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Semester 6: LITERARY CRITICISM
History and evolution of English literary criticism, Criticism and text analysis, Schools of criticism, Critics (Aristotle, Sir Philip Sydney, Dryden, Johnson, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Arnold, Pater, T.S. Eliot, I.A. Richards)
History and Evolution of English Literary Criticism
Early Origins
Literary criticism has roots in ancient Greece, with Aristotle's Poetics laying foundational concepts on drama and poetry. His analysis emphasized elements like plot, character, and the observer's emotional response.
The Renaissance and Elizabethan Criticism
During the Renaissance, figures like Sir Philip Sidney brought critical thought into poetry, advocating for the moral purpose of literature.
Neoclassicism
In the 17th and 18th centuries, critics like John Dryden emphasized rules and standards based on classical models, promoting decorum and rationality in literature.
The Romantic Movement
Critics such as Samuel Johnson, William Wordsworth, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge shifted focus towards personal emotion and the value of nature, arguing for the authenticity of the author's voice.
Victorian Criticism
Matthew Arnold and Walter Pater analyzed literature with a focus on aesthetics and moral values, examining the impact of cultural and social context on literary works.
Modernism
T.S. Eliot and I.A. Richards introduced new methods, exploring the role of the reader's experience and the complexities of language in understanding literature.
Schools of Criticism
Various schools emerged over time, including formalism, structuralism, post-structuralism, feminism, and psychoanalysis, each offering different lenses through which to analyze texts.
Influential Critics
Key figures in the evolution of criticism include Aristotle, Sir Philip Sidney, John Dryden, Samuel Johnson, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Matthew Arnold, Walter Pater, T.S. Eliot, and I.A. Richards, each contributing significantly to the development of literary theory.
