1. Literary Theory

2. What is Literary Criticism?
Literary criticism refers to the various critical lenses used to analyze literature.
Each lens is sensitive to point of view, symbol, tone, irony, and other literary techniques, but each also casts those elements in a special light.

3. What is Literary Criticism?
Each lens raises its own types of questions and issues, and, therefore, each approach has its advantages and disadvantages; what is left out of an interpretation is as significant as what is included.

4. Feminist/Gender Criticism
View society in a “patriarchal” and “heterosexual” way, which has hindered or prevented women and homosexuals from realizing their true potential. Claim that both groups are viewed negatively, inferior, or as “the other.”

5. Feminist/Gender Criticism
Things to consider when using Feminist/Gender Criticism:
  Consider the gender/orientation of the author, characters
  What roles do gender or sexuality play in this work? (Examine power relations)
     Look for sexual stereotypes either reinforced or contradicted
   Imagine yourself as the opposite gender reading the text

6. Feminist/Gender Criticism
Feminist/Gender Example: Lion King
Nala- Strong female character that is able to convince Simba to eventually return to the pride, but she is still a secondary character. The head hyena is also female, demonstrating that women have a pivotal role in the story, challenging the idea that women stay in the home and are passive. Sarabi, Simba’s mother, does fulfill the role of wife and secondary parent though.

7. Marxist Criticism
Views society based on the economic and cultural theory of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles. Assumes that each society is made up of a set of concepts, beliefs, values, and ways of thinking influenced by economic and class structures.

8. Marxist Criticism Things to consider when using Marxist Criticism:
 Consider who has the power/money and who doesn’t
 What role does power, money, or class play in this work?
 What happens as a result in differences in power/money?
 Relate context of work to social-class of author and/or time period

9. Marxist Criticism Marxist Example: Lion King
Because this movie was produced and created by people from a capitalist economy where a free market is a good market, this movie reinforces capitalist values. Mufasa’s rule demonstrates capitalism where everyone plays a role in society. The lion pack keeps and establishes their power by keeping a balance in the natural world and providing order. However, when Mufasa, the king, is killed, his brother, Scar, takes over and forms a dictatorship (totalitarian) where he uses up all of the resources (forming a monopoly), leaving a wasteland where there once was prosperity. Simba eventually returns to re-establish a market economy

10. Psychoanalytic Criticism
Views text as an expression of the personality, state of mind, feelings, and desires of its author. Looks for the distinction between conscious and unconscious motives of characters and author. Focuses specifically on how the author’s personality and state are expressed through the story- as if the story is a reflection of how the author truly feels or knows about the world and the people/things within it.

11. Psychoanalytic Criticism
Things to consider when using Psychoanalytic Criticism:
Consider the author’s personality to explain and interpret a text
  What psychological theories are present in the characters (Oedipal complex, obsessive compulsive, sexual repression, denial, guilt)?
     What repressed material is expressed in imagery or symbols?

12. Psychoanalytic Criticism
Psychoanalytic Example: Lion King
 Simba feels inferior and doesn’t want to lead the lion pack because he feels he is not good enough after his father is killed. Simba is in denial about his father dying and tried to hide from his responsibility as king by hiding away. Simba also feels guilty about his father’s death, feeling as though he was a part of the reason why his father died. Simba’s superego is defined by pack behavior expectations such as taking over the pride; however, his id tells him to run away because he was threatened by Scar and feels responsible for his father’s death.

13. New Criticism/Structuralism
Views text as existing independently. Meaning is discovered by doing a close reading and not by examining outside sources. Similar to what we do when we read a poem closely, only focusing on the words, not any other information.

14. New Criticism/Structuralism
Things to consider when using New Criticism/ Structuralism:
Focuses on the meanings and interactions of words, figures of speech, and symbols, for instance, we usually see things associated with light as good and dark as bad.
  Looks for complex interrelations and ambiguities within a text.
 Analyzes how parallels are established and create a unity within the text

15. New Criticism/Structuralism
New Criticism Example: Lion King
When Mufasa is king, it is bright and sunny but when Scar is king it is always dark outside. Mufasa is also caring and has no physical deformities. Scar has a large scar against his face and is darker in coloring. The viewers also feel bad for Simba because he witnessed his father’s death and is threatened by his uncle.

16. Historical Criticism/Post-Colonial
Views text as closely related to the time during which an author wrote. Focused on the social, political, economic, cultural, and/or intellectual climate of the time. Examines how other cultures are viewed in terms of an overpowering Western literature base. Also uses texts as an important informant on the historical situation of when it was written.

17. Historical Criticism/Post-Colonial
Things to consider when using Historical/ Post- Colonial Critcism:
   Looks at issues of colonization and imperialism (how first world countries have taken over and extorted developing countries, taking their resources and power)
 Rejects the idea of marginalized people as “others
Celebrates “hybridity” (existing in two cultures at once)

18. Historical Criticism/Post-Colonial
Example: Lion King Africa is depicted with some characters who have British accents, like Scar and the parrot. Africa is also seen as a tropical paradise that can be exploited by the likes of Scar. Timon and Pumba are seen as natives who cannot really take care of themselves and Rafiki, the witch doctor, is a spiritual and odd character. These characters are exotic and represent certain factions of other places.