Introduction to Literary Criticism

Literary criticism has two main functions:

1. To analyze, study, and evaluate works of literature.

2. To form general principles for the examination of works of literature.

Common Characteristics

M.H. Abrams points out in The Mirror and the Lamp that “any reasonably adequate theory takes some account of . . . four elements” (6). Examination of

1. The work itself2. The artist who creates the work3. The universe or the nature that is being

imitated by the work4. The audience of the work

20th Century Literary Theories

The following slides discuss specific 20th century literary theories. As we discuss these, you may find yourself agreeing with one or two theories while disagreeing heartily with another. Keep in mind that no single theory offers the “right” answer about a work of literature; good literature is simply too varied. Keeping an open mind and listening to other points of view can enrich your own insights; that is the purpose of criticism.

Feminist Criticism• Feminist criticism grew out of the

women’s movement that followed World War II.

• Feminist critics analyze the role of gender in works of literature. Leading critic Elaine Showalter describes two purposes of feminist criticism:– Feminist critique: The analysis of works by

male authors, especially in the depiction of women’s writing

– Gynocriticism: The study of women’s writing

Feminist CriticismFeminist critics have been responsible for

recovering neglected works by women authors through the ages and creating a canon of women’s writing.

A case in point is Kate Chopin. She was fairly widely published in the 1890s, but her work was largely neglected by literary critics until the 1960s, when Chopin was “rediscovered” by feminist critics.

Gilbert and Gubar• Sandra M. Gilbert and Susan Gubar

together published The Mad Woman in the Attic (1979) which stressed the difficulty women had considering themselves authors and claiming a voice. Most respected literature was written by men and women characters were often foolish or hysterical.

Gilbert and Gubar• Common themes of women’s

literature include the following: madness, entrapment, silence, death, self-expression, and community.

• How are these themes present in Jane Eyre?

Examples of Archetypes

Characters:• Scapegoat• Hero/Villian• Outcast• Temptress• Mother/Father• Mentor

Works ConsultedAbrams, M.H. The Mirror and the Lamp. London: Oxford UP,

1953.Arnold, Matthew. “The Function of Criticism at the Present

Time.” Selected Prose. Ed. P.J. Keating. London: Penguin, 1970. 130-157.

Holman, C. Hugh and William Harmon. A Handbook to Literature. 6th ed. New York: Macmillan, 1992.

Keating, P.J. Introduction. Selected Prose. By Matthew Arnold. Ed. Keating. London: Penguin, 1970. 9-36.

Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell. Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. 3rd ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace, 1997.

Pope, Alexander. An Essay on Criticism. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 7th Major Authors ed. Ed. M.H. Abrams and Stephen Greenblatt. New York: Norton, 2001. 1123-1134.