Literary Criticism the art or practice of judging and commenting on the qualities and character of literary works.

Literary Theory—What is it? A very basic way of thinking about literary theory is that these ideas act as different lenses critics use to view and talk about art, literature, and even culture. Stephen Bonnycastle states: “The main reason for studying theory at the same time as literature is that it forces you to deal consciously with the problems of ideologies…If you are going to live intelligently in the modern world, you have to recognize that there are conflicting ideologies and that there is not simple direct access to the truth”. What does he mean? What is an ideology? Remember this quote: “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.”

Historical Criticism Historical criticism strives to examine literary works within their historical context. In analyzing a text, historicists consider cultural, political, economical, intellectual, and social forces that influenced and are revealed through the text.

Text in Context Historicists stress that literary works are produced by, reflect, and in some cases alter the social, political, and cultural forces that were operative during the time the works were written. Historical novels often make important comments on the human condition in a particular era. Understanding the human condition and social pressures helps understand the work.

Example Every literary work is written in a specific time Time periods change how people think Time periods change views of the world Every time period has specific social values Social values influence how a piece is written Social values influence intellectual beliefs Examples: Shakespeare wrote in a tumultuous time when some in power believed the theater to be an evil influence Did he write “all the world’s a stage” to comment on these attacks? Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse Five during the Viet Nam War Era While the book is about World War II, how much of it is a commentary on the Viet Nam War?

Ongoing Influence Historicist also consider the impact a work has had on readers in eras subsequent to the one in which it was written in an effort to see how the perceived meaning evolved over time. For example, a contemporary audience may consider To Kill a Mockingbird through a historical perspective by considering the role of racism in the pre civil rights South, but also racism’s existence in society today.

Questions a Historical Perspective Might Consider: What actual historical events did a writer refer to, and how was the event altered in the fictional account? When was the work published and what was the public’s response at the time? What social attitudes related to the action in the work were prevalent during the time it was written? What other types of historical documents, cultural artifacts, or social institutions might be analyzed in conjunction with the literary work? To what extent can we study the past as it is reflected in the literary work?

Biographical Criticism To examine how the author’s own experiences may be reflected in the text

Example Tim O’Brien is the author of The Things They Carried Facts about O’Brien: Born October 1, 1946 Grew up in Minnesota Political views were against the Vietnam War Drafted into Army in 1968 Served from 1968 to 1970 as an infantry foot soldier Facts about The Things They Carried: The story takes place in Vietnam. It details the burdens that infantry soldiers carried, both physically and mentally. In an extended novel released in 1990, O’Brien gives the narrator his own name. The story is fictional even though it sounds true (verisimilitude). The story paints a devastating picture of the Vietnam War.

Questions a Biographical Perspective Might Consider: What historical events (political, intellectual, economic history) occurred during the author’s life? What significant personal experiences did the author face? What social attitudes, social institutions, and systems of meaning were available to the author. To what extent can we study the author as it is reflected in the literary work?