Category: Literary Theory

Difference Between Literary Theory and Literary Criticism

Although it seems that there is little distinction between literary theory and literary criticism, yet when applied, it becomes a huge difference. Criticism in the past was applied without any theoretical perspective which in some cases was labeled as a type of practical criticism. It involves more attention to the interpretation of words and their usages, literary devices, and structural features of literary pieces. With the passage of time and the emergence of theories in other social sciences, literature, too, borrowed theoretical perspectives to interpret literary pieces. Therefore, literary theory and literary criticism differ not only in their applications but also in the usage of terms and examples.

The literary theory applies to naming theoretical perspectives and their attendant features, techniques, tropes, and their study. It is also called theoretical perspective, theoretical lens, or theoretical aspect of something. However, the term literary criticism means the critical study of a certain text even without the application of a theoretical lens. Similarly, a theoretical perspective can also be studied alone and in isolation just to understand its major assumptions and its social relation, and its reflection through or from a culture. There could be various examples as given earlier.

Application of Literary Theory and Criticism

As far as the application is concerned, a literary theory is a set of principles, ideas, and techniques that are used for the interpretations of different words, texts, or literary pieces. If a theory is just interpreted for the sake of interpretation in a classroom setting where students are present and they need to understand what it is, how it is applied, and what meanings it can deduce from a text, it is a simple theoretical perspective. However, when it is truly applied, it means that readers are going to interpret a given text from a specific point of view. For example, an African American would interpret Langston Hughes from a racial critical point of view, while he would interpret an Afghani text from the colonial, postcolonial, or indigenous perspective. Here are more examples to make it easy to understand.

Examples of Using Literary Theory and Criticism

Example # 1

For example, structuralism and its interpretations in literature fall under the category of literary theory. However, when some of its ideas, principles, techniques, or tropes are applied to understand say a story such as “Take Pity” by Bernard Malamud, it is literary criticism. If Marxism is generally studied to understand it, it is a theoretical perspective, but when it is used to understand the story mentioned earlier, it is its application. It is, then, literary criticism. Hence, both terms are used in different senses.

Example # 2

To understand both of these terms further, it is imperative to have some examples. For example, if a critic is using a postcolonial theoretical perspective to study a text of an American Indian or South Asian literary writer, he would be trying to find out enunciations about indigenous culture, colonial culture, their interaction, powerplay, and so on. Edward Said’s attempt about studying culture and the impacts of imperialism fall under this category. Home K. Bhabha’s attempts, too, are categorized as such. However, literary criticism involves using the Bhabhain (of Homi K. Bhabha) trope of hybridity to Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, or using orientalism and any of its features to texts written by some South Asian or Arab writer.

Example # 3

Take the novel, Animal Farm, by a British writer George Orwell. Although the novel has various shades and could be interpreted in several ways including rhetorically, it has various theoretical perspectives. The first one is the Marxian perspective which it shows how communism or socialism has evolved and reached the state of deterioration. The animals represent the general masses while the leaders such as Snowball and Napolean represent public figures or leaders who hoodwink the masses and make the sincere people flee the lands. Similarly, Old Major represents Karl Marx as an ideologue. However, in common criticism, a reader would interpret it differently without applying the Marxian assumptions of labor, market, indoctrination, wages, etc.

Conclusion of Difference Between Literary Theory and Criticism

Summing it up, it gets clear that literary theory is an umbrella that provides various shades to study different literary texts in different ways. A theory provides ways, techniques, and principles to study different texts in different ways to understand the culture in which it is written, to understand the man who writes them, and to understand his/her relationships with the situation, environment, language, culture, and wider cultural issues. The application to do so amounts to criticism. Therefore, the difference lies in understanding theory and its proper application.

Suggesting Readings

1. Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Print.
2. Hawthorn, Jeremy. A Concise Glossary of Contemporary Literary Theory. London: Edward Arnold, 1992. Print.
3. Selden, Raman, Peter Widdowson, and Peter Brooker. A Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory. Routledge, 2013. Print.

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Definition of Literary Theory

Literary theory means a theory that is applied to a literary text. In other words, it means to point out theoretical principles that govern a piece of literature. It is the practice of theoretical, sociological, and methodological perspectives that emerge out of the reading, interpretation, and analysis of that specific text. They could be the result of the reader’s assumptions, or they could be the writer’s underlying thoughts.

It could be defined in another way. There are certain propositions or suppositions or a set of assumptions that help an individual understand social concepts. If readers find the same concepts in the literary texts and these concepts come up to the yardstick of those assumptions they harbor in their minds, it means it is the application of the theoretical perspective on that text.

What Does Literary Theory Mean?

Literary theory is made up of two words. In this phrase, literary means something that is part of the vast body of literature. The theory here means a process, methodological way, procedure, or a set of organized methods used to explain, analyze, interpret, explicate, or unravel something literary in nature. Therefore, here “literary theory” means the interpretation of literary pieces according to some tools, underlying principles, or set of assumptions based on which students and critics of literature interpret literary pieces. The theory may seem a smorgasbord from where some assumptions are borrowed and hypothesized to justify interpretations and explications of a literary piece. In other words, it is an attempt to form a relationship between the author with his work through these justifications. In fact, it emerges from the piece of literature and its language with reference to its relevance to the time and space of the culture, society, and the era in which the author writes it.

There are various such approaches using which a reader can approach a text. Readers could form assumptions before reading texts, or come up with new theoretical perspectives after going through the piece.

How is Literary Theory Formed?

Theory, as defined above, is a set of principles or suppositions of a system of ideas that have an underlying common strain. It could be a set on which a common practice depends for its explanation. It could be a set of ideas used for the justification of logical reasoning to provide evidence. These are also called conceptual frameworks, theoretical perspectives, or theoretical lenses when used in literary critique. Or they could also be called critical approaches. Generally, it is also called critical theory and could be associated with any other sub-theme when required such as race critical theory or indigenous critical theory.

These approaches of literary theory are based on different elements; holistic cultural atmosphere, social preferences about class, race, gender, tribes, families, governments, politics, and even the arena of international relations. This approach could be historical, linguistic, social, political, apolitical, etc. Even sometimes it intends to focus on minor elements of a text that interprets culture and impacts culture in turn such as identity, subjectivity, sexuality, power, discourse, utterances, subjection, cruelty, or patience, and other such abstract emotions or concepts. Briefly, now a theoretical understanding is considered the study of a text within the given cultural setting, and its likely or intended impacts on different cultural aspects.

Difference Between Theory and Criticism

Criticism was simple and practical long before the introduction of theoretical interpretations. The reason is that the critics used either the personality of the writer, his/her biography, or his/her social environment to interpret literary pieces without knowing these specific approaches. Sometimes only the biographical details and situations of the writers were considered enough. Later this trend turned to written works only.

A few decades back, a critic used to interpret a poem for its merits or demerits. However, it occurred to the sanguine readers that poetry has something more than poetic structures and expressions of emotions. The questions of real meanings with the author, the readers, the language, or the use of literary language went unanswered. Then theoretical concepts led the critics to use them for understanding literary works and interpreting them. This led to the use of literary theory which is a combination of two words; literary, an adjective, and theory, a noun.

Some Important Literary Theories

This is not an exhaustive list of theories now in use in critiquing literary texts. However, this list can show underlying assumptions/suppositions or ideas to systematically apply them to the texts.

1. Liberal Humanism: Based on some assumptions that humanism is a universal term and that it applies with the same universal assumptions to every literary text.
2. Formalism: It means to approach a text with forms and structures.
3. New Criticism: It also means the same as formalism. Only that its origin was the United States.
4. Marxism: It shows the use of the Marxian principle in interpreting works.
5. Structuralism: It shows structures used for interpreting works. It is also considered an extension of formalism.
6. New Historicism or Cultural Materialism: It considers culture, social fabric, and era as the underlying motives behind the text.
7. Feminism: It uses feministic trends and assumptions to interest texts.
8. Postcolonial Theory: It shows the use of power, social structure, subjectivity, and other such relations to interpret texts written following a colonial retreat or during this era.
9. Gender Studies: It falls under feminism, queer theory, racial critical theory, and even indigenous theoretical approach.

How to Apply Literary Theory

1. Select a Literary Theory: Choose a specific literary theory or critical approach that you want to apply to the literary work. Common literary theories include:
   • Feminist Theory
   • Marxist Theory
   • Psychoanalytic Theory
   • Postcolonial Theory
   • Structuralism
   • Reader-Response Theory
   • Deconstruction
   • New Criticism
2. Read the Literary Work: Thoroughly read and analyze the literary work to familiarize yourself with its content, themes, characters, and narrative structure.
3. Identify Key Elements: Identify key elements within the literary work that are relevant to the chosen literary theory. These elements may include:
   • Characterization
   • Setting
   • Plot
   • Symbols
   • Themes
   • Narrative perspective
   • Language and style
4. Research the Literary Theory: Gain a deep understanding of the chosen literary theory by researching its key concepts, principles, and prominent scholars. Be sure to consider how the theory approaches literature and its interpretation.
5. Analyze the Work Through the Lens of the Theory: Apply the concepts and principles of the chosen literary theory to the elements you’ve identified in the literary work. Consider how the theory can shed new light on the text and offer unique insights.
6. Create a Thesis Statement: Formulate a clear thesis statement that outlines the main argument or interpretation of the literary work based on the application of the chosen literary theory. This statement should highlight the theory’s impact on your analysis.
7. Provide Textual Evidence: Support your analysis with relevant textual evidence from the literary work. Quote specific passages that illustrate the points you are making and connect them to the theory.
8. Explore Themes and Patterns: Investigate how the literary theory reveals underlying themes and patterns in the text. Analyze how the theory shapes your interpretation and brings out hidden meanings.
9. Consider Counterarguments: Acknowledge potential counterarguments or alternative interpretations that may arise from different literary theories. Address these perspectives to strengthen your analysis.
10. Discuss Implications: Reflect on the broader implications of your analysis. How does the application of the literary theory influence our understanding of the literary work and its socio-cultural context?
11. Write an Analytical Essay: Organize your findings and insights into a well-structured analytical essay that follows a logical progression and includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
12. Edit and Revise: Carefully edit and revise your essay to ensure clarity, coherence, and proper citation of sources.
13. Incorporate Scholarly Sources: If applicable, incorporate scholarly articles, books, or critical essays related to the chosen literary theory to support your analysis.
14. Cite Your Sources: Use the appropriate citation style (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago) to cite both the literary work and any secondary sources you’ve consulted.
15. Proofread and Finalize: Review your essay for grammar, spelling, and formatting errors, and make any necessary revisions before submitting your analysis of the literary work.

Suggested Readings

• Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Print.
• Hawthorn, Jeremy. A Concise Glossary of Contemporary Literary Theory. London: Edward Arnold, 1992. Print.
• Selden, Raman, Peter Widdowson, and Peter Brooker. A Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory. Routledge, 2013. Print.