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    03 Literary Criticism and Literary Theory

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    Leona Pašiček
    Literary criticism involves the discussion and analysis of works of literature. It can be understood in two ways - as discussing individual literary works or literature in general by examining its principles, theory, and aesthetics. Literary criticism aims to describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate works of literature using both objective and subjective criteria. Literary theory is a part of literary criticism and provides foundations for understanding literature more broadly by addressing questions about what literature is and how it should be approached, judged, and used. Literary criticism, history, and theory are interrelated but also distinct, with theory informing criticism and history, while criticism and history offer material for theoretical analysis and development.

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    03 Literary Criticism and Literary Theory

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    Leona Pašiček
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    Literary criticism involves the discussion and analysis of works of literature. It can be understood in two ways - as discussing individual literary works or literature in general by examining its principles, theory, and aesthetics. Literary criticism aims to describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate works of literature using both objective and subjective criteria. Literary theory is a part of literary criticism and provides foundations for understanding literature more broadly by addressing questions about what literature is and how it should be approached, judged, and used. Literary criticism, history, and theory are interrelated but also distinct, with theory informing criticism and history, while criticism and history offer material for theoretical analysis and development.

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    03 Literary criticism and Literary Theory

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    Literary criticism involves the discussion and analysis of works of literature. It can be understood in two ways - as discussing individual literary works or literature in general by examining its principles, theory, and aesthetics. Literary criticism aims to describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate works of literature using both objective and subjective criteria. Literary theory is a part of literary criticism and provides foundations for understanding literature more broadly by addressing questions about what literature is and how it should be approached, judged, and used. Literary criticism, history, and theory are interrelated but also distinct, with theory informing criticism and history, while criticism and history offer material for theoretical analysis and development.

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    11 views10 pages

    03 Literary Criticism and Literary Theory

    Uploaded by

    Leona Pašiček
    Literary criticism involves the discussion and analysis of works of literature. It can be understood in two ways - as discussing individual literary works or literature in general by examining its principles, theory, and aesthetics. Literary criticism aims to describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate works of literature using both objective and subjective criteria. Literary theory is a part of literary criticism and provides foundations for understanding literature more broadly by addressing questions about what literature is and how it should be approached, judged, and used. Literary criticism, history, and theory are interrelated but also distinct, with theory informing criticism and history, while criticism and history offer material for theoretical analysis and development.

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    of 10

    Literary Criticism

    and
    Literary Theory

    OKEJ Lectures
    Smiljana Narančić Kovač, PhD
    Literary Criticism

    • Discourse about literature


    (R. Wellek)

    • Two basic ways of understanding LC:


    • Works of literature
    • Discussion of literature in general
    • Principles
    • Theory
    • Aesthetics (of literature: formerly poetics and
    rhetoric)
    LC as discourse about L works
    • Description
    • Analysis
    • Interpretation
    • Understanding first
    • Evaluation
    • Judgement : aimed at establishing value
    • Problem: criteria
    • Objective criteria
    • Subjective criteria
    • Objective
    • Standards – norms
    • Universal system of value
    • Foundation: rationalism
    Criteria
    • common sense, general judgment
    • E.g. Aristotelian tradition: rationalistic theory of literature

    • Subjective
    • Intuitive judgement, subconsious, identification
    • Identifying with the ‘spirit’ of the literary work itself (Herder)
    • Foundation: idealism
    • Relativism and subjectivism
    • E.g. Romanticism :
    • Goethe: What did the author intend? Was this plan sensible? Was the
    author successful in carrying it out?
    • Coleridge: Does the work bring pleasure?
    LC as discussion of literature in general
    Discussion of its
    • Principles
    • Theory
    • Aesthetics of literature :
    • Poetics
    = making (-> how literature is made: Aristotle)
    • Genre theory (poetics of the novel, of fiction, poetry, tragedy…)
    • Science of literature
    • Rhetoric
    = art of speech (techniques of speech)
    • Art of persuasion
    • Stylistic techniques (figures of speech, etc. )
    • A set of conversational principles, maxims, functions, signaling
    strategies……discourse analysis….. (linguistics)
    -> e.g. Wayne Booth (1961) Rhetoric of Fiction (telling vs. showing)
    -> practical skill that can be taught (creative writing)
    Back to Theory
    Theory as a part of Literary Criticism?
    • LC starts from an individual work
    • Its subject: two basic aspects:
    • what is inside - the work itself (how it works)
    • what is outside the work: its context
    • The context: tradition, history, national literature
     LC is between theory and history
    • Its methods:
    • Comparison; Introspection; Explanation and interpretation
    • Its role:
    • To evaluate
    • To explain
    • To educate
    Problems such LC faces:
    • Is it science or art?
    • Can it be objective?
    • Are there universal norms and criteria to judge by?
    Also: LC is concerned with:
    • How to approach literature
    • How to judge literature
    • How to use literature
    An important question is completely forgotten:
    What is literature?
    • That question is left to theory as distinct from
    criticism.
    • Remember? Criticism • General discussion
    • Discussion of individual works

    • Establishing facts
    History • Finding connections
    • Evaluating : Canon

    Theory • Ambition: objectiveness


    • Problem: definition of literature

    So, how are they related?


    History vs. theory
    Theory provides foundations for literary history.

    • Yet… history offers material for theoretical analysis.


    • Theories themselves seem to be historically
    determined.
    • Thus, there also exist:
    • Theories of literary history.
    • History of literary theories.
    Criticism vs. theory
    Theory provides foundations for criticism

    • Yet…sometimes they are used interchangeably.


    • Both are related to text
    • Both deal with text
    • Both make decisions how to approach literature:
    • Starting from the text itself
    • Starting from the outside (from the context)

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