Formalist 

analyzes the form of a literary work to discover its true meaning (not what the
audiences think but what the text says). Formalism holds that true meaning can be determined
only by analyzing the literary elements of the text and by understanding how these elements
work together to form up a cohesive whole.

Marxist
Based on the theories of Karl Marx (and so influenced by philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
Hegel), this school concerns itself with class differences, economic and otherwise, as well as the
implications and complications of the capitalist system: "Marxism attempts to reveal the ways in
which our socioeconomic system is the ultimate source of our experience" (Tyson 277).
Reader-Response
At its most basic level, reader-response criticism considers readers' reactions to literature as vital
to interpreting the meaning of the text.
Feminist
Feminist criticism is concerned with "the ways in which literature (and other cultural
productions) reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social, and psychological
oppression of women" (Tyson 83). This school of theory looks at how aspects of our culture are
inherently patriarchal (male dominated) and aims to expose misogyny in writing about women,
which can take explicit and implicit forms.
Historical
The historical approach involves understanding the events and experiences surrounding the
composition of the work, especially the life of the author, and using the findings to interpret that
work of literature.
Moralist
A tendency—rather than a recognized school—within literary criticism to judge literary works
according to moral rather than formal principles. – Judging literary works by their ethical
teachings and by their effects on readers. – Literature that is ethically sound and encourages
virtue is praised – Literature that misguides and corrupts is condemned.