LITERARY CRITICISM

Literary criticism is the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of literature.

Literary Theory. The capacity to generalize about phenomena and to develop concepts that form the
basis for interpretation and analysis—in this instance, of a “literary” text.

Types of Literary Theory

1. Formalism has the advantage of forcing writers to evaluate a work on its own terms rather than to
rely on “accepted” notions of the writer’s work. It works best when applied to poetry and short fiction.
Attempts to discover meaning by close reading of a work of literature.
Focus is on:
Form, organization, and structure
Word choice and language
Multiple meanings
Considers the work in isolation, disregarding author’s intent, author’s background, c
on text, and anything else outside of the work itself.
2. New Criticism varied from formalism in that New Criticism focuses on image, symbol, and meaning.
Features of new criticism
Meaning resides in the text—not in reader, author, or world
Texts may contain numerous messages, but must have a unifying central theme created by the
perfect union of all artistic elements.
Texts are artistic creations
Close reading is the basis of new critical analysis
The methodology for finding meaning is clear-cut; the tools are unique to literary analysis
3. Reader-Response Criticism.
Features
Text has many interpretations—text & reader interact to create meaning
Meaning ultimately resides in the reader’s mind or the consensual “mind” of a community of
readers
A text’s truth is relative
Readers may reach the same conclusions about a work--but approach the task quite differently
4. Reader-Response/Reception Theory is applied to the general reading public rather than an individual
reader.
Features
Each generation has different experiences, values, issues, etc.
Therefore, each generation will read a work differently.
5. Structuralism.
Meaning resides in the structure of language, not in art nor in the reader’s mind
Scientific approach to literary analysis: structure of language as a logical sign system determines
meaning
Two levels of language: langue (“the King’s English”) & parole (everyday speech)
 Interpret a text or part of a text by taking its language apart (study word derivations, sentence
syntax, etc.)
6. Sociological Criticism. Maintains that the literary work cannot be separated from the social context in
which it was created.
Two Aspects
Conditions of production, such as schools, magazines, publishers, and fashions.
The applicability of a given work—fiction especially—in studying the dynamics of a given
society.
Two dominant theories
Feminist criticism
Marxist criticism
7. New Historicism. New historicist critics view literature as part of history, and furthermore, as an
expression of forces on history.
Two Forms
Analysis of the work in the context in which it was created
Analysis of the work in the context in which it was critically evaluated.
8. Psychoanalytic Criticism
Features
Analyzes literature to reveal insights about the way the human mind works.
Is based on the work of Sigmund Freud and his disciples.
Works well as a method of analyzing characters’ actions and motivations.
9. Mythological Approach
Largely attributed to Carl Jung, a disciple of Sigmund Freud
Archetype: a model or pattern from which all other things of a similar nature are made

LET’s REVIEW (LET Reviewer)

1. He is the first Asian writer to receive the Nobel Prize.

( a.Rabindranath Tagore b. Padma Lakshmi c. Sarojini Naidu d. Ruskin Bond)

2. He is considered as the greatest English writer and also known as the “Bard of Avon”. ( a. Robert Frost
b. Christopher Marlowe a. William Shakespeare d. William Wordsworth)

3. This Shakespeare’s play is a story of a man whose downfall was caused by overwhelming ambition for
power. (a. Hamlet b. Macbeth c. Merchant of Venice d. King Henry VIII)

4. He is known as the father of horror stories. (a. Stephen King b. Robin Cook
c. Edgar Allan Poe d. William Faulkner)

5. He is known as the Father of English Essays. (a. Alfred Lord Tennyson b. Francis Bacon
c. Ernest Hemmingway d. John Keats)

6. This Omar Khayam’s work has the theme “Grasping pleasure while you can”. (a. Arabian Nights b.
Rubaiyat c. Ramayana)
7. This short story by Edgar Allan Poe has the theme which is similar to the theme of “Poison Tree”.
(a. The Black Cat b. Usher’s House c. The Cask of Amontillado)

8. He is a Filipino writer whose stories and poems depict Filipino-Spanish cultural beliefs and traditions.
(a. Jose Garcia Villa b. Nick Joaquin c. Paz Benitez)

9. He was the first Filipino National Artist for Literature awarded in 1973. (a. Jose Garcia Villa
b. Nick Joaquin c. Sinai Hamada)

10. He is a Filipino migrant whose fiction stories reflect the Filipino’s concept of American culture. (a.
Bienvenido Santos b. Kerima Tuvera c. Paz Benitez)

11. He is called a “comma poet” because he used commas extensively in his works. (a. Jose Garcia Villa
b. Alejandro Roces c. Sinai Hamada)

12. This is a collection of Indian beast fables originally written in Sanskrit. (a. Ramayana
b. Panchatantra c. Mahabharata)

13. This is the first great work of English literature. (a. Nibelungenlid b. Song of Roland
c. Beowulf)

14. He is recognized as the father of American literature. (a. Robert Frost b. Washington Irving
c. Ernest Hemmingway d. William Faulkner)

15. He is known as the master of “local color” because of his Pickwick Papers.
(a.Charles Dickens b. John Keats c. Rudyard Kipling d. Lewis Carrol)

16. From which Shakespeare’s play are these lines taken “Good night, good night! Parting is such a sweet
sorrow that I shall say good night till it be morrow”? (a. As you like it b. Romeo and Juliet c.
Midsummernight’s Dream)

17. This literary work is believed to have triggered the American Civil War. ( a. Uncle Tom’s Cabin b. Oh
Captain, My Captain c. I have a Dream)

II. Eponyms. Read the description of the word; then fill in each blank line with one of the words from
the list. You will not have to change the form of the word. Write your answers on the blank line before
each number.
chaos Herculean chauvinist tantalize
flora and fauna ostracize nemesis narcissism
utopia odyssey bedlam jingoist
titan martinet mesmerized mentor
quixotic laconic atlas tawdry
1. This word originally referred to the shapeless mass existing before earth, sea and air were divided.
Today we use it to refer to a situation where disorder rules. The word is ___________.
2. A goddess who hoped to aid famous Greek hero disguised herself as a trusted friend. In this way, she
was able to guide and protect his family without causing suspicion. From the name of that friend, we
derived a word that refers to a trusted friend or teacher. The word is _________.
3. According to the myth, there was once a king who was cruelly punished by the gods. He was forced to
look at fruit and drink placed just out of reach. Today we use his name to say we desire for something just
out of reach. The word is _________.
4. According to Greek mythology, there was a giant who held the earth upon his shoulders. Pictures of a
giant frequently appear on maps. Today we use the word taken from his name to refer to a strange trip or
journey. The word is _________.
5. There was a Greek king forced to wander for many years. During that time, he had countless
adventures. Today, we use the word taken from his name to refer to a strange trip or journey. The word is
_________.
6. There was a hospital in London used to house the mentally ill. The name of the hospital was difficult
to pronounce, and there were at least two mispronunciations. From these mispronunciations, we derive a
word which describes a place or situation filled with noise or confusion. The word is _________.
7. According to mythology, there was a beautiful young man who fell in love with his own reflection. We
use the word taken from his name to describe excessive admiration or love for one’s own abilities. The
word is _________.
8. The word originally referred to an ordinary island. Because the people of the island used reason to
guide their lives, the island was the perfect place to live. Today we use the name of that island to refer to
condition, situation, or place that is socially and politically perfect. The word is _________.
9. The hero of a famous Spanish novel spent his days looking for dragons to slay and lovely ladies to
save. He never found them because they didn’t exist. Today when we want to talk about a person or idea
that is romantic and unrealistic, we use the word taken from his name. The word is _________.
10. A form of this word originally appeared in an eighteenth century popular song. The lyrics stressed the
need to take up arms. We now use a word taken from the song to describe someone ready and willing to
go to war. The word is _________.
11. Hypnosis became popular in the eighteenth century. All of France came to watch one man in
particular because he was able to put people into a strange, sleeplike state. Today we use the word taken
from his name to indicate that someone is fascinated almost to the point of being hypnotized. The word is
_________.

12. The Greeks had goddess ready to punish all who misbehaved, especially those who were overly
proud and challenged the authority of the gods. We use the word taken from the name of the goddess to
describe someone or something that signals the coming of failure. The word is _________.
13. The Romans had a goddess of flowers and a god of nature. Today their names are used together to
refer to the plants and animals of a particular area. The word is _________.
14. It is said that the Greeks had a hero of extraordinary strength. In order to prove his strength, he
performed several feats that seemed impossible to ordinary men. Today we use the word derived from his
name to describe a task demanding a great deal of effort and strength. The word is _________.
15. Army rule books still recall a seventeenth-century French general who insisted on the strictest
possible discipline for his men. The word derived from his name refers to someone who insists on
following rules to the letter. The word is _________.
16. The Greek used a special method to expel someone from the city of Athens. The name of the person
was written on a shell. The person receiving the most votes was forced to leave. We use a word derived
from a name of that shell to talk about excluding or shutting someone out from a larger group. The word
is _________.
17. St. Audrey’s lace was sold in country fairs. Over the time the name of these pieces of lace was
mispronounce. From that mispronunciation, we derived a word that means cheap or gawdy. The word is
_________.
18. This word comes from a Greek tribe known for their briefness of speech. We use it to describe
someone who doesn’t use many words. The word is _________.
19. Legend has it that Napoleon was worshipped by a soldier who thought his leader could do no wrong.
Today we use the word derived from his name to describe someone prejudiced in favor of one country or
group. The word is _________.
20. According to Greek mythology, this word originally referred to giants who inhabited the earth before
people did. Today we use it to describe a man or woman who is outstanding in a particular field. The
word is _________.