FRANKENSTEIN AND LITERARY CRITICISM"Criticism asks what literature is, what it does, and what it is worth." Encyclopedia Britannica

WHAT IS LITERARY CRITICISM?

The study, analysis, interpretation, and history of literature.  

Literary criticism analyzes, interprets, and evaluates works of literature.

Literary criticism is the act of interpreting literature. 

WHY USE LITERARY CRITICISM? Authors present us with work that can have

multiple meanings, expecting us to consider thoughtfully--to interpret.  

  Critics evaluate and debate the ideas of fellow

critics.   Good criticism can help us develop a better

understanding of a work.  It can help us develop a point of view about a work,

whether or not we agree with the opinions of the critic. 

As you work with literary criticism in your writing it is important that you incorporate your own reactions and points of view.  

WHAT TO LOOK FOR Credentials of the writer Quality of the sources--journals, books, Websites Opinions supported by evidence, relating to:

Characterization Voice Style Theme Setting Technical qualities of the writing (artistry, style, use of

language) Interpretation Complex ideas and problems Relationship of work to the time, or social, historical,

or political trends

WHAT TO AVOID

Plot summaries, SparkNotes, Pink Monkey, etc.

Casual posts on discussion groups The works of other students Author biography

FEMINIST / GENDER

More contemporary approach sees women as more than just women (race, sexual orientation, etc.)

Interest in changing the conventions such as male centered autobiography where children, home, etc. are well in the background.

Reexamines the Nineteenth century doctrine of separate spheres: Women = Sphere of Domesticity Men = Sphere of Discovery

SOME GOALS OF FEMINIST CRITICISM To develop and uncover a female tradition of writing

To interpret symbolism of women's writing so that it will not be lost or ignored by the male point of view

To rediscover old texts

To analyze women writers and their writings from a female perspective

To resist sexism in literature

To increase awareness of the sexual politics of language and style.

MARXIST

“Marxist criticism is not merely a 'sociology of literature', concerned with how novels get published and whether they mention the working class. Its aim is to explain the literary work more fully; and this means a sensitive attention to its forms, styles and meanings. But it also means grasping those forms, styles and meanings as the product of a particular history.“ – Terry Eagleton

GOALS OF MARXIST CRITICISM

An assessment of the political "tendency" of a literary work

Determining whether its social content or its literary form are "progressive"

PSYCHOANALYTIC

Critics see the text as if it were a kind of dream The text represses its real (or latent) content

behind obvious (manifest) content The process of changing from latent to manifest

content is known as the dream work, and involves operations of concentration and displacement.

The critic analyzes the language and symbolism of a text to reverse the process of the dream work and arrive at the underlying latent thoughts.

WHAT PSYCHOANALYSIS ENTAILS…

Psychoanalysis of: The author A particularly interesting character The narrative or poetic structure itself

SHADOW archetype Luke and Darth Vader, Harry Potter and

Voldemort, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein and…???

CULTURAL

Why literature, art, etc. is valued in a particular society There is a reason that every school in the

country studies Shakespeare and has done so for ages

What culture created the work and why?

Why is the work still relevant?