Focusing on the Text Itself:
* Formalist Criticism: This approach focuses on the text itself, examining its structure, language, and literary devices. It considers how these elements work together to create meaning.
* Example: Analyzing the use of symbolism in a specific scene to understand its deeper meaning.
* Structuralism: This theory analyzes the underlying structures and patterns in literary texts. It explores how these structures shape the meaning and interpretation of the work.
* Example: Identifying recurring motifs and themes in a novel to understand its central message.
* Deconstruction: This approach challenges traditional interpretations by uncovering hidden meanings and contradictions within the text. It questions the author's intentions and the reader's assumptions.
* Example: Deconstructing a seemingly straightforward narrative to reveal its underlying power dynamics and societal biases.
* New Criticism: This approach emphasizes close reading of the text, focusing on the internal coherence and unity of the work. It seeks to understand the text's meaning without relying on external factors like authorial intent or historical context.
* Example: Analyzing the imagery and diction in a poem to understand its emotional impact.
Considering the Context:
* Historical Criticism: This approach examines the historical context in which the text was written and read. It considers the social, political, and cultural influences on the work.
* Example: Analyzing a play written during a specific historical period to understand its reflection of the society's values and beliefs.
* Biographical Criticism: This approach focuses on the author's life and experiences, exploring how they influenced the creation of the text.
* Example: Understanding the impact of a writer's personal struggles on the themes and characters in their novel.
* Feminist Criticism: This approach analyzes literature through a feminist lens, exploring how gender roles, power dynamics, and representations of women are depicted in the text.
* Example: Examining the portrayal of female characters in a novel to understand how they are presented in relation to male characters and the broader societal context.
* Marxist Criticism: This approach analyzes literature through a Marxist perspective, examining how class struggle, economic inequality, and power dynamics are represented in the text.
* Example: Examining the social and economic conditions of a novel's characters to understand how they shape their choices and relationships.
* Postcolonial Criticism: This approach analyzes literature written by authors from postcolonial societies. It explores themes of colonialism, identity, and resistance.
* Example: Examining the portrayal of colonial power dynamics and the struggle for independence in a novel written by an author from a former colony.
Exploring Other Dimensions:
* Psychoanalytic Criticism: This approach uses Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytic theory to analyze the unconscious desires, motivations, and conflicts of characters.
* Example: Exploring the underlying psychological motivations of a character's actions and their relationship to their subconscious desires.
* Reader-Response Criticism: This approach focuses on the reader's interpretation of the text, acknowledging that different readers will bring their own perspectives and experiences to the reading.
* Example: Analyzing how different readers interpret the same passage in a novel, and considering how their individual backgrounds shape their understanding.
* Mythological Criticism: This approach analyzes literature through the lens of archetypes and universal myths, exploring how these patterns shape the meaning and impact of the text.
* Example: Examining the recurring themes and archetypes in a novel to understand its connection to universal human experiences and desires.
These are just some examples of the numerous analytical tools used in literary analysis. Often, scholars will combine different tools to gain a deeper and more nuanced understanding of a text. The choice of tools depends on the specific text, the researcher's goals, and the desired outcome of the analysis.