1. Literary Criticism
Literary Criticism is a way of viewing or interpreting literature by using different lens (perspectives)
5 types of Literary Criticism covered in ENG IV:
Reader Response Criticism (Unit 1)
Cultural Criticism (Unit 1)
Feminist Criticism (Unit 2)
Marxist Criticism (Unit 2)
Archetypal Criticism (Unit 2)

2. Review: Reader Response
Individual Response to Reading a text
Reader’s background, experiences and knowledge are used to gain comprehension
Interpretation of text relies only on the reader
Example: “My Papa’s Waltz” can be interpreted as a poem about a fun romp before bed between father and son, or as a poem about child abuse.

3. Review: Cultural Criticism
Elements of a particular culture must be considered when interpreting a text
A culture’s religion, values and prevailing issues must be understood in order to gain meaning from the text
Example: The presence of two religions in Beowulf is explained by the fact that Christianity was slowly replacing the pagan beliefs of the Anglo-Saxons.

4. Feminist Criticism
Cultural issues due to “patriarchal” society (dominated by man)
*Sexual stereotypes/place of woman
and man in society
*Issues that prevent women from achievement
*Recognizes that society views women as being “other” to man

5. Example: Applying Feminist Criticism to Cinderella
Girl is waiting to be “rescued” from her horrible life by the handsome prince
*shows women are the weaker sex and depend on men for everything (man is dominant and woman is subordinate)
“Good girl” is beautiful and “wicked girls” are ugly
*shows that a woman’s worth is only in her beauty, or lack of beauty

6. Marxist Criticism Economic Power Who has money? Who does not?
Money=happiness
Class Conflict
Dominant class controls the subordinate class/subordinate class accepts the control

7. Example: Apply Marxist Criticism to Cinderella
Cinderella must do all chores and wait on stepmother and stepsisters hand and foot
*Shows the oppression of the lower class by the upper class
Cinderella desires to marry the prince and live “happily ever after”
*Shows the need for the lower class to join the ranks of the upper class in order to be happy

8. Archetypal Criticism
Archetypes are universal (widely recognized) symbols that are present in literature, myth, songs and film
These include:
Archetypal characters
Archetypal symbols
Archetypal situations

9. Example: Apply Archetypal Criticism to Cinderella
The wicked step-mother and step-sisters terrorize Cinderella
*Archetypal villains
The handsome prince rescues Cinderella by marrying her
*Archetypal knight in shining armor
Cinderella has to be rescued from her life
*Archetypal damsel in distress

10. Identify the Appropriate Criticism to use in the following examples from “A Knight’s Tale”
William is jailed for pretending to be a knight.
Jocelyn is treated like an object to be owned instead of a person by Count Adamar.
William, a peasant, depends on the Sir Ector, a knight, for everything. He is not allowed to better himself or “change his stars.”