Theories Flashcards
(7 cards)
Marxist Criticism
Marxist criticism examines the role played by literature in maintaining values and belief which support the ruling classes in society. It explains both the features of the text, and the theoretical background in which the text is created, circulated and read.
Feminist Theory
Feminist criticism is concerned with the relationship between literary texts/readings and the place of women in society.
New Criticism
Emphasises on the ‘close reading’ of texts with an emphasis in word meanings and the texts ‘internal’ structure. It tends to ignore the social and historical differences among readers.
Post Colonialism
Post-colonialism refers to social and cultural event that follow a period of colonial occupation. It focuses on the way stories, poems, films and other works may challenge or redefine the way colonised people and their cultures have been represented.
Post Modernism
Postmodernism is a broad term that refers to both a historical and a ‘style’ in Western culture, based on the merging of artistic and industrial forms of production.
Post Structuralism
Post structuralism investigated the connections between systems of meaning/action and relations of power. It investigates how knowledges and ‘truths’ are constructed, and how these serve particular interests.
Psychoanalytic Criticism
Sees literary texts as representing the unconscious thoughts and desires shared by members of a culture. It provides a way if exploring the social construction of personal identities, especially through the readers interaction with the text.
