Theory of literature in brief

New Criticism
A theory that is not concerned with context -- historical, biographical, intellectual; not interested
in the intent, affect or meaning of the author or the reader-response reaction of the reader. It is
solely concerned with the text itself -- its language and organization; how the text speaks for
itself. This approach would involve an intense reading of the text (used mostly in poetry
analysis) in which the language and style is closely examined, without giving any consideration
to the meaning or emotion of the writer or the reader (also known as Formalist Criticism)

Reader-Response
The reader takes an active role in deciphering meaning. A poem, for instance, has no real
existence or meaning until it is read; its meaning can only be discussed by its readers. We differ
about interpretations only because our ways of reading differ. It is the reader who applies the
code in which the message is written and in this way actualizes what would otherwise remain
only potentially meaningful. Hence, the reader is not a passive recipient of an entirely formulated
meaning, but an active agent in the making of meaning. The meaning of the text is never self-
formulated by the writer; the reader must act upon the textual material in order to produce
meaning.

Feminist Theory
Since traditional literary theory is based on patriarchal systems (male-dominated writing and
criticism), the feminist critics wish to divorce themselves from any one particular past theory as
they focus on redefining literature from a feminine perspective. In so doing, critics focus on
female characters; redefining women’s roles in literature and life, and examining the treatment of
women in literature from a woman’s point of view.

Historicism
In Historicism, critics view literary history as part of a larger cultural history. Historicists studied
literature in the context of social, political and cultural history, and they viewed a nation’s
literary history as an expression of its evolving spirit. Studying the particular period of history
during which a piece of literature was written could give the reader the necessary background on
that writer’s point of view and his influences. Biographical Criticism examines an author's life
history in order to gain insight into his literary work.

Psychological Criticism
Critics view literature through the lens of modern psychology, exploring human behavior
(conscious, subconscious and unconscious), literary language and symbolism. Psychological
criticism often employs three approaches: the creative process of the author, the author's
motivation and behavior, and the psychoanalysis of an author's fictional characters. Sociological
Criticism examines literature in the cultural, economic and political context in which it is written
or received, and explores the relationship between artist and society.

Marxist Criticism
A form of sociological criticism which focuses on the economic and political elements of art.
Marxist criticism often explores the ideological content of literature. Even if a work of art
ignores political issues, it makes a political statement, Marxist critics believe, because it endorses
the economic and political status quo, thereby illustrating the principles of class struggle.

Mythological Criticism
Critics look for the recurrent universal patterns underlying most literary works. A central concept
in mythological criticism is the archetype, a symbol, character, situation, or image that evokes a
deep universal response. The idea of the archetype came into literary criticism from the Swiss
psychologist Carl Jung. Jung believed that all individuals share a "collective unconscious," a set
of primal memories common to the human race, existing below each person's conscious mind.
Critic Joseph Campbell identified archetypal symbols and situations in literary works by
demonstrated how similar mythic characters appear in virtually every culture on every continent.

Eco-criticism
Based on an ecological perspective, eco-criticism investigates the relationship between humans
and the natural world. Environmental issues, cultural issues concerning the environment, and
attitudes towards nature are highlighted and analyzed. One of the main ideas in eco-criticism is
to study how individuals in society behave and react in relation to the nature and ecological
aspects.
Queer Theory
Queer theory is a field of Gender Studies that emerged in the early 1990s out of the fields of gay
and lesbian studies and feminist studies. Queer theory is not only about homosexual
representations in literature; it also explores the categories of gender, as well as sexual
orientation. Theorists claim that identities are not fixed – they cannot be categorized and labeled
– because identities consist of many varied components and that to categorize by one
characteristic is faulty. Queer theorists argue that every person possesses an individual identity
and should not be collectively stereotyped.