Theories of Literary Criticism

Description: This quiz covers various theories of literary criticism, including their key concepts, proponents, and applications in analyzing literature.
Number of Questions: 15
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Tags: literary criticism literary theory literature analysis
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Which theory of literary criticism emphasizes the importance of understanding the author's intention and context when interpreting a literary work?

  1. New Criticism

  2. Reader-Response Criticism

  3. Marxist Criticism

  4. Deconstruction


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

New Criticism focuses on the intrinsic qualities of the text and the author's intention, rather than external factors or the reader's response.

In Reader-Response Criticism, the primary focus is on:

  1. The author's intention

  2. The reader's interpretation

  3. The historical context

  4. The cultural significance


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Reader-Response Criticism emphasizes the role of the reader in creating meaning from the text, rather than relying solely on the author's intention.

Which theory of literary criticism examines the relationship between literature and society, particularly the ways in which literature reflects and shapes social and political ideologies?

  1. Formalist Criticism

  2. Structuralist Criticism

  3. Marxist Criticism

  4. Postcolonial Criticism


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Marxist Criticism analyzes literature through the lens of class struggle and economic structures, exploring how literature reflects and perpetuates social inequalities.

Deconstruction, a theory associated with Jacques Derrida, aims to:

  1. Uncover hidden meanings in a text

  2. Analyze the author's intention

  3. Examine the historical context

  4. Subvert traditional interpretations


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Deconstruction seeks to challenge and destabilize traditional interpretations of a text, revealing its inherent contradictions and ambiguities.

Which theory of literary criticism emphasizes the importance of understanding the cultural and historical context in which a literary work was created?

  1. New Criticism

  2. Reader-Response Criticism

  3. Historical Criticism

  4. Feminist Criticism


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Historical Criticism examines literature in relation to its historical and cultural context, exploring how the work reflects and responds to the social, political, and intellectual conditions of its time.

Feminist Criticism primarily focuses on:

  1. The author's intention

  2. The reader's interpretation

  3. The historical context

  4. Gender roles and representations in literature


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Feminist Criticism analyzes literature through the lens of gender, examining how it reflects and perpetuates gender inequalities and stereotypes.

In Structuralist Criticism, the focus is on:

  1. The author's intention

  2. The reader's interpretation

  3. The underlying structures and patterns in a text

  4. The cultural significance


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Structuralist Criticism examines the underlying structures, patterns, and relationships within a text, seeking to uncover the deep meanings and significance embedded in the work.

Which theory of literary criticism explores the relationship between literature and psychology, particularly the ways in which literature reflects and shapes human emotions, thoughts, and behaviors?

  1. Formalist Criticism

  2. Psychoanalytic Criticism

  3. Marxist Criticism

  4. Postcolonial Criticism


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Psychoanalytic Criticism analyzes literature through the lens of psychology, exploring how it reflects and shapes unconscious desires, conflicts, and motivations.

Postcolonial Criticism primarily examines:

  1. The author's intention

  2. The reader's interpretation

  3. The historical context

  4. The impact of colonialism and imperialism on literature


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Postcolonial Criticism analyzes literature from the perspective of colonized peoples, exploring how it reflects and responds to the experiences of colonialism and imperialism.

Which theory of literary criticism emphasizes the importance of understanding the relationship between literature and language, particularly the ways in which language shapes and constructs meaning?

  1. New Criticism

  2. Reader-Response Criticism

  3. Marxist Criticism

  4. Poststructuralist Criticism


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Poststructuralist Criticism examines the relationship between literature and language, exploring how language constructs and deconstructs meaning, and how it shapes our understanding of the world.

Which theory of literary criticism focuses on the relationship between literature and ethics, particularly the ways in which literature can explore moral dilemmas and ethical questions?

  1. Formalist Criticism

  2. Ethical Criticism

  3. Marxist Criticism

  4. Postcolonial Criticism


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Ethical Criticism analyzes literature through the lens of ethics, exploring how it can raise moral questions, challenge ethical assumptions, and provide insights into human values.

Which theory of literary criticism emphasizes the importance of understanding the relationship between literature and the environment, particularly the ways in which literature reflects and shapes our understanding of the natural world?

  1. Ecocriticism

  2. Reader-Response Criticism

  3. Marxist Criticism

  4. Postcolonial Criticism


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Ecocriticism analyzes literature through the lens of the environment, exploring how it reflects and shapes our understanding of the natural world, and how it can contribute to environmental awareness and sustainability.

Which theory of literary criticism emphasizes the importance of understanding the relationship between literature and gender, particularly the ways in which literature reflects and shapes gender roles and identities?

  1. Gender Studies

  2. Reader-Response Criticism

  3. Marxist Criticism

  4. Postcolonial Criticism


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Gender Studies analyzes literature through the lens of gender, exploring how it reflects and shapes gender roles, identities, and relationships, and how it can contribute to gender equality and social justice.

Which theory of literary criticism emphasizes the importance of understanding the relationship between literature and race, particularly the ways in which literature reflects and shapes racial identities and experiences?

  1. Race and Ethnicity Studies

  2. Reader-Response Criticism

  3. Marxist Criticism

  4. Postcolonial Criticism


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Race and Ethnicity Studies analyzes literature through the lens of race and ethnicity, exploring how it reflects and shapes racial identities, experiences, and relationships, and how it can contribute to racial equality and social justice.

Which theory of literary criticism emphasizes the importance of understanding the relationship between literature and disability, particularly the ways in which literature reflects and shapes representations of disability and the experiences of disabled people?

  1. Disability Studies

  2. Reader-Response Criticism

  3. Marxist Criticism

  4. Postcolonial Criticism


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Disability Studies analyzes literature through the lens of disability, exploring how it reflects and shapes representations of disability and the experiences of disabled people, and how it can contribute to disability rights and social justice.

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