Lecture Notes Lit Criticism Part 1 (Critical Theory)

8/12/2019 Lecture Notes Lit Criticism Part 1 (Critical Theory)

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LITERARY CRITICISM

1. INTRODUCTION

1. LITERATURE

What is literature?

-literate/ literacy -able to read/write

Origin- from Latin litteratura (letter

literature with the small!l!

- literature--- "iece of writing/"rinted information on a "articular

sub#ect

literature with the big $L!

Literature-pieces of writin t!at are "a#ue$ as wor%s of art e.

No"e#s& p#a's& poe(s (contrast to technical boo%s/ scientific/ academic

writings

Literar')connected with literature eg Literary &riticism'Literary heory

Litera#-- the basic or usual meaning of a word/"hrase

(com"are to fiurati"e #anuaeeg..meta"hor) irony) allegory

Literature* *n a broad sense+to mean com"ositions that tell stories) dramati,e situations

e"ress emotions) analy,e and adocate ideas.

o Literature- hel"s us grow- "ersonally) intellectually

$o"ens doors+ to a wide world/new e"eriences

deelo"s our imagination)increases understanding)"ower of sym"athy

see the beauty of the world around us

lin%s us with the cultural)"hiloso"hical)religious world

recogni,e human dreams/struggles in different time and "lace

deelo" mature sensibility)com"assion for liing beings

a""reciate the beauty of order/arrangement

it eercises our emotions through concern) sym"athy)interest)ecitement)

tension)regret) fear) laughter. o"e etc.

hrough e"eriences in reading . literature sha"es our goal and alues by

clarifying our own identities-"ositiely through acce"tance of the admirable in

humans and negatiely through re#ection of the sinister.

Literature 0 can also sere as a guide to life/ inculcate moral and ethical alues

and "roides good eam"les to emulate. Whereas the negatie eam"les sere

as a reminder.

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INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY T,EORY CRITICISM

1. Literar' T!eor'

set of "rinci"les or assum"tions u"on which our inter"retation of a tet is

based. Our "ersonal literary theory is our conscious or unconscious

deelo"ment of a (in$-set "a#ues& aest!etics& (ora#s etc./concerning oure"ectations when reading any ty"e of literature.

o articulate this framewor% and "iece together the arious elements of our

"ractical criticism into a coherent) unified body of %nowledge is our literary

theory.

Literary theory offers a ariety of methodologies for us to inter"ret a tet

from different iew"oints.

he im"ortance of literary theory (2ressler 1333

1. Literary theory assumes that there is no such thing as an innocentreading of a tet. Whether our res"onse are emotional ands"ontaneous or well reasoned and highly structured) all such

interactions with and to a tet are based on some underlying factors

that cause us to res"ond to the tet in a "articular fashion. What elicitsthese res"onse or how a reader ma%es sense out of a tet is at the heart

of literary theory.

4. 2ecause our reactions to any tet hae theoretical bases) all readersmust hae a literary theory. he methods we use to frame our "ersonal

inter"retations of any tet directly inole us in the "rocess of literary

criticism and theory) automatically ma%ing us literary critics.

5. 2ecause many readers! literary theory is more often than notunconscious) incom"lete) ill-informed)and eclectic) their

inter"retations can easily be illogical) unsound and ha"ha,ard. well-

defined) logical) and clearly articulated theory enables readers toconsciously deelo" their own "ersonal methods of inter"retation)

"ermitting them to order) clarify ) and #ustify their a""raisals of a tet

in a consistent and logical manner.

he benefit of understanding literary theory - 6theory can hel" us learn to

see ourseles and our world in aluable new ways) ways that can influence

how we educate our children) both as "arents and teachers' how we iewteleision)from the nightly news to situation comedies' how we behae as

oters and consumers'how we react to others with with whom we do not agreeon social) religious) and "olitical issues' and how we recogni,e and deal with

our own moties) fears and desires. nd if we beliee that human "roductions0 not #ust literature but also) for eam"le) film) music) art) science)

technology) and architecture 0 are outgrowths of human e"erience and

therefore reflect human desire) conflict) and "otential) then we can learn tointer"ret those "roductions in order to learn something im"ortant about

ourseles as a s"ecies. &ritical theory) * thin% you will find) "roides

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5 he basis is for either %ind of critic or any form of criticism) is

#iterar' t!eor'. Without theory) "ractical criticism could noteist.

3. T!e function of a critic common meaning of criticism is $fault finding!. he most aluable criticism is not

that loo%s at faults only but that which calls our attention to interesting things going on in

art. W.. uden 0 so far as * am concerned) a critic can do me one or more of thefollowing serices>

1 introduce me to authors or wor%s of which * was unaware

4 conince me that * hae underalued an author or wor% because * had not read

them carefully enough5 show me relations between wor%s of different ages and cultures which * could

neer hae seen for myself because * do not %now enough and neer shall

gie a reading of a wor% which increases my understanding of it

B throw light u"on the "rocess of artisticma%ing8 throw light u"on the relation of art to life)science)economics)ethics) "olitics)

religion etc.

4. T!e 5rowt! of Literar' Criticis(

1. Clato (4D -5D 2&

*n his wor%s such asRepublic and others) he laid the foundation of "hiloso"hy

and literature> the conce"ts of truth) beauty) goodness) reality) ontology (nature

and relations of beings) e"istemology (how we %now) what we %now ) ethics andmorality.

4. ristotle (5E 0 544 2&is well %nownPoetics ) is a discussion of literary theory used until the "resent-

definition of tragedy 0 hamartia (heroes downfall ) catharsis ("urging of

audience!s emotions5. orace (8B 0 E2&

. Longinus (1st&entury .


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6. Literar' t!eories

1. Hew &riticism/ Iormalism

4. Csychoanalytic criticism

5. @eader-res"onse criticism.


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T,E LITERARY T,EORIES7

1. 8ORMALIST CRITICISM NE9 CRITICISM /

1. ;m"hasi,es the wor% as a self-contained) inde"endent unit)which is to be studiedin itself) not as "art of some larger contet such as the author!s life or a historical

"eriod.

4. Hamed after Fohn &rowe @ansom!s boo% The New Criticism (131 "ro"osedthat a tet is a concrete ob#ect that can be analy,ed to discoer its meaning

inde"endent of the author!s intention or emotional state or alues of either

author or reader.5. *t is also called the Hew &riticism because it re"laced biogra"hical-historical

criticism that was dominant in the 13thcentury. *t was a common "ractice at that

time to inter"ret a tet by studying the author!s life and times to determine

aut!oria# intention ( the meaning the author intended the tet to hae. he

author!s letters) diaries) and essays were combed for eidence of authorialintention as well as autobiogra"hies) biogra"hies and history boo%s. *n an etreme

form) biogra"hical-historical criticism seemed to eamine the tet!s biogra"hical-historical bac%ground instead of eamining the tet.

. Hew &ritics sees a literary tet as a uniAue form of human %nowledge that needs

to be eamined on its own terms. *t refers to its own intrinsic alue) not on socialor biogra"hical etc. as"ects. *t sees elements in the tet itself.*t focuses on the

words in the tet itself rather on the author!s life/historical bac%ground.

B. :T!e te;t an$ te;t a#one< a""roach . C#ose rea$in. e;p#ication#ine 2' #ine

p#ot& c!aracteri=ation& point of "iew& settin& $iction& i(aer'& structure

IO@=L*: &@**&L K9;:*OH:

ow is the wor% structured or organi,ed? ow is the "lot?

Who is the narrator? ow is the narrator/character reealed to the audience?

Who are the ma#or/minor characters?

What is the setting- time/ "lace?

What %ind of language is used? What images) symbols) meta"hors a""ear in

the tet?

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0. READER-RESONSE CRITICISM

1. @-@ criticism focuses on readers! res"onse to literary tets. he meaning of a

literary wor% is not merely something "ut into the wor% by the writer> the

meaning is an inter"retation created or constructed or "roduced by the readerand the writer.

4. :tanley Iish>s There a Te!t in This class"(13E7 *nter"retation is not the art of

construing) but of constructing. *nter"reters do not decode "oems' they ma%ethem.

5. *n @-@ criticism ) the reader is actie) not "assie) during the reading "rocess.

2oth reader and tet interact (share a transactional e"erience

. he tet is a stimulus for eliciting arious "ast e"eriences) thoughts) ideas of thereader (real life e"eriences/ "ast reading e"eriences. he tet sha"es the

reader!s e"eriences) selecting) limiting and ordering ideas that best conform to

the tet.

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3. SYC,OLO5ICAL SYC,OANALYTIC/ CRITICISM

3.1 Intro$uction

1. his theory has its roots in the wor% of :igmund Ireud and his followers. Ireud isthe founder of "sychoanalysis 0 which is a medical techniAue or a method of

thera"y for the treatment of the mentally ill or distressed "atiens which would

hel" them to understand the source of the sym"toms .4. *t is the a""lication of the "sychological "rinci"les of :igmund Ireud (1EB8-

1353 in analysis of literary tets. he analysis would eamine the author and the

writings in the framewor% of Ireudian "sychology. central doctrine of Ireudian

"sychology is the Oe$ipus co(p#e;) the iew that all males(females?unconsciously wish to dis"lace their fathers and to slee" with their mothers (?.

ccording to Ireud) hatred for the father and loe of the mother) normally

represse$) may a""ear disguised in dreams. Wor%s of art) similar to $rea(sare

$isuise$ersions of re"ressed wishes5. ;am"le 0 *n the "layHamlet) amlet delays %illing &laudius because &laudius

(who has %illed amlet!s father and married amlet!s mother has done eactlywhat amlet himself wanted to do. Ior amlet to %ill &laudius) would be to %ill

himself.

. Csychological criticism can also turn from the author and the wor% to the reader)see%ing) to e"lain why we) as readers/audience) res"ond in certain ways.

3.0 ,istorica# >ac%roun$

1. :ince the th&entury 2.&.) ristotle commented on the effects of tragedy on the

audience> through "ity and fear) tragedy created a catharsis of these emotions.

4. =atthew rnold- literature can ma%e us better "eo"le. he belieed that "oetry canins"irit and re#oice the reader

5. William Wordsworth- said that the im"ulse to write comes from emotion

recollected in tranAuility. &oleridge- described $ creatiity! as the liing "ower and "rime agent of all

human "erce"tion

B. he aboe are eam"les of Auestions/theories of a "sychological nature. hey try

to e"lain the growth) deelo"ment) and structure of the human "ersonality. *n thelate 13thcentury) :igmund Ireud introduced his theories about the wor%ings of the

human "syche) its formation) organi,ation and "roblems.

8. Ireud!s students) eg lfred dler and &arl Fung) would build on his ideas to"robe the wor%ings of the human "syche.

D. *n the 13B7!s. Horthru" Irye) deelo"ed Fung!s ideas where it is a""licable to

literature.E. FacAues Lacan 0 new linguistic theories- said that language sha"es our

unconscious and conscious minds ) thereby giing us our identity.

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3. &ontributions from Fung) Lacan) etc. "lus Ireud!s 0 it is "ossible to discoer in

literary wor%s what the author had not stated directly or had not reali,ed what he

had said. Cossible to read between(beneath the lines17. here is an absence of the aesthetic theory (science/study of beauty or "erce"tion

of what is beautiful and meaningful) neertheless) it can be used in combination

or to com"lement other literary theories.

3.3 Si(un$ 8reu$

1. Wor%ed with hysterics) neurotic "atients. heori,ed that the root of their "roblems

was "sychological) not "hysical. 2elieed that su""ressed incestuous desires)

fantasies and wishful thin%ing had a "art in neuroses.

4. e deelo"ed the =odel of the uman Csyche> T!e D'na(ic Mo$e#0 the humanmind consists of the conscious rationa#/and the unconscious irrationa#/ which

controls a ma#or "art of man!s actions.

5. he unconscious - receies) stores hidden desires) fears) ambitions) "assions.*t is a

dynamic system that stores biogra"hical memories and also su""ressed andunresoled conflicts.hese disguised truths and desires may be reealed through the

conscious. *neitably) these desires are reealed through dreams) art) literary wor%s)and accidental sli"s of the tongue Ireudian :li"s

. T!e Econo(ic Mo$e# ) hel"s to goern the human "syche7-a the p#easure princip#e ) craes "leasure) instant gratification) ignoring moraland seual boundaries of society.

b the rea#it' princip#e ) conforms to society standards and regulations on

"leasure. ee"s the "leasure "rinci"le in chec%.

B. T!e Tripartite Mo$e#s - the "syche is diided into > a/ i$0 the irrational) unconscious 0 fulfill the urges of the p#easure

princip#e. *t contains the #i2i$o ) source of "sychoseual desires.

i$ o"erates on im"ulse) without any controlling will to getimmediate satisfaction of desires

b eo ) the rational) logical "art of the mind. *t o"erates on the

rea#it' princip#e ) regulate the instinctual desires of the id.

c supereo ) "art of the mind that acts as an internal censor-hel"

to ma%e moral #udgment under social "ressures. @e"resentingsociety!s moral norms/restrictions) the su"erego becomes a

filtering agent- su""ress the desires and instincts forbidden by

society and thrusting them bac% into the unconscious. :u"erego manifests itself through "unishment. =ay create an unconscious

sense of guilt and fear.

d *t is left to the eo to mediate between the instinctual (es" seual desire of the i$ and social "ressure from the supereo.

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8. 8reu$+s re-Oe$ipa# De"e#op(enta# !ases ) in early childhood we go through 5

"hases>-

a oral "hase 0suc% mother!s breast) libido actiated. =outh becomes the erotogenic ,one (suc%ing thumbs) later %issing

b anal stage 0 anus becomes the ob#ect of "leasure when children learn the delight of defecation and learning that they are inde"endent from

their mothers. he anus becomes the erotogenic ,one- when children

turn sadistic) e"elling and destroying through defecation. meansof e"ressing anger and ecitement u"on discoering their freedom

from their mothers.

2y withholding feces) they learn they can control othersN

c "hallic stage 0 child!s seual desire/libido is directed towards the

genitals when the child learns the "leasure from stimulating one!s

seual organ. t this stage) the "leasure "rinci"le controls the child.

&hild 0sadistic) self-centred) cares for "leasure only. o grow u" as a normal adult- the child must deelo" a sense of maleness/femaleness.

that can be achieed through Oedi"us or ;lectra com"le.

3.4 8reu$+s Oe$ipus & Castration& E#ectra Co(p#e;es

a Oe$ipus Co(p#e;0 during the child!s late infantile stage (5-8 yrs

the infant male has an erotic attachment to his mother. (unconsciously

desires for seual union with his mother. 2ut he has a rial> father. t the "hallic stage and aware of his own erogenous organ) he "erceies

the attention gien to the mother by the father as seual.

b Castration Co(p#e;- the child must "ass through this stage for normal

seual deelo"ment. he boy %nows that he has a "enis li%e his father

whereas his mother and sister do not. e is "reented from haingincestuous desires for his mother by the fear of castration by his father.

e re"resses his seual desire) identifies with his father and ho"es to

"ossess a woman li%e his father (transition to manhood

c E#ectra Co(p#e; - transition from a girl to a normal woman. he

young child is also erotically attracted to her mother and recogni,es

a rial (the father. 9nconsciously) she reali,es she is already castrated. :he turns to her father for her desires ("enis. fter the seduction of her

father fails) she goes bac% to her mother and identifies with her. :he

ho"es to "ossess a man li%e her mother. hrough her relationshi" with a man) her desire for a "enis ("enis eny will be a""eased.

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3.6 8reu$+s Sinificance of Drea(s

*n The nterpretation of #reams (1377 > in the "rocess of growing u" to

manhood or womanhood) the child has stored memories of re"ressed seualdesire) anger) guilt etc. in the unconscious. he unconscious will affect the

conscious in the form of inferiority feelings) irrational thoughts and dreams and

nightmares.

-een though the conscious has su""ressed the desires etc. into the unconscious) itcan redirect and resha"e the concealed wishes/desires into acce"table social

actiities 0in writings. he "syche o"ens a window to the i$ by allowing the

softened and acce"table desires etc to see" into the conscious through>

a dis"lacement 0 eg. switching a feeling of hatred for someone to something else in a dream

b condensation 0 one may consolidate feelings/ anger/emotion to

a ariety of "eo"le in a sentence) "hrase or symbol.

3.? 8reu$+s s'c!oana#'sis an$ Literature

When re"ressed feelings etc cannot be released through dreams) the ego

must act and bloc% any outward res"onse. the ego and id becomesinoled in an internal battle/conflict called neurosis. hrough Ireud!s

"sychoanalysis) it is ho"ed to identify the unresoled conflicts that causedthe neurosis.

ccording to Ireud) a literary wor% is the eternal e"ression of the

author!s unconscious mind. herefore) the wor% must be treated li%e a

dream) a""lying "sychoanalytic "rinci"les to the tet to uncoer the

author!s hidden motiations and re"ressed desires.

3.@ App#ication of s'c!oana#'sis

C!aracter Ana#'sis

o what are the main traits of the character?

o how are those traits reealed?o what does the narrator reeal about the character?

o does the character change? if so) how and why?

o does the character come to understand something not understood at the outset?

o how does the character iew himself/herself?

o how is the character iewed by other characters?

o do the two (aboe iews agree?

o what images are associated with the character?

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o what are the main symbols?

o what symbols are connected with the character ?

o does the character hae any interior monologues/dreams?

o are there any conflicts between what is obserable and what is going on in the

character!s mind.

o where do the characters act in ways that are inconsistent with the way they aredescribed by the narrator or "erceied by other characters?

o how can you e"lain a characters irrational behaiour? what causes? what

motiation?

[email protected] Ot!ers

o what similarities do you find among the characters) situations) settings of the tet

with other wor%s that you hae read?

o is the narratie li%e any classical myths you %now?

o does the "rotagonist re#ect some "art of hi/her "ersonality and "ro#ect it onto

someone /something else?

o does the character hae a realistic and accurate sense of self?

[email protected] Critica# uestions- on t!e Aut!or

What connections can you infer between your %nowledge of the author!s life and

the behaior of characters in his or her tet?

ow does your understanding of the characters! actions) relationshi"s) motiation)

attitude) behaior in a literary wor% hel" you understand the mental world andimaginatie life of the author?

ow does a tet- its images) symbols) meta"hors etc 0 reeal the "sychological

motiations of its characters or the "sychological mindset of its author?

ow can a "sychological or "sychoanalytic a""roach to a "articular tet be

combined with another theory e.g. formalist)biogra"hical) feminist) =arist?

3.B A#ternati"eapproac!es7

what unconscious moties are o"erating in the main character(s' what core issues

are illustrated? (the unconscious 0 re"ressed desires) conflicts) guilt

are there any oedi"al dynamics "resent? is it "ossible to relate a character!s"atterns of adult behaiour to early e"eriences in the family as "ortrayed in the

tet.? how can characters! behaiour ) eents) images etc. be e"lained in

"sychoanalytic conce"ts eg. crisis) seuality) regression) fear of death) loe)

romance etc?

in what ways can we inter"ret a tet as analogous to a dream?

what does the literary wor% suggest about the "sychological being of its author?

("sychobiogra"hies

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4. MARISTSOCIOLO5ICAL CRITICISM

4.1 Intro$uction

form of historical criticism which sees history "rimarily as a struggle between

socioeconomic classes and it sees literature as the "roduct of economic forces ofthe "eriod.

;conomics is the base or infrastructure. On this base rests a su"erstructure

of ideology (law. "olitics) "hiloso"hy) religion) arts) literature which reflect the

interests of the dominant class. hus literature is a material "roduct) which is"roduced to be consumed.

=arist/ :ociological criticism0 eamine literature in the social) economic)

"olitical) cultural contet in which the tet is written

relationshi" between the artist and society analy,e the content of the tet- what sociological/cultural/economic etc. alues

the is im"licitly/e"licitly stated in the tet

4.0 ar# Mar; ->ac%roun$

Jerman "hiloso"her)economist)sociologist of 13thcentury

2orn 1E1E- rier) Jermany- Fewish descent

1E5B-9niersity of 2onn- not serious. 1E58- his father sent him to 9 of 2erlin

Wrote "oems/comic noels/tragic "lays/ also wrote on meta"hysics 1E4-2ecame a #ournalis in an o""osition news"a"er- deemed subersie-banned

=arried Fenny Gon West"halen- daughter of city councilor in rier

1E5- emigrated to Caris-#ournal 0wrote on "olitics and law

ogether with Irederic% ;ngels- wrote Caris =anuscri"ts(humanistic

communism

1EB ;ngels- isits to London-wrote $ he Jerman *deology!

1E8- e"elled from Caris. Went to 2russels-&ommunist &orres"ondence &omm.

1EE-&ommunist League formed. ;ngels-wrote T!e Co((unist Manifesto

he =anifesto called for wor%ers! u"rising/result in reolutions- Irance/Jermany

;iled to London-stayed with family-financial difficulties/sic% wife/death of hischildren

e was also sic%-boils from head to foot

Withdrew from "olitical actiities-wrote on economic issues

1E8D- the well %nown Das apita#0 condemned the free mar%et (laisse,-faire

ca"italist system

1EE1-wife died. 1EE5-daughter died

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=arch 1EE5- =ar died in his armchair

4.3 Mar;+s T!eories

o ddress social "roblems from the economic as"ect

o &oncerned with "hysical/material reality of mano Hot about truth)irtue)sin or eistence of Jod

1. *n =arism) economic conditions are %nown as material circumstances while

social)"olitical)ideological settings generated by the material circumstancesare %nown as historical situation.

4. ny changes in material condition would result in changes in class structure.

&lass struggle for economic/"olitical/social adantage5. he basis of society is the economic system.Other as"ects li%e religion)culture

etc are "arts of the su"erstructure which de"ends on the base (economy

. Dia#ectic (ateria#is(0 class struggle within society-borrowed the term from

egel!s "hiloso"hy of thesis-anthithesis-synthesis conce"t dialectic- ideas formed in intellectual debate

thesis-"ro"osition

antithesis- challenges/counter "ro"osition synthesis- reised "ro"osition

B. T!esis- ruling class-mono"oli,es factors of "roduction-$bourgeois $ca"italistsystem!

Antit!esis- wor%ing class $"roletariat!

S'nt!esis- outcome- the new wor%ing class oerthrows the ruling elite andrestores a new order/system $communist state!

Kuote>*n the Communist $anifesto..the history of all hitherto eisting society is the history of class struggles6..a

fight that each time ended either in a reolutionary reconstitution of society at

large or in the common ruin of the contending classes

4.4 Ter(sconcepts of Mar;ist criticis(

1. I$eo#o'- system/beliefs in society. *ndoctrinated through cultural

conditioning or use of force or coercion. ;g.Co((unis(capita#is(en"iron(enta#is(nationa#is(patriotis(

&ritics can e"lain literature in any era in terms of the economic or

ideological situation s"ecific to that era.4. ,ee(on'- related to ideology- enforces the society!s social/

collectie consciousness eg. he ruling elite im"oses ideals on the

wor%ing class- wages/"ro"erty they could earn.

5. A#ienation0 distance of indiidual wor%ers from the final "roduct/es"in diision of labour(ca"italism. Wor%er could not see the finished

"roduct. Ho sense of indiidual achieement.

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. Co((o$ification- in a free mar%et system)a commodity is "roduced for

echange ( has alue umans/wor%ers are regarded as a $thing! or

commodity for the economic functions that they "erform.B. >oureoisie0 term by =ar which refers to the owners of the means of

"roduction in a society. (land) labour) ca"ital

8. ro#etariat0 =arist term for 0wor%ers in societyD. E;c!ane "a#ue0n assessment of the worth (alue of something based

on what it can be traded or sold for.

E. Use "a#ue0 an a""raisal of something based on what it can do3. 8a#se consciousness 0 Ceo"le!s acce"tance of an unfaourable

social/economic system without Auestioning) that is )as the logical way for

things to be.

17. Superstructure )he social) "olitical) and ideological systems (alues )arts) legal system etc generated by the 2ase ( (et!o$s ofpro$uctionecono('/

.B. uestions for a Mar;ist Ana#'sis7 who are the "owerful "eo"le in the society de"icted in the tet?

who are "owerless "eo"le/ re they de"icted with eAual attention?

why do the "owerful "eo"le hae that "ower? Why is it denied to others?

do you find eidence of class conflict and class struggle?

do you find re"ression and mani"ulation of wor%ers by owners?

is there eidence of alienation and fragmentation?

does the bourgeoisie in the tet) either consciously or unconsciously routinely

re"ress and mani"ulate less "owerful grou"s?


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o what etent are the lies of the characters influenced /determined by social)

"olitical and economic forces/conditions? re the characters aware of these

factors?

6. 8EMINISM8EMINIST CRITICISM

6.1 T!e Issue in 8e(inis(

o =en) either consciously or unconsciously hae o""ressed women) by allowing

them little) or no oice in social) "olitical and economic matters. "atriarchal

society dominated by men.

o 2y not giing an o""ortunity for women!s oices) o"inions) res"onses and

writings) men hae su""ressed the female (women)defined what it means to be

feminine and hae deoiced) dealued) and triiali,ed the female gender.

o =en hae made women as the nonsignificant other

6.0 Responses fro( 8e(inis(

need to change this degrading iew of women as the $nonsignificant other! ;ery woman is a aluable "erson with the same "riileges and rights as eery

man

Women must assert their own oices in "olitics) society) education etc. ;.g.

ac%roun$

1. Cre#udice/ bias against women hae its roots in Western culture. ;en ristotle) a

Jree% "hiloso"her) states that the male is by nature su"erior) and the female

inferior) and the one rules and the other is ruled Western culture/"hiloso"hy haelabeled women as im"erfect and s"iritually wea% creatures

4. struggle for women!s rights began in the 1D77!s. =ary Wollstonecraft wrote%

&indication of the Rights of 'omen in 1D34. :he asserted on women!s rights andre#ected the "atriarchal assum"tion that women are inferior to men.

5. Girginia Woolf "ublished % Room of (ne)s (wn in 1313)declaring that men hae

and continue to treat women as inferiors. :he cited an eam"le of :ha%es"eare!s

sister who was also gifted but su""ressed since she is a woman.. he Jreat


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media and literature. :he reiterated that women must reolt against the "ower

centre of their culture i.e. male dominance. hey must establish female discourse)

literary studies and feminist criticism.8.

6.4 5'nocriticis(

nalysis 0from woman!s iew/e"erience1. images of the female body in the tet. &ould highlight how certain "arts of the

female anatomy become significant images/symbols in wor%s written by women

4. female language- differences between male/female lang.


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?.OSTCOLONIAL CRITICISM

. 2&J@O9H

Documents

Lecture Notes Lit Criticism Part 1 (Critical Theory)