LITERATURE CRITICISM

Literary criticism is the comparison, analysis, interpretation, and/or

evaluation of works of literature. Literary criticism is essentially an
opinion, supported by evidence, relating to theme, style, setting or
historical or political context.
HISTORICAL APPROACH
-It is one of the most basic approach used in the
analysis of literary work that refers to the historical
method of criticism

-historical criticism works by looking into a literary

works background. Cultural and social contexts, as
well as the author’s biography.
HISTORICAL CRITICISM
● Very similar to biographical criticism

● This approach mostly concerns the time period

during which the text was written

● Often within the text, a key factor or concept is

related back to culture, history, ideology, etc.
HISTORICAL CRITICISM
● Historical criticism uses biographies of authors
for reference as well.

● Insists that in order to understand the literary

work, we must be aware of the author’s
background, social ranking, and what was taking
place and during the time period –-old and new.
CRITICS: OLD AND NEW
● Early 1500‘s- Desiderius Erasmus: he is
created as being one of the first critics to
use as a historical approach when studying
Bible

● Late 1600- Richard Simon: Catholic priest

who felt uncertainty about the Bible due to
other’s dependency about it.
CRITICS: OLD AND NEW
● Jean François Lyonard: Literary critic who
critiqued the postmodernism era and how
it affected humans.

● Michel Foucant: Literary critic who

specialized in understanding social control
through power. (prison life)
CRITICS: OLD AND NEW
● Kenneth Bucke: Literary critic who
specialized in rhetoric. He felt as though
society could grasp a better understanding
of the world through rhetoric and speech.
William Shakespeare was an influence.
EXAMPLE OF HISTORICAL CRITICISM

● “The story of an Hour” is about a woman who is happy to

finally have her own freedom, without looking back at history
and understanding the women’s right at the same time of the
story.
IMPORTANCE OF HISTORICAL CRITICISM
● The primary goal of historical criticism is to discover the text's
primitive or original meaning in its original historical context
and its literal sense or sensus literalis historicus. The
secondary goal seeks to establish a reconstruction of
the historicalsituation of the author and recipients of the text.
BIOGRAPHICAL CRITICISM
● It works by considering the author and the
fact based knowledge of his life which
accompanied him.
BIOGRAPHICAL CRITICISM
● It allow readers and critics to better
comprehend a literary work knowing that
the literature was written by an actual
person. Being able to understand
someone’s life very much helps readers
draw conclusion and make sense of what
they are reading.
 GOOD EXAMPLE
(WILLIAM PAULKNER)

01 02

Yoknapatawpha= William Paulkner’s own family

Lafayette country history shows up in various
work.
 BAD EXAMPLE
(E.L JAMES)

We know the author’s birth Can I say for certain that her trilogy would
name. have been better received by literary critics
had we access to her biography? No.

Her career before writing

However, having access to
one’s life story often enhances
our understanding of where a
literary work is heading or a
point that is trying to be made.
APPLYING BIOGRAPHICAL CRITICISM
Alice adventures in wonderland and through the looking glass by Lewis Caroll.

-Born in Cheshire, England

-He was conservative

-He suffered from a stammer

-Wrote poetry ang short stories as a boy

-Formed a friendship with a family by the name Liddell: The youngest

daughter’s name was Alice.
 IMPORTANCE OF BIOGRAPHICAL CRITICISM
-Biographical Criticism: This approach “begins with the simple but central
insight that literature is written by actual people and that
understanding an author's life can help readers more thoroughly
comprehend the work.” Hence, it often affords a practical method by which
readers can better understand a text.
 Biographical criticism: Analyzing an author’s biography to
showcase similarities between that author’s life and his or her
literary work.

Historical criticism: Defining a literal meaning of a text as

well as its meaning.

WRAP UP!!!
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING!
Group 2
Hazel Anne Joson
Kyle Natalie Palor
Angelo Andaya
James Camillo
Gab Fajardo
Drix Garcia
Francisco Macapagal

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