Literary Criticism Lenses

Reader-Response Criticism
● When encountering a text, the
Reader Response Criticism focuses
reader not only seeks the
on a reader's active engagement
meaning that inherently lies
with a text. The reader's response
within the text, but also
to any text is shaded by the reader's
creates meaning from a
own experiences, ethics, moral
personal interaction with the
values, and general views of the
text.
world. For example, the response to
● A discussion of a text should
To Kill a Mockingbird​ may depend
take into account the reader
on the reader's sense of outrage on
as well as the reading
behalf of someone unjustly accused
situation.
of a crime.
● Different readers formulate
different acceptable
interpretations because a text
allows for a range of
acceptable interpretations for
which textual support is
available.
Cultural Criticism
Cultural Criticism asserts that
differing religious beliefs,
ethnicities, class identifications,
political beliefs, and individual
viewpoints affect how texts are
created and interpreted.
What it means to be a part of—or
excluded from—a specific cultural
group contributes to our
understanding of texts in relation to
culture.
● Ethnicity, religious beliefs,
social class, and so on are
crucial components in
formulating plausible
interpretations of a text.
● While the emphasis is on
diversity of approach and
subject matter, Cultural
Criticism is not the only
means of understanding
ourselves and our art.
● An examination of the
relationship between
dominant cultures and the
dominated is essential.
Archetypal Criticism
● Certain images recur in texts
Archetypes are universal
from diverse cultures that
symbols—images, characters,
share a common
motifs, or patterns that recur in the
interpretation—water, sun,
myths, dreams, oral traditions,
colors, trees, and settings
songs, literature, and other texts of
such as gardens and deserts.
peoples widely separated by time
● Certain characters recur—the
and place. Archetypal Criticism
hero, the trickster, the great
deals with the similarities of these
mother, the wise old man, the
patterns in the literature of widely
prodigal son.
diverse cultures. For example, most
● Certain motifs and patterns
cultures have stories that present a
recur—creation stories, the
version of the Hero's Journey.
quest, voyage to the
underworld, journey, and
initiation.
Class-Based Criticism
● All aspects of humanity are
Class Based Criticism asserts that
based on the struggle for
economics provides the foundation
economic power.
for all social, political, and
● The basic struggle in human
ideological reality. Economic
society is between the haves
inequalities between classes
and the have-nots.
creates conflict and a power
● The struggle between social
structure that influences all other
classes is inevitable but also
aspects of life.
drives social transformation.
Feminist Criticism
● Issues of gender and
Feminist interpretation focuses on
sexuality are central to artistic
relationships between genders. It
expression.
examines the patterns of thought,
● A patriarchal society conveys
behavior, values, enfranchisement,
the notion of male dominance
and power in relations between and
through the images of women
within the sexes.
in its texts.
● Fictional portrayals of female
characters often reflect and
create stereotypical social
and political attitudes toward
women.
● Many classic literary texts
lack complex female figures
and deem the female reader
as an outsider.
● Texts authored by women
may have different viewpoints
than texts authored by men.
Historical Criticism
● A text cannot be separated
While acknowledging the
from its historical context,
importance of the literary text, the
which is a web of social,
Historical approach recognizes the
cultural, economic, personal,
significance of historical
and political factors.
information in interpreting
● An understanding of a text is
literature. This perspective
enhanced by the study of
assumes that texts both influence
beliefs and artifacts (such as
and are influenced by the times in
diaries, films, paintings, and
which they are created.
letters) in existence when the
text was created.