Literary Criticism: New Criticism

Introduction to New Criticism

• Focus on where meaning lies in a text
  • Author's intention
  • The work itself
  • The reader's interpretation

Key Characteristics of New Criticism

• Shift from older styles of criticism that focused on the author and historical context.
• Emphasis on the text as a standalone entity.
  • Authorial intent is not the primary focus.
  • Reader's interpretation is secondary.

Importance of Close Reading

• Close Reading: The cornerstone of New Criticism.
  • Essential for uncovering true meaning in the text.
  • Involves careful attention to every word and its nuances.
  • The text is seen as a web of interconnected pieces.
• Example: Cleanth Brooks's essay "The Heresy of Paraphrase"
  • Argues that paraphrasing a text loses important nuances.
  • Meaning arises from the interplay of content and form.

Challenges of Close Reading

• Difficulties arise when analyzing full-length works (e.g., "Les Misérables").
• Suggested approach:
  • Analyze portions of the text (e.g., specific chapters or recurring themes).

Value Judgment in New Criticism

• New critics assess a text's depth through:
  • Complexity and tension in the narrative.
  • Cohesion and unity of the text.
• Tension can arise from paradoxical elements or opposing meanings.

Example Application

• Analysis of the movie "Frozen":
  • Characters Elsa and Anna represent opposing forces (spring vs. winter).
  • Their mutual love unifies their contrasting elements, demonstrating New Criticism principles.

Conclusion

• A successful text balances complexity, tension, and unity.
• Such texts elicit emotional responses (e.g., making the reader cry).

Further Learning

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