Literary Perspectives - 1379 Words

English september 8, 2009 Literary Perspectives The following information was excerpted from The Bedford Introduction to Literature, 8th edition, 2079–2098 Formalist critics are primarily concerned with the language, structure, and tone of a work, otherwise known, as it’s â€Å"formal elements†. Formalists gravitate towards â€Å"intrinsic† matters in a piece of literature, in simpler terms, diction, irony, paradox, metaphor, and symbol. In a similar fashion, they emphasize larger elements, for instance, plot, characterization, and narrative technique, in order to derive meaning from a literary work. The work must stand by itself, and any information that goes beyond the text, for example, biography, history, politics, and†¦show more content†¦A historical approach to literature emphasizes the link between the historic context of a work and a modern reader’s understanding and interpretation of the work. The 1960’s saw the development of â€Å"New Historicism† which places the text firmly in the period in which it was written, and examines that period from a political, economic, soci al, and aesthetic standpoint. For example, a new historicist might examine Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† within the context of prevailing attitudes toward women at the time, as well as medical diagnoses of â€Å"nervousness† and â€Å"hysteria† as common, for women of that era, who led lives considered overly independent by their contemporaries. The doctors who diagnose Mrs. Mallard’s death as having been caused by â€Å"the joy that kills† are not delusional or ignorant; they represent a contrasting set of values that are historic and very much steeped in reality. New historicists therefore sensitize us to the fact that the history on which we choose to concentrate is tainted by our examination of it from our own present â€Å"truth†; This reconstruction of the past undeniably affects the meaning we derive from a literary work. Mythological critics may specialize in history, classical literature, psychology, cultural history, and classical literature, but the chief emphasis is on the assumptions and values of various cultures. Mythological readings represent the broadest approachShow MoreRelatedPerspectives Effecting Personal Beliefs630 Words   |  3 PagesPerspectives Effecting Personal Beliefs Consider how the effect of a new perspective has been reflected and developed in a literary text or texts you have studied. Discuss the ideas developed by the text creator about the effect an individual’s perspective has on personal beliefs. Each and every individual develops some sort of perspective and opinion on many different subjects, objects, and people throughout life. However, these perspectives are prone to change. The play, A Streetcar NamedRead MoreLiterary Criticism Of Literature And Literature873 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature has no set definition, mainly because throughout history writers, as well as literary historians have failed to construct an agreeable definition (Bressler 12). When one thinks of literature, he or she should think of literary criticism—different critical perspectives. Literary criticism requires readers to analyze literary texts with knowledge of theories. Thus, the next time one reads a text, he or she should first identify the theory that he or she plans to use. The theories representRead MoreSylvia Plath ´s Three Stages1081 Words   |  4 Pagesdissatisfaction, depression and death. Sylvia Plath place the climax of this poem as the third stanza. From there, the stag es decrease, until it reaches morning. In this presentation I will be giving my perspective of the poem according to its’ stage and also analysing how Sylvia Plath used literary devices. The first stage of my night is dissatisfaction. During this period, I considered my surroundings as dissatisfying. This can be seen in the quote, â€Å"The night is only a sort of carbon paper, BlueblackRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Hunters On The Snow By Tobias Wolff1438 Words   |  6 Pageseventually come to an end, and that is true for both literary and commercial fiction. In literature, there are three types of endings an author can provide within their writings: a happy end with the protagonist’s conflict resolved, an indeterminate end where the resolution is inconclusive or undefined, or an unhappy end where the conflict is not resolved at all. These three types of endings can be found in both types of fictions, with literary fiction characteristically possessing unhappy endingsRead MoreI’m Going! A Comedy in One Act by Tristan Bernard862 Words   |  3 PagesAnother reason for the interest in â€Å"I’m Going! A Comedy in One Act† simply lies o n the foundation of comedy; it was quite hilarious from my perspective. Since we have been asked to analyze one of the literary works from this week’s readings, in which, for the purpose of this paper, the play, â€Å"I’m Going! A Comedy in One Act† was chosen. Consequently, â€Å"the task in literary criticism requires you to move beyond your personal feelings and examine the work itself in order to discover its significance† (ClugstonRead MoreTheme Of A Letter To A Father812 Words   |  4 Pagesabout showing the perspective of a child who had a father who was absent from their life. In addition, it’s about how a father’s absence can affect a person’s life. One literary device that helps describe the theme are the similes presented in the first stanza. Another device that supports the theme is the rhymes shown in the third stanza. Lastly, the mood presented in this poem helps show the persons emotions. Throughout this poem, the literary devices help express both the perspective and effects ofRead MoreThe Universal Truths on the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Hebrew Bible596 Words   |  3 Pagesof the greatest literary works of ancient literature. The universal truths on The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Hebrew Bible, are most fundamental when viewed from both the contemporary and traditional audiences. Fund amentally, both audiences develop their own universal truths during the time in which the events transpired or by reading the scenic events from an anthology or other literary works. Most importantly, both literary works have sought the attention of their perspective audiences by theirRead MoreHeros Journey Archetype1451 Words   |  6 Pagescharacterizations; however, they all follow the basic structure of the Hero’s journey archetype. There are many similarities and differences between the stages that are shown through many context clues and literary devices in each work. The Hero’s Journey archetype expressed in these literary works follow a similar and direct narrative pattern. The Hero’s journey archetype is expressed in three separate and chronological stages in the 17 stages of Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth. The Separation stageRead MoreAnalysis Of The Last Man By Thomas Campbell Essay1709 Words   |  7 Pagescorrelated with society’s latest demands. Campbell’s rendition to literature’s post-apocalyptic scene within the poem â€Å"The Last Man† was accessible following its publication date in 1823; only shortly after the initial transitioning stages of a drastic literary movement. The emergence of the Revolutionary era involved diverse opinions among its writers and produced literature with a basis that consistently promoted change. As such, Nature was deemed to be an escape from society’s hectic life. At the timeRead MoreRichard Wilbur s Boy At The Window834 Words   |  4 Pagescould not understand before going into the war. In the poem, â€Å"Boy at the Window†, by Richard Wilbur, he shows a c entral idea of misunderstanding which shows the theme of as one grows older they will start to understand the world more by the context, literary devices, and mood in the poem. In the poem, â€Å"Boy at the Window†, the first way that the theme of as one grows older they will start to understand the world more is shown in the context of the poem. An example of how the context of the poem helped