Unit 1 Introduction to Literary Criticisms
1.1 Introduction
Literary criticism
refers to the act of interpreting and studying literature.
a study discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. It is a practical appreciation
of literature.
The task of a literary critic is to explain and attempt to reach a critical understanding of
what literary texts mean in terms of their aesthetic, as well as social, political, and cultural
statements and suggestion.
1.2 Literature and Literary Theory
Traditionally, literature is regarded as a homogenous body of works with similar
characteristics which are read in similar ways by an undifferentiated audience
Literature, as a body of writing together with its moral and aesthetic qualities, can be
seen as a site of struggle where meanings are contested rather than regarded as
something possessing timeless and universal values and truths.
Literary theories can offer various ways of reading, interpreting, and analyzing
literature, but they do not offer any easy solutions as to what literature is, or what its
study should be.
These theories aim to explain, or at times demystify, some of the assumptions or
beliefs implicit in literature and literary criticism.
1.3 Literary Criticism and Literary Theory
Literary criticism involves the reading, interpretation and commentary of a specific text
or texts which have been designated as literature.
Two conventions or assumptions which tend to be inherent in its practice are:
a) that criticism is secondary to literature itself and dependent on it; and
b) that critical interpretations or judgments seem to assume that the literary text which they
are addressing is unquestionably literature. If literary criticism involves the reading, analysis,
explication, and interpretation of texts which are designated as literary, then literary theory
should do two things:
1.1 Introduction
Literary criticism
refers to the act of interpreting and studying literature.
a study discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. It is a practical appreciation
of literature.
The task of a literary critic is to explain and attempt to reach a critical understanding of
what literary texts mean in terms of their aesthetic, as well as social, political, and cultural
statements and suggestion.
1.2 Literature and Literary Theory
Traditionally, literature is regarded as a homogenous body of works with similar
characteristics which are read in similar ways by an undifferentiated audience
Literature, as a body of writing together with its moral and aesthetic qualities, can be
seen as a site of struggle where meanings are contested rather than regarded as
something possessing timeless and universal values and truths.
Literary theories can offer various ways of reading, interpreting, and analyzing
literature, but they do not offer any easy solutions as to what literature is, or what its
study should be.
These theories aim to explain, or at times demystify, some of the assumptions or
beliefs implicit in literature and literary criticism.
1.3 Literary Criticism and Literary Theory
Literary criticism involves the reading, interpretation and commentary of a specific text
or texts which have been designated as literature.
Two conventions or assumptions which tend to be inherent in its practice are:
a) that criticism is secondary to literature itself and dependent on it; and
b) that critical interpretations or judgments seem to assume that the literary text which they
are addressing is unquestionably literature. If literary criticism involves the reading, analysis,
explication, and interpretation of texts which are designated as literary, then literary theory
should do two things:
