Literary criticism is the art of reading, understanding, interpreting, and talking about literature. It is the process through which people try to understand the deeper meaning of a poem, story, play, or novel. When we read a book, we may enjoy the story, the characters, or the language. But literary criticism goes further. It asks questions like: What is the message behind the story? Why did the writer choose a particular way to write it? What social or political ideas is the writer talking about? What emotions does the book try to create? Literary criticism helps us to answer these questions in a thoughtful and structured way.
We can say that literary criticism is like wearing special glasses while reading. These glasses help us to see more than just the surface of the story. With these glasses, we can notice the symbols, hidden meanings, and messages that the writer may have hidden in the story. For example, in a novel, a river might not be just a river—it may stand for freedom, or change, or life itself. A simple love story may actually be talking about the problems in society. Literary criticism helps us find such hidden ideas.
One of the main goals of literary criticism is to understand what a literary work is trying to say and how it says it. Every writer writes with a purpose. Sometimes that purpose is clear, and sometimes it is not. The critic tries to understand the purpose of the writer. For example, when William Shakespeare wrote plays like Hamlet or Macbeth, he was not only telling interesting stories—he was also exploring human emotions like guilt, ambition, fear, and madness. Literary critics try to find out what makes such plays so powerful and meaningful.
Literary criticism is not something new. It has existed for thousands of years. Even in ancient Greece, thinkers like Plato and Aristotle were talking about literature. Plato believed that poetry could be dangerous because it could make people emotional and take them away from truth. On the other hand, Aristotle said that literature was useful because it helped people learn and feel emotions in a safe way. He wrote a book called Poetics, in which he talked about tragedy and how it should make the audience feel pity and fear. These are some of the earliest examples of literary criticism.
Over time, many other thinkers added new ideas. During the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe, people started to look at literature in new ways. They began to focus more on the author’s life, the time in which the book was written, and the emotions in the text. Later, in the 20th century, literary criticism became even more varied. Many different schools of criticism were born. Each school had its own method of reading literature.
Let us look at some of the major types of literary criticism, explained in very simple terms.
1. Historical Criticism:
This type of criticism studies a literary work in the context of the time when it was written. It tries to understand how the historical events, social issues, or culture of the period influenced the writing. For example, when we read a novel written during World War II, we can understand it better if we know about the war, its causes, and its impact on people. Historical criticism helps us connect the book with the real world of that time.
2. Biographical Criticism:
This method focuses on the life of the author. It tries to understand how the author’s personal experiences, beliefs, or struggles influenced the work. For example, if a writer suffered a great loss in life, we might see themes of sadness or grief in their writing. Knowing the writer’s background can help us understand why certain characters or events appear in the story.
3. Formalist Criticism (New Criticism):
This type of criticism believes that we should study only the text itself, and not the author’s life or the historical background. It looks closely at the structure, language, symbols, tone, and style of the literary work. The idea is to find meaning through the words, images, and patterns in the text. For example, a poem might have a regular rhythm or repeated images that add to its meaning. Formalist critics focus on such details.
4. Feminist Criticism:
Feminist critics look at how women are shown in literature. They ask questions like: Are the female characters strong and independent, or are they weak and dependent on men? Does the story reflect the real experiences of women? Does it support gender equality or promote old-fashioned ideas? Feminist criticism tries to give voice to women in literature and society.
5. Marxist Criticism:
This type of criticism is based on the ideas of Karl Marx, a German thinker. It looks at how literature shows class differences, power struggles, money, and labour. Marxist critics ask: Who has power in the story? Who is rich and who is poor? Are the working class treated fairly? For example, in Charles Dickens’s novels like Oliver Twist or Hard Times, Marxist critics find ideas about poverty, injustice, and the suffering of the poor.
6. Psychoanalytic Criticism:
This kind of criticism comes from the ideas of Sigmund Freud, who studied the human mind. It tries to understand the emotions, dreams, fears, and desires of the characters (and sometimes the writer). It asks: Why does a character behave in a certain way? Are there hidden fears or wishes in the story? For example, in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, psychoanalytic critics look at Hamlet’s inner conflict and emotional confusion.
7. Postcolonial Criticism:
Postcolonial criticism looks at literature written during or after colonization. It studies how colonial powers (like the British Empire) affected the minds and cultures of the people they ruled. It asks: How are colonized people shown in literature? Are they given a voice, or are they silenced? Writers like Chinua Achebe and Salman Rushdie are often discussed in postcolonial criticism.
8. Reader-Response Criticism:
This type of criticism says that meaning is not only in the text, but also in the mind of the reader. Different readers may understand a story in different ways, depending on their experiences, emotions, and culture. Reader-response critics believe that the act of reading is a creative act. A story does not have one fixed meaning—it changes with every reader.
9. Structuralist and Poststructuralist Criticism:
Structuralist criticism looks at the structure of stories. It believes that all stories follow certain basic patterns. It also studies language and how meaning is created through systems of signs. Poststructuralist critics, like Jacques Derrida, go further. They say that meaning is never fixed; it keeps changing. Words can have multiple meanings, and texts often contradict themselves. This approach is more difficult but has been very influential.
10. Ecocriticism:
This is a modern approach that looks at the relationship between literature and nature. Ecocritics ask: How is nature described in the story? Does the story talk about environmental problems? Is nature shown as powerful or weak? Ecocriticism is especially important today because of the global concern for climate change and environmental protection.
These are just a few of the many approaches used in literary criticism. Each one gives us a different way to look at a literary work. A good critic may use one or more methods depending on the text. Sometimes, reading the same story using different methods can give us new insights.
But literary criticism is not only about finding meanings. It also helps us to enjoy literature more deeply. When we study a poem carefully, we begin to admire the skill of the poet. When we explore a novel’s themes and symbols, we connect more deeply with the characters. Criticism adds new layers of understanding and makes literature more meaningful. It turns reading into a thoughtful activity.
It is also important to understand that literary criticism is not about saying that a book is “good” or “bad.” It is not just about judging. It is more about exploring and understanding. A critic may point out the strengths and weaknesses of a text, but the goal is to open up discussion, not to close it. Literary criticism invites readers to think, question, and reflect.
Criticism is also a part of academic study. In colleges and universities, students of literature are taught how to read texts critically. They learn how to write essays that explain the meaning, structure, and themes of literary works. Such essays are not only based on personal opinion, but also on careful reading and understanding of the text, as well as on other critics’ views.
In fact, many critics have become famous for their ideas about literature. For example, T.S. Eliot was not only a poet but also a brilliant critic. His essay “Tradition and the Individual Talent” is still widely read. F.R. Leavis, another British critic, helped to shape literary education in the 20th century. In India, critics like Meenakshi Mukherjee and G.N. Devy have contributed deeply to the understanding of Indian writing in English and the politics of language.
Literary criticism is also closely connected to other subjects like philosophy, history, psychology, and cultural studies. This makes it an interdisciplinary field. For example, a critic may use ideas from feminism and sociology while studying a novel about gender roles. Or they may use psychological theories to understand a character’s mind. This openness to ideas makes literary criticism very rich and dynamic.
Today, with the help of the internet and social media, many people are engaging in literary criticism in new ways. Blogs, YouTube videos, and podcasts now offer reviews and discussions of books. Book clubs and reading groups also encourage critical thinking. While not all of this is academic criticism, it shows how people continue to think and talk about literature in meaningful ways.
In conclusion, literary criticism is a valuable tool that helps us to read literature more deeply and meaningfully. It gives us methods to explore stories, poems, and plays. It encourages us to ask questions and to look beneath the surface of the text. It teaches us how literature connects to the world, to human emotions, to society, and to our own lives. Whether we are students, teachers, or general readers, literary criticism helps us to become better readers and better thinkers. It is a guide that helps us find meaning, beauty, and truth in the world of literature.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) on Literary Criticism
- What is the main aim of literary criticism?
a) To memorize authors’ names
b) To enjoy fiction without thinking
c) To understand and interpret literature
d) To write poems and stories - What does literary criticism help readers to discover?
a) The writer’s bank account
b) The hidden meanings and messages in literature
c) The page numbers of the book
d) The printing history of a text - Which ancient philosopher warned that poetry might mislead people emotionally?
a) Aristotle
b) Socrates
c) Homer
d) Plato - What book did Aristotle write about literature?
a) Republic
b) Ethics
c) Poetics
d) Metaphysics - What does historical criticism focus on?
a) The future of literature
b) The author’s dreams
c) The context and time when the work was written
d) The budget of the publisher - Biographical criticism helps readers understand a work through:
a) The personal life and experiences of the author
b) The geography of the story’s setting
c) The critic’s own life
d) The ending of the novel - Which type of criticism focuses only on the text itself, ignoring the author’s life and history?
a) Feminist Criticism
b) Formalist Criticism
c) Historical Criticism
d) Biographical Criticism - Feminist criticism mainly studies:
a) Food in literature
b) Weather in poems
c) Gender roles and the portrayal of women in literature
d) The age of the writer - Which thinker is connected to Marxist literary criticism?
a) Karl Marx
b) Sigmund Freud
c) Jacques Derrida
d) Aristotle - What is the central concern of Marxist criticism?
a) Dreams and the unconscious
b) Money, class, and power in society
c) Environmental protection
d) Scientific language - Psychoanalytic criticism is based on the ideas of:
a) Karl Marx
b) Virginia Woolf
c) Sigmund Freud
d) George Orwell - Postcolonial criticism studies literature produced in the context of:
a) Ancient Greece
b) Colonialism and its aftermath
c) Space exploration
d) Fantasy novels - Reader-response criticism says that meaning is created by:
a) The writer’s diary
b) The publisher’s note
c) The critic’s opinion
d) The reader’s interaction with the text - Which of the following best describes structuralist criticism?
a) It focuses on the sound of the language
b) It looks at the author’s school of thought
c) It studies the basic patterns in stories and how language works
d) It criticizes the printing quality - Poststructuralism, unlike structuralism, believes that:
a) Meaning is fixed and never changes
b) Only writers understand texts
c) Meaning is unstable and can change
d) Stories are not important - Ecocriticism focuses on:
a) Technology and digital culture
b) Animals in cartoons
c) The relationship between literature and nature
d) Superheroes and fantasy - Which of the following critics is known for the essay “Tradition and the Individual Talent”?
a) F.R. Leavis
b) Jacques Derrida
c) T.S. Eliot
d) Chinua Achebe - Literary criticism also encourages:
a) Reading quickly without thinking
b) Destroying old books
c) Asking questions and thinking deeply about literature
d) Writing scientific reports - Which of the following is a modern platform where informal literary criticism takes place?
a) Telegrams
b) YouTube and blogs
c) Handwritten letters
d) Printed phone books - Which of the following best defines the role of a literary critic?
a) To punish bad writers
b) To explain, analyse, and interpret literary texts
c) To write advertisements
d) To rewrite books in simple language
Answer Key
- c) To understand and interpret literature
- b) The hidden meanings and messages in literature
- d) Plato
- c) Poetics
- c) The context and time when the work was written
- a) The personal life and experiences of the author
- b) Formalist Criticism
- c) Gender roles and the portrayal of women in literature
- a) Karl Marx
- b) Money, class, and power in society
- c) Sigmund Freud
- b) Colonialism and its aftermath
- d) The reader’s interaction with the text
- c) It studies the basic patterns in stories and how language works
- c) Meaning is unstable and can change
- c) The relationship between literature and nature
- c) T.S. Eliot
- c) Asking questions and thinking deeply about literature
- b) YouTube and blogs
- b) To explain, analyse, and interpret literary texts
Literary Latitude 