Difference between Literary Criticism and Literary Theory

Introduction

• Literary criticism and literary theory are related but distinct concepts.
• Literary theory guides and controls the actions of literary criticism.
• There are multiple differences between these two concepts.

Main Differences

Basic Distinction

• Literary Criticism
  • Denotes action.
  • Involves the practical study and analysis of a literary text.
  • May initiate from a literary theory or occur independently.
  • Focuses on analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating literary texts.
• Literary Theory
  • Denotes abstract ideas or a set of rules.
  • Concerned with distinguishing literary texts and establishing categories and schools of thought.
  • Often a result of extensive literary criticism, leading to the establishment of theories (e.g., Structuralism).

Nature and Function

• Literary criticism involves comparison, analysis, and evaluation of literary texts.
• Literary theory establishes systematic ideas that guide the criticism process.
• Example: Structuralism evolved from repeated acts of literary criticism.

Relationship and Paradox

• Paradox: Literary theory should ideally dictate terms for criticism, yet theory development relies on literary criticism.
• Question: Is every act of literary criticism guided by a theory?

Further Considerations

• There are also discussions on critical theory and its relation to literary theory.
• Critical theory can be applied to arts or sciences, while literary theory focuses solely on literary texts.

Reflections and Questions

• The article hints at ongoing discussions and invites readers to think critically about these concepts.
• Question for consideration: Can literary criticism exist independently of theory?

Conclusion

• The article is part of a series on Literary Theory and Literary Criticism.
• Readers are encouraged to explore further articles for a deeper understanding.

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Additional Resources

• Related Articles:
  • Marxist Theory in Literature
  • Creative Writing as a Research Method
  • Structuralism Theory in English Literature
• Tags: #LiteraryTheory

Author: Alok Mishra Published by: English Literature Education