet
 Has the power to give an enriched understanding of other world, lives and
 Free Verse
times.
 Ode
 A model of how society operates or should operate.
 Limerick
 Embodies the values imagination, identification and empathy
 Elegy
 Recognizes that making meaning is dynamic and volatile process and that
meaning are socially and culturally produced.
Fiction
A literature created from the imagination, not presented as facts , though it may be
BENEFITS OF LITERARY CRITICISM based on a true story or situation.
 Improves communication skills
 Teaches you about yourself SUB-TYPES OF FICTION
 Teaches about the past
 Cultivates wisdom and a worldview Mystery
 Entertains Novels provide readers with plots that explore mysteries from beginning to end.
 Improves concentration and focus
 Encourages critical thinking Historical Fiction
It uses real-life events to support its plot and key details. A work of historical fiction

UNIT 1 engages readers by retelling a historical event in creative ways that alter minor details,
such as characters’ names or the setting.
Review of Literary Genres
Realism
LITERARY GENRES Literary realism depicts familiar objects, people, and places without dramatizing or
romanticizing the story.
Poetry
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Magical Realism protagonists who act like human to resolve conflict in a manner that demonstrates
Magical realism is a genre of literature that depicts reality with a sense of fantasy or character development.
magic.
Nonfiction
Fantasy It aims to inform or inspire the audience by using actual events, people, places, or
Mythology and ancient folklore are some sources of inspiration for fantasy novels. facts.
Fantasy novels usually depict imaginary settings, beings, and universes that are
nonexistent in the real world. SUB-TYPES OF FICTION

Romance Autobiography
Love stories are the dominant theme of romance novels. Although romance is also a A personal narrative of one’s life. It may serve a variety of purposes, such as helping
prominent element of other forms of fiction, romance novels emphasize the the author overcome a difficult situation, assisting people in overcoming similar
development of a romantic relationship. challenges, or simply conveying stories.

Science Fiction Biography

These are several themes that are characteristic of science fiction, including space An account of a person’s life, written by someone else. Many biographies feature
exploration, futuristic species, and time travel. notable individuals, such as celebrities, athletes, business leaders, and politicians.

Dystopian Essay
A dystopian story envisions a world that’s in a state of cataclysmic decline. A dystopian A short piece of writing in which the author elaborates on an idea or topic after
fiction can depicts societies with perpetual wars, social and economic class division, conducting thorough research.
mass poverty, environmental destruction, anarchy, and loss of individuality.
Drama
Horror It is a genre of literature that is intended to be performed by actors on a stage before
The primary goal of horror fiction is to shock and frighten readers. an audience. It is characterized by the use of dialogue and action to tell a story or
express ideas.
Mythology
The mythological genre reveals elements of human behavior through the use of KEY ELEMENTS OF DRAMA
symbols; includes themes such as gods, goddesses, and cultural phenomena.  Plot
 Characters
Fable  Dialogue
It typically teach a moral lesson to the reader or illustrate a moral dilemma that the  Setting
protagonist overcomes. An author may use inanimate objects or animals as  Theme
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  Conflict A literary technique in which an abstract idea is given a form with characters, actions
 Stage Direction or events.

FUNCTIONS OF DRAMA Alliteration

Entertainment The repetition of consonant sounds usually in consecutive or nearby words within the
 Education same sentence or line.
 Catharsis
 Reflection of Society Anthropomorphism
The portrayal of animals or inanimate objects as people. They can walk, talk, or have
Prose arms, legs and facial features. They behave and appear like human beings. These
The word “prose” is derived from the Latin “prosa” which mean straightforward or anthropomorphized animals or objects act as characters in a narrative.
direct speech.
Creative License
SUB-TYPES OF PROSE Exaggeration or alteration of objective facts or reality for the purpose of enhancing
Fictional Prose meaning in a fictional context. This technique is often used in novels.
Fictional prose refers to written or spoken language that tells an imaginative or
invented story, typically in a narrative form. Dramatic Irony
This is the result of the audience/reader’s awareness of something important, while
Non-fictional Prose the characters in the story are not aware.
Non-fictional prose encompasses written works that present factual information,
analysis, or commentary on real-world subjects. Exposition
An interruption in the story, often by the author, in order to explain something. It often
Heroic Prose provides important background information.
Heroic prose refers to a literary genre characterized by its narrative style that
emphasizes the deeds and adventures of heroic figures. Figurative Language
Any use of language where the intended meaning differs from the actual literal
meaning of the words themselves.

UNIT 1 Foreshadowing
Review of Literary Techniques The indication of future events in a story, or perhaps the outcomes, before they
happen.
Allegory
Hyperbole
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Deliberate exaggeration of actions and ideas for the sake of emphasis. Attributing human like self-awareness to a thing, an idea or an animal. Human
thoughts, actions, and perceptions are directly ascribed to inanimate objects or
Imagery abstract ideas.
The use of figurative language to create representations of actions, objects and ideas
in our mind in such a way that they appeal to our physical senses. Repetition
An author gives emphasis to a particular idea by using a specific word, phrase, or
Irony structure more than once.
The use of the words in such a way that the intended meaning is completely opposite
of their literal meaning. Simile
Direct comparison to unlike things will almost always use the words “like”
Metaphor Or “as.”
An implied comparison made between two unlike things that actually have something
in common. Symbolism/Symbol
The use of specific objects or images to represent abstract ideas. A symbol must be
Metonymy something tangible or visible, while the idea it symbolizes must be something abstract
It is a figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with or universal.
which it is closely associated.
Synecdoche
Onomatopoeia A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole, the whole for a part,
The techniques of spelling out sounds as words, or when words describing sounds the specific for general, the general for the specific, or the material for the thing made
actually sound like the noises they describe. from it.

Oxymoron Verbal Irony

A figure of speech pairing two words together that are opposing and/or contradictory. The meaning is intended to be the exact opposite of what the words actually mean.

Paradox
The creation of impossible situation. Different elements of it cancel each other out. UNIT 1
Literary Criticism and Definitions
Parallelism
Use of similar or identical language, structures, events, or ideas in different parts of a WHAT IS LITERARY CRITICISM?
text.
According to Oxford English Dictionary, Literary Criticism is the art or practice of
Personification judging and commenting on the qualities and character of literary works.
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 “The function of poetry is to teach and delight. Literature has the primary aim of giving
According to Mark Lund, Literary Criticism is the study, analysis, and evaluation of pleasure.”
imaginative literature. Everyone who express an opinion about a book, a song, a play,
or a movie is a critic, but not everyone's opinion is based upon thought, reflection, Immanuel Kant
analysis, or consistently articulated principles. “There are two worlds: our bodies and external world.”

According to Matthew Arnold, Literary Criticism “a disinterested endeavor to learn and John Locke
propagate the best that is known and thought in the world.” “No man’s knowledge here can go beyond his experience.”

LITERARY CRITICISM ACCORDING TO SCHOLARS Jacques Derrida

“There is nothing outside of the text.”
Socrates
“The life which is unexamined is not worth living.” Ferdinand de Saussure
“Every message is made of signs.”
Walter Pater
“The art of interpreting art.” John Dewey
“We only think when we are confronted with problems.”
Thomas Carlyle
“An interpreter between the inspired and the uninspired.” LITERARY CRITICISM RELATED TERMS
Marxism
Anatole France Analyzes literature through the lens of class struggle and socioeconomic conditions.
“The good critic is he who narrates the adventure of his soul among masterpiece.”
Formalism
Matthew Arnold A critical approach that emphasizes the analysis of a work based solely on its intrinsic
“A disinterested endeavor to learn and propagate the best that is known and thought formal qualities, such as structure, form, style, and technique, rather than considering
in the world.” its historical, social, or biographical context.

Plato Structuralism
“Art must play a role in the perfect Greek Republic. Poets may stay as servants of the It is a way of understanding culture and meaning in the arts by relating the individual
state if they teach piety and virtue, but the pleasures of art are condemned as piece of art (a novel, a painting, a symphony) to something larger. In Structuralist
corrupting to citizens.” theory, the relationship between cultural phenomena is a web, network, or structure,
which exists underneath the way we think and act, and produce art.
Aristotle
“Tragedy stimulates the emotions of pity and fear, as the audience identify with the Post-structuralism
plights of the protagonist. The resultant effect is that of purgation, or what he calls It offers a way of studying how knowledge is produced and critiques structuralist
Catharsis.” premises. It argues that because history and culture condition the study of underlying
structures, both are subject to biases and misinterpretations. Evolved alongside
Sir Philip Sidney
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French philosopher Jacques Derrida's theory of deconstruction, which emphasized Developing Writing Skills
this concept of unstable, unfixed meaning as it functioned in language. Developing writing skills requires clarity, structure, and creativity. Literary criticism
enhances writing by strengthening critical thinking, argumentation, and style.
Feminism
It's about respecting diverse women's experiences, identities, knowledge and
strengths, and striving to empower all women to realize their full rights. Social and Political Commentary
Literature shows society works around them. It helps the reader “see” the social and
Psychoanalytic political constructs around him and shows the state of the people and the world around
Adopts the methods of "reading" employed by Freud and later theorists to interpret him.
texts. It argues that literary texts, like dreams, express the secret unconscious desires
and anxieties of the author, that a literary work is a manifestation of the author's own Helps Resolve Difficulty in Reading
neuroses. It approaches an author's work as a kind of textual "talk therapy.”
Literary Criticism helps resolve difficulties in reading by analyzing complex texts,
Archetypal Literary Criticism explaining themes, and clarifying meanings, making literature more accessible to
It is a type of analytical theory that interprets a text by focusing on recurring myths and readers.
archetypes in the narrative, symbols, images, and character types in literary works.
Helps Choose Better Two Conflicting Readings
A multiple interpretation of a text that suggest there are two different, potentially
UNIT 1 conflicting, readings of a literary work.

Purposes of Literary Criticism Enables to Form Judgement About Literature

Literary Criticism helps us form judgments about the meaning of literature by providing
Understanding Meaning a structured framework for analyzing and evaluating texts. It goes beyond simply
Through close reading, interpreting, and examining the value enjoying a story and allows us to delve deeper into the text’s complexities.

Philosophical Exploration
Through literary criticism, particularly from a philosophical perspective, we can
analyze how a text engages with the fundamental ideas about life, morality, truth, and UNIT 1
society. Literary Discussion vs. Literary Analysis vs. Literary
Interpretation
Historical Context
Literature has always played a crucial role in shaping throughout history. It serves as
a reflection of cultural values, beliefs, and traditions, allowing people to express their Literary Discussion
thoughts and emotions through written works. Literary Discussion help readers develop and practice these skills. The overall
objectives are for students to deepen their comprehension skills, construct meaning
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together as a group debate and challenge each other, and ultimately connect with
books on a deeper level. Reader Response Analysis
Reader responses analysis shifts the focus away from the author and other outside
Literary Analysis elements of the text and analyzes the reception of the text through the various lenses
Literary analysis means closely studying a text, interpreting its meanings, and of its readers.
exploring why the author made certain choices. It can be applied to novels, short
stories, plays, poems, or any other form of literary writing. Literary Interpretation

TYPES OF LITERARY ANALYSIS Interpretation is an explicit argument about a text’s deeper meanings its implied
themes, values, and assumptions. It pays special attention to the text’s contradictions,
Cultural Analysis tensions, and ambiguities. Interpretation also recognizes how the cultural context of
Cultural literary analysis seeks to explain a new understanding of a text using objects, the text and the reader might influence our interpretative conclusions.
practices, and ideologies representative of a culture’s values, beliefs, and laws.
THE LITERARY INTERPRETATION FOCUSES ON THE SKILLS OF:
Feminist Analysis
Feminist literary analysis focuses on feminist theories based on society’s unequal Criticism
treatment of men and women. It is the art of analyzing and questioning a text’s themes, values, and assumptions
(identified in the process of interpretation).
Historical Analysis
Historical Analysis looks at a text through a historical lens. By forming an Research
understanding of the time period in which the text takes place and is written, historical Literary critics do research in order to participate in the conversation scholars are
critics translate new meaning from the text based on its roots, the social events, and having about a certain text.
the historical elements of the time period that impacted the author’s writing.
Revision
New Criticism Will write regularly throughout the entire course, but focus especially on drafting and
New criticism analyzes text based solely on the text itself. Ignoring historical, sharing with peers to help you develop a paper that engages a community of scholars.
biographical, cultural, and additional outside contexts, new criticism focuses on
internal contexts. SIMILARITIES

Psychological Analysis  Aim to enhance understanding and appreciation of literature.

Psychological analysis seek to understand a text by examining and postulating on the  Involve engaging with the text and its elements, such as themes, characters,
author’s intentions, the reader’s responses, and the psychological state of the and symbols.
characters in the piece.  Require critical thinking and thoughtful engagement to uncover meaning.
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  Encourage reflection on the author’s intent and the text impact.
 Involve a process of forming connections between the text and the reader’s
own experiences or knowledge.

DIFFERENCES

Literary Discussion
Sharing and building ideas as a group.

Literary Analysis
Focus on breaking down the techniques and structure.

Literal Analysis
Making an argument of what the text means on a deeper level.

CONNECTIONS

Literary analysis, discussion, and interpretation are interconnected processes that

work together to deepen our understanding of a literary piece.

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