“Literary Theory” isn't as complicated as we often make it sound!
A simple definition is that liteary theory refers to a group of ideas and methods you can use to help understand and discuss literature.
Some things to know:
- The term "Literary Theory" is often used interchangable with "Critical Theory" or just "Theory."
- We often say "literature," but you can apply these methods to any media, including movies, shows, even music.
- Literary theories are applied to texts. They don't refer directly to the meaning of the work being read, but are used to understand that work better.
- Typically, none of these theories are meant to be right or wrong - they are, after all, theories. They are intended as different methods to think critically about a work. In that way, you'll find that some of them appeal more to you than others, and some are more applicable to certain texts than others.
- Example: The author of this guide is a huge fan of Reader Response Theory, but that doesn't make it more correct or valualbe than the others.
- Many of these - Feminism and Critical Race Theory are good examples - have grown far beyond lenses through which to understand literature. The terms are used in different contexts when applied to society as a whole. For this LibGuide, and your class, we're strictly using the literary theories.
