Lit Criticism

7/30/2019 Lit Criticism

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What isLiteraryCriticism?


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Literary criticism is used to

analyze the value of literatureusing many different

schools of criticism


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Schools of Criticism

form when a variety of readers andcritics hold the same assumptions

concerning an approach to literary

analysis are groups of fellow believers who

share common concerns about

reading, writing, and interpretation. Examples: Marxist, Feminist,

Cultural Studies, Psychoanalytic,

Archetypal


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A literary critic patrols the

boundaries of good writing,determining what should be

thought about a text and why,and what personal and

cultural value should beplaced on a work or works of

literature.


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Basic Questions

Does a text have only one correct

meaning?

Is a text always didactic; that is, must a

reader learn something from every text? Does a text affect each reader in the same

way?

How is a text influenced by the culture of itsauthor and the culture in which it is written?

Can a text become a catalyst for change in

a given culture?


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Each school of literary

criticism is a different

colored lens through

which to view a text. To

interpret a world ofpossibility within each

text you must becapable of seeing it in

many different ways.


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Because the various schools of

criticism ask different questionsabout the same work of literature,

they provide an abundance of

options from which readers canchoose to broaden their

understanding not only of texts butalso of their society, culture, and

their own humanity.


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By embracing literary theory,we learn about literature, but

importantly, we are also taught

tolerance for other peoples beliefs.When we oppose, disregard, or

ignore literary theory, we are in

danger of blindly accepting ouroften unquestioned prejudices and

assumptions.


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This week you willlearn to analyze

literature as aFEMINIST

literary critic.


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FEMINIST LITERARY

CRITICISMPlease refer to your handout:

- Goal

-Central Issues/Assumptions

- Historical Foundation-Questions to Ask when reading as a

feminist literary critic


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THREE TERMSYOU SHOULD

KNOW AND USE

AS A FEMINIST

CRITIC:


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patriarchal

A term used by feminist critics andothers to describe a society or

culture dominated by males; the

adjective form ofpatriarchy, a societalor social organization in which males

hold a disproportionate amount ofpower. In these societies, the male

defines what it means to be human,

including what it means to be female.


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misogyny

A term used in feminist

criticism to refer to ahatred or distrust of

women


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sexual politics

A term introduced by Kate Millettin Sexual Politics (1969)

Economic inequality and not

comforming to prescribedroles/steretypes have been the

chief causes of womensoppression and places the

patriarchy at the center of the

feminist movement.


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DisneyPrincessesvs. Disney


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How do women

in fairy tales

becomeprincesses who

live happilyever after?


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They marry princes,of course!

Princes in fairy

tales must usuallysave women fromdanger because

their perfect bridesare too daintyand/or nave to

save themselves.


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Lets begin

by lookingat Aurora

andMaleficent

fromSleeping

Beauty


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Briefly examinethe contrasting

imagery of these

two figures


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VS.


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Aurora Designed as the perfect woman at birth when

fairies give her these wonderful gifts:

Beauty: Lips that shame the red, red rose has a

soft pink complexion and bright dresses with long,

lustrous golden hair

Song: a beautiful, melodious voice

Dances barefoot in sunshine in the green

woods and converses with cute, furry animals

Obedient, nave, and passive

Raised lovingly by the three motherly fairies


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Maleficent

dressed in all black, her face a pale and hideous

shade of green; hat resembles horns of demon

Of above average height and hairless

Lives in gray castle surrounded by storm clouds

Lives among boorish, dim-witted troll-like

henchmen

Power and strength very unfeminine: threat tomasculine authority (i.e. the king)

Alone: no husband or relatives or friends


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Possible effects of the good

woman/bad woman dichotomy

Young girls aspire to be like the ideal woman(Aurora) and feel like having or using powermakes them bad (like Maleficent).

Girls believe that being weak and passive andobedient will result in a fairy tale union with aprince.

Girls will see a division between the kind andloving, and the powerful and strong withinherself, rather than seeing the way they worktogether within her to create one complete

personality.


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Now lets

look at thecharacter

Ursula fromThe Little

Mermaid as

a Feminist

Critic


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Ursula

Conclusion derived from analysis usingFeminist Literary Criticism: Women

with power are unfairly demonized.


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Power held by men makes them strong leaders

who can be trusted (King Tritan), but Ursula is

an example ofhow women are turned into

villains when they desire power.

Ursula has been cast out of the high societyAriel enjoys because she threatens the power

of the dominant males by being assertive.

Because she has no man to keep her in line,

she turns to evil and sorcery.


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Link to Ariel:

Even Ariel, the heroine of the story and King Tritansmost precious daughter, is rejected when she explores

outside the kingdom (defying her fathers command).

Tritan seeks to control his daughter by attempting to

force her to repress her desires, just as he tried tocontrol Ursula by denying her a higher social status.

HOWEVER: When Ariel needs help Prince Erik is

there to save her, and because she has allowedanother man to take control of her, King Tritan accepts

their union. Because Ursula will not allow herself to be

controlled by any man, she is killed.


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Cinderel

aand the wicked

stepmother stereotyp


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Cinderellas male-dominated (a.k.a.

patriarchal) society has conditionedher to believe that the only way she

can find true happiness in her life is

to wear a pretty dress, haveservants, and try to marry the

prince.

S h h f i th t


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So when her fairy mother grants

her wishes, these are the things

she receives.

BippityBoppityBoo!


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If the shoe fits-The stepsistersfeet were too big to

fit into the slipper

-Cinderellas daintyfeminine feet,

however, were the

perfect fit for theprince


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Theres a lot more analysis that could

be done with Cinderella. Even her

name is a form of oppression.

But we may also choose to overlook

some things in our analysisthat dontsupport our Feminist standpoint. We

ignore things that would not strengthen

our argument. This is not the BESTpolicy, though.

A E l


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An Example: The fairy godmotheris given power, but has notbeen corrupted by it (like Ursula or Maleficent).

I wouldnt want to put THAT into my FEMINIST

analysis, would I? No.

Unless, I concede (admit to) this, but in the

process make my own point.

For instance: Even though the fairy godmother is

not made hideous and evil by her power, she doesuse it to change Cinderella into something she isnt,

further perpetuating the idea that women must look

beautiful to be worthy of love.


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So remember: Do not weaken your feminist analysis

by making points that do not supportfeminism.

You can concede points, as long as inthe process you help prove your ownpoint.

Thats feminist literary criticism!!!


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Your Turn!

Think of a female character (from anystory, movie, etc.) that we have notdiscussed today, and use your notes

on Feminist Literary Criticism tocreate an analysis of that characterthat is at least one paragraph (5complete sentences) in length.

Lit Criticism

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