Famous and Contemporary Approaches to 2.

Biographical
Reading Literature  Concentrates on the author’s life experiences and
how those may have influenced him or her in
What is a Literary Theory? writing the work.
 The way we “see” (read and understand) literature  It is believed that every work has a single
depends largely upon what kind of “glasses” we are interpretation — what the author intended.
wearing. EXAMPLE:
 We call this “perspective” or “point of view.” The Story of An Hour (Biographical)
 No single lens gives us the clearest view. Research Kate Chopin’s life and marriage. Is
 Most people use several lenses at once. any character a representation of the
author? (If not, don’t use this approach.)
Why should I think about literary theory?
Look at the work through the author’s eyes.
 Literary theory provides a deeper understanding of a
Is Chopin making a personal comment?
text.
How would the effect be different if a man, a
 Looking at a story from different perspectives often
woman who was a former slave or poor, or a
results in discovering new and intriguing things.
21st-century writer had written this?
Types of Literary Theories 3. Psychological
 Formalist / New Criticism  Explores the symbolic meanings of events and the
 Biographical Criticism conscious or subconscious motivations of the
 Psychological Criticism characters or the author.
 Historical, Cultural, and Marxist Criticism  Takes into account dreams, subconscious desires,
 Gender (Feminist, LGBT) and sexual repression (for example, the Oedipus
or Electra complex).
 Criticism Mythological (Archetypal)
EXAMPLE:
 Criticism Reader-Response Criticism
The Story of An Hour (Psychological)
The Story of An Hour By Kate Chopin (1894) Imagine that you are a psychotherapist and
Types of Literary Theories Louise Mallard (or Kate Chopin) is your
1. Formalist / New Criticism patient. (Do not assume the protagonist is the
 Concentrates on literary features such as symbol, author.)
imagery, tone, style, and structure to determine What makes her the way she is?
how these functions together to create the Why does she do what she does?
reader’s experience What are her subconscious fears?
 Says there is one “right” answer that can be found What are her subconscious desires? Is she
within the text. healthy or disturbed?
 Supposes that there is a central, unifying theme in Does she have issues with authority (what we
every work. might casually call “daddy issues” or “mommy
EXAMPLE: issues”)?
The Story of An Hour (Formalist) Can she adapt and function in her world?
Consider: adjectives, adverbs, vivid verbs (diction) Does she have a “breakthrough”?
foreshadowing (“heart trouble”) 4. Historical, Cultural, & Marxist
metaphors (“storm of grief,” “a very elixir of life”)  Treat a literary text as a document reflecting,
personification (“something coming to her… producing, or being produced by the social
creeping out of the sky,” “monstrous joy,” “joy conditions of its time or culture.
that kills”?)  Take into consideration what was happening in
repetition (“open,” “free”) the world or a society at the time the text was
symbols (open window/ “new spring life,” closed written (for example, wars, social issues, political
door) movements, and industrialization).
similes (“like a goddess of Victory”) EXAMPLE:
irony (her sudden death at the end, “joy that The Story of An Hour (Historical)
kills”) Consider the author’s and protagonist’s social
What can you infer is the theme? (and economic) class.
Consider what the world was like in the time
(late 19th century) and place (New Orleans)
the story was written and takes place.
What was going on in the American South?
 What was life like then? Summary
How would the story be different if the main 1. Formalist /New Criticism – Text
character were of a different race or social 2. Biographical – Author
class? 3. Psychological – Mind
What comment might Chopin be making on 4. Historical, Cultural, Marxist – Society
social rules and expectations? 5. Gender (Feminism, LGBT) – Gender
5. Gender (Feminist, LGBT) 6. Mythological (Archetypal) – Myths
 Explores how what society says is masculine or 7. Reader- Response – Readers
feminine is reflected in a literary work, often
seeking to correct or supplement a The Genres of Literature
heterosexual/male dominated critical perspective.
Literature - sounds loke an important academic
 Considers how literature portrays women and/or
LGBT people. term but it all just basically means everything we
EXAMPLE: read…
The Story of An Hour (Feminist)
Genre – simply means category, a style, a form or
What was life like for women in Louise
content. It maybe an art, a music or a literary
Mallard’s (and Kate Chopin’s) society?
Who holds power in that society? composition.
Consider the female (Louise and Josephine) 1. Poetry & Prose
and male (Richards and Brently) characters. A. Poetry
Does each fit the stereotype of his or her
 written in VERSE FORMAT, divided upon inro
gender? How? If not, how is he or she
LINES
different?
 often SHORT, and its goal is to show how
Which characters show power or weakness?
BEAUTIFUL the language is.
How? Why is the protagonist called “Mrs.
 The art of RYTHMICAL COMPOSITION
Mallard” in the beginning but “Louise” later in
EXAMPLE:
the story?
- The story of Beowulf, an epic poem that
6. Mythological (Archetypal)
consist of 3,182 lines
 Looks for underlying, recurrent patterns in
- The sonnets of Shakespeare with Elizabethan
literature (like death and rebirth/the seasons) that
rhyme scheme and 14 lines.
reveal universal meanings and basic human
- The song of Britney Spears entitled Girl in The
experiences.
Mirror which is a ballad.
 Finds associations between a literary work and
B. Prose
widely known stories like myths, religious texts,
 written in normal format
and fairy tales.
 is divided into sentences and paragraphs
EXAMPLE:
 is not rhythmical and metrical
The Story of An Hour (Archetypal)
EXAMPLE:
Can you find any allusions to familiar stories or
- the biography of Taylor Swift entitled the
universal truths?
Whole Story
The four seasons In what season is the story
- some Facebook statuses and updates
set?
- a newspaper article about Titanic.
What is the significance of this season?
2. Fiction & Non-fiction
What does it typically represent?
A. Fiction
How does this relate to the character of the
 Unreal – the events and the characters are not
protagonist?
real
7. Reader-Response
 For fun – it is made up or imaginary that is read
 Says that every reader’s interpretation is unique
for fun
because every reader has a different biography,
 A possible scenario – the characters may be based
history, gender/ sexual orientation, mythology,
on a real people.
and psychology
EXAMPLE:
 What the reader sees and understands, not what
- Fifty Shades of Grey
the writer may have intended, is what is
- The Legend of the Onion
important.
- Dora the Explorer
B. Non-fiction
EXAMPLE:
 - The Evolution of Man
- Lady Gaga: Portrait of a Lady
- How to make an apple pie
3. Drama and Play
A. Drama
 Is associated with theater
 Has a dramatist
 Refers to set-up of play including make-up, stage,
etc.
EXAMPLE:
- Miss Saigon
- Romeo & Juliet
- Oedipus Rex
B. Play
 Is used in the sense of literature composition
 It has a playwright.
 It has specific numbers of scenes or events.
EXAMPLE:
- A Soliloquy
- Monologue
- Puppetry