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English 42 / Rose
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Literary Theory
Literary theory is a term that refers to the various schools of thought developed by literary
scholars by which we approach literature. Think of these forms of literary criticism as tools
for reading and writing about literature.
Contemporary literary theories include:
 Deconstruction
 Poststructuralism
 New Historicism
 Formalist
 Feminist
 Marxist
 Reader-Response
 Psychoanalytic
Here’s a brief description of the literary theories that we will strive to incorporate into our
class discussions:
Formalist Criticism
Formalist criticism focuses primarily on the text alone; it places the text under a
microscope. External matters (biography, history, politics) are secondary.
1. How do various elements of the work (plot, character, point of view, diction, irony,
symbol, metaphor, etc.) create and reinforce its meanings?
2. What is the work’s major organizing principle?
3. What issues are raised by the work? How does the work’s structure resolve those
issues?
Sociological Criticism
Sociological criticism looks at social groups, relationships, and values in literature. It sees a
work as a reflection of social conditions or as a product of social conditions. These schools
of criticism have an overtly political agenda. Two popular sociological approaches are
Marxist and feminist criticism.
Marxist Criticism
This critical approach grounds its theory and practice on the economic and cultural theory of
Karl Marx (1818-1883).
1. How are class differences presented in the work? Are the characters aware or
unaware of the economic and social forces that affect their lives?
2. How do economic conditions determine the characters’ lives?
3. Does the work criticize class structures?
Feminist Criticism
Feminist critics see their work as a way to address predominant critical perspectives which
are male dominated and patriarchal.
1. How are women’s lives portrayed in the work? Do the women in the work accept or
reject these roles?
2. Are the form and content of the work influenced by the author’s gender?
3. What are the relationships between men and women? Are these relationships
sources of conflict? Do they provide resolutions to conflicts?
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Historical Criticism
Historical critics use history as a way of understanding literature. They look closely at the
culture (social, religious, political) in which the author composed the work.
 How does the work reflect the period in which it was written?
 How does the work reflect the period it represents?
 What historical influences helped to shape the form and content of the work?
 How important is the historical context (both the work’s and your own) to
interpreting the work?
Psychological Criticism
Using psychoanalytical theories, the critic analyzes the characters of a literary text as well
as the symbolic meanings of objects, events, and language. They also examine the
motivation of the writer.
1. How does the work reflect the author’s personal psychology?
2. What do the characters’ emotions and behavior reveal about their psychological
states? What types of personalities are they?
3. Does the author present psychological matters such as repression, dreams, and
desire, either consciously or unconsciously?
Reader-Response Criticism
The focus is on the reader rather than the work. Reader-response criticism focuses on what
texts do to – or in – the mind of the reader. It explores the reader’s experience of a work;
it considers the ideas the reader brought to the text. Consequently, reader-response critics
believe it is important to consider how cultural and social influences affect the reader’s
response to a work.
1. How do you respond to the work?
2. How do your experiences and expectations affect your reading and interpretation?
3. Who is the work’s original intended audience? To what extent are you similar or
dissimilar to that audience?