Literary Theory : Literary theory is the body of ideas and methods we use in the practical reading of literature.  

Characteristics of the five important literary theories are given below: 

1) Liberal Humanism : 

— The term signifies the ruling assumption, meaning and values of the modern epoch. 

— Understands literature or poetry to be timeless.  

— It reveals a universal truth about humanity. 

2) Feminism : 

— Concerned with impact of gender on reading and writing.  

— Desires for a new literary canon. 

— Deals with female affairs. 

3) Deconstruction : 

— Seeks to show that a literary work is self-contradictory. 

— Invites us to unravel the constructs around us and reexamine appearance and reality.  

— Most high school teachers never teach this form of analysis. 

4) Marxism: 

— Deals with clash between classes. 

— Articulation of dominant class. 

— Sees art and literature as forced by the condition that existed in history. 

5) Post-structuralism : 

— A rebellion against structuralism. 

— A critical and comprehensive response to the basic assumptions of structuralism. 

— Utilizes analytical concepts from linguistics, psychology, anthropology and other fields. 

Name: Zakia Sultana.

Id: 191-10-1886

Sec: 46(C)