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)