Introduction to Literary Theories and Criticisms (Enla 422), 2011

1. 
   What are the dominant periods that help the development and emergence of literary theories and literary criticisms? What main differences have you seen across the periods?
   
2. 
   Who were the main prominent figures of the classical period in relation to the theory of literary criticisms? What were their basic arguments regarding the definition of literature, the importance of poetry and the genres of literature? Whom do you support? Why?
   
3. 
   List and define the five peculiar features of Renaissance.
   
4. 
   How historians and scholars differ neoclassic period from other periods of human history?
   

5. 
   How you may distinctly define Romanticism? What were its basic features?
   
6. 
   Compare and contrast Realism and Naturalism. How do you see these philosophic movements in relation to the existing conditions of Ethiopia?
   
7. 
   Name two reputed persons of each of the periods and their contributions.
   

• 
  What are the salient purposes of literary criticism?
  
• 
  What literary criticism approaches do you know?
  
• 
  Which of the approaches dominantly used in giving literary criticism?
  
• 
  What are the basic criteria that help to divide literary criticism approaches?
  
• 
  What are the basic distinctions of author oriented, text oriented, context oriented and reader oriented approaches of literary criticisms.
  

Scholars, critics and linguists define literary critics in different ways as other definitions of different sciences. For controversies and differences urges educators to find solutions, to respond to different views and to come up with new theories and to forward new methods of criticism; a number of scholars have contributed their own for the development of literary criticism theories, approaches and methods of literary criticisms. To most critics, the literary work is a prerequisite for forwarding literary criticisms. Thus, the period, the literary work, the approaches, the method of criticism and the priority that critics give to writers, texts, context and reader differentiate one approach to another. With all their differences, however, as Krishnaswamy and others (2001), and Jefferson and Robey (1986) note, literary criticism is concerned with describing, interpreting and evaluating works of literature.

Of course, literary appreciation varies from place to place depending on socio-economic background of the country; the educational and intellectual development of the individual and the democratic rights that are cherished to the people. Since humanity is becoming more sophisticated and challenging, by requesting solutions to different kinds of social, economical, political, religious and cultural inequalities, many literary criticism approaches are being emerged since the second half the 20^th century. But, right before we discuss the different approaches of literature, let’s first glimpse the purposes of literary criticism forwarded by Burris.