My Understanding of the Literary Criticism Case Study 2022

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Running head: MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LITERARY CRITICISM
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Authors note
MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LITERARY CRITICISM
The study of critical theory starts with the Psychoanalytic criticism, as this concept has
turned into a part of daily lives and this psychoanalytic discerning mystery have the profit of
acquaintance. Transferring one person’s anger on the other person, specifically with the person
who will not fight back like the person on whom the anger lies on originally, is delivers a
psychoanalytic concept. This comprises of human behaviours like, inferiority complex, sibling
rivalry, and defence mechanism, which are some of the most common examples of
psychoanalytic concept, and everyone is so familiar with these that they know about them
without having been heard them described. However, this has a disadvantage as well that, as
people use this behaviour in their regular lives they have acquired a very simple idea of this
concept, which is not as simple. The concept of psychoanalytic principles stated by Sigmund
Freud from the 1856 to 1939, the theory of psyche has been given by Freud, which referred to
current time as classical psychoanalysis. It must be considered that Freud has emerged with
many ideas over long time and various ideas of Freud has changed over time as well, as he
developed them. Also, his thinking was speculative and he thought that others would keep on
correcting and modifying his ideas over time. This concept is all about viewing the world with a
psychoanalytic lens, and the people of the world’s experience and psychological history, which
starts in their childhood in their family and patterns of youth and adult behaviour which are
straight away result for primary practise, as the objective of psychoanalysis is to support in

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Running head: MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LITERARY CRITICISM
resolving psychological issues and the focus is over patterns of destructive behaviour. For
instance, a psychoanalytic interpretation of “The Great Gatsby”, by F. Scott Fitzgerald has
offered a proper instance of a psychoanalytic interpretation the novel has yield, as the fear of
intimacy creates a psychological behavioural pattern, which is responsible for great deal in terms
of narrative progression. In addition, through a psychoanalytic lens this novel is not a great love
story rather psychological drama based on dysfunctional love (Tyson).
In a broad definition it has been described that the feminist criticism examines ways
regarding literature undermines or reinforces the social, political, psychological and economic
coercion of women. However, as same as the critical theory experts do, critics of feminism also
hold several opinions over all the issues their discipline examines. Also some feminist call their
ground of feminism in terms of underscoring the diversity of viewpoint of adherents along with
in order to promote ways of discerning which opposes the traditional propensity. As per the
analysis it can be considered that ideology of patriarchy works in order to keep men and women
in traditional parts of gender and thus, sustain domination of males, this functional strategy of
patriarchy has been believed by feminists. Women are suppressed by patriarchy politically,
socially, politically, and psychologically. In every domain under the reign of patriarchy, women
are marginalized and objectified. However, not all feminist critic will interpret the same function
in the same manner even if they concentrate on the same notion. The objective behind this
feminist theory is to augment the understanding of literary work, and to improvise vision towards
other issues, like, the ideology of patriarchy, which blinds feminist regarding their participation
and sexist agenda complexity. For example, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Fitzgerald offers an
instance of possibility of feminist understanding of this work might produce. It concentrates on
the argument regarding the novels sexist agenda exposed through women characterisation in the

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Running head: MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LITERARY CRITICISM
novel. The novel’s ideology of patriarchy lies in terms shifting roles of women of America in the
year 1920, as most feminists have has realised the vitality of observing specific historical
circumstances that foster some ideologies(Tyson).
In terms of Marxism, keeping and getting power of economy is the prime objective
behind all political and social activities including philosophy, education, arts, science,
government, religion, media and technology. Therefore, economy is the basis under which lies
the political, social and realistic ideologies, due to which several Marxists refers to class of
socioeconomic. In Marxist terminology, conditions of economy are termed as material
circumstances and the political, social and ideological atmosphere that has been produced by
substantial conditions is recognised as historic state. By Marxist critics it has been considered
that neither human creations nor human actions can be agreed without getting the knowledge of
specific historical and materialistic circumstances under which those creations and events
happen. As per Marxist viewpoint, socioeconomic class difference divides folks in ways which
are ample noteworthy than differences in race, belief, gender and ethnicity. In terms of Marxism,
an philosophy is a system of belief, and all certainty systems are cultural conditioning yields. For
instance, collectivism, capitalist, faith, ethical system, humanism, astrology, conservationism,
patriotism along with Marxism are all ideologies. By focusing on the readings of Marxist and
psychoanalytic in terms of the ancestral play ‘Death of a Salesman’, by Arthur Miller in the
1949, a psychoanalytic interpretation of the drama sheds light on the essentials like, Willy’s
protection of his requirement over his son Biff; Willy’s abandonment at a young age by his
brother and father; Happy’s sibling rivalry over Biff, in terms of all these reading, the Marxist in
contrast would concentrate over the ways problems of psychoanalytic are mentioned produced
by historical or material realities within which the family functions. Therefore, Marxist critic

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Running head: MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LITERARY CRITICISM
customs a Psychoanalytic notion it is only under Marxist understanding, for instance, Willy’s
renunciation for realism. It must be considered that not all Marxist interprets works in same ways
even if they concentrate on the same concepts. The prime objective is only to use theory of
Marxism in order enrich our literary work readings and to help us observe the ways which are
blinded by ideologies to our participation under the oppressive socio-political agendas (Tyson).
The Postcolonial criticism is specifically effective in providing the help in order to
observe the connection or relation among all the aspects of experiences, for instance, ideological,
psychological, intellectual, aesthetical, social and political, in different ways, which presents the
inseparable connection among these categories in existing experience. Thus, the Postcolonial
criticism compels thoughts, which promotes cultural differences, in race, sex, class, religion,
sexual orientation, cultural beliefs, custom, and gender connects to create gender identity. In
addition, this theory of post colonialism offers a framework in order to examine the similarities
between all critical theories, which deals with the human oppression, like, feminism; Marxism;
lesbian, queer and gay theories; and theory of African American. The objective of this theoretical
criticism is solely based on the learning the vital domains of literature and to rise the
responsibilities and opportunities of living in a varied cultural world, in order to comprehend the
philosophy it is not a gathering of customs or artefacts over a time but to relate oneself to the
domain, a social and psychological framework of orientation which inevitably alters response in
terms of cross cultural happenstances, whether it is in a communal or in a literary text. In
addition, nowhere other than in postcolonial criticism the connection between the psychology
and ideology has been demonstrated. The postcolonial ideology in Western civilization, the
persuasive force can be traced operating either invisibly or effectively, even in an American
novel, for instance, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald in the year 1925. While observed

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Running head: MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE LITERARY CRITICISM
through a postcolonial Lens, this novel by Fitzgerald was around the American jazz Age is
archetypal, and a psychological function over which the colonialist be contingent and that is its
unique symbol (Tyson).
Focusing on the key concepts if the new historicism and literary criticism, it can be
considered that, the historical writing is a matter of interpretation, and not only facts and figures,
therefore most historical accounts are narrative in nature which can be examined using various
instruments or tools by literary critics in order to analyse description. History is neither
progressive nor lined. Control is never narrowed to a single level of society or an individual,
rather is circulates among cultural material goods, exchange in human, and most vitally in terms
of literary critics it revolves around exchange of knowledge and ideas through discourses of
cultural basis. Each historical analysis are subjective. The historical facts and events are shaped
by the culture where it emerges, thus categories of culture whether sane or insane, normal or
abnormal are matters of definition. It must be considered that not all cultural and historical critics
interprets in the same manner even after following the same concept. The goal is utilize cultural
and historicism criticism in order to enrich literature reading by promoting circulation of
discourses. By promoting the observation in terms cultural positioning impacts of non-literary
and literally reading. For instance, The Great Gatsby novel has been offered a new historical
interpretation. In the field cultural criticism, it examines the cultural work achieved by the text. It
can be considered a new historical interpretation, as it does not have overt political agenda
(Tyson).
Out all these critical theories, the one, which I find to be most liberally effective, is the feminist
one, as it covers the issues of female in the society and functions accordingly.

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Work Cited
Tyson, Lois ,Staňková, Olga. "" Better Red than Dead": American Indians' Struggle for
Sovereignty Rights in the 1960s and 1970s." (2014).
Tyson, Lois. "New historical and cultural criticism." ENGL A337 Critical Approaches to
Literature. Routledge, 2018. 161-190.
Tyson, Lois. "Psychoanalytic criticism." ENGL A337 Critical Approaches to Literature.
Routledge, 2018. 124-157.
Tyson, Lois. Critical theory today: A user-friendly guide. Routledge, 2014.
Tyson, Lois. Critical theory today: A user-friendly guide. Routledge, 2014.