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13.5: Literary Theories

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WHAT ARE LITERARY THEORIES?

Literary theories are different perspectives, or angles, that we use to approach interpreting the literature we read. We can think of literary theories as “lenses” that allow us to “zoom in” on specific ideas, concerns, and issues, rather than on literary forms, conventions, and structures.

In short, literary theories are tools that help us make meaning of the literature we read. Understanding what these theories are and how they work provides us with tools that help us find meaning in what we have read.

WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

Becoming familiar with literary theories allows us to formulate more focused, meaningful interpretations and ideas. Applying the basic, guiding principles of these theories helps us think critically about the literature and allows us to ask ourselves relevant, meaningful, and focused questions. Once we’ve asked these questions, we can then move on to answering them in a manner that allows us to “zoom in” on key issues and ideas.

Therefore, rather than looking at literature in a very general way, and rather than merely focusing on the technical aspects of a work, literary theories allow us to approach literature in a way that makes it easier for us to interpret and discover meaning than it would be without the guidance of the theories.

Although multiple literary theories exist, it is important for us to remember that interpretations of literature are the result of applying a combination of these theories.

HOW DO I USE THEM IN A PAPER?

Familiarize yourself with basic principles associated with the literary theories and how readers might apply them to the literature they read. Once you have carefully read the assigned poem, play, story, or novel, look over your notes and the annotations you have made in response to the work, and highlight the comments and ideas that stand out for you.

Once you’ve reviewed the ideas in your notes and annotations, go on to ask yourself the following questions:

• Which literary theories can I connect to the ideas and issues I’ve identified?
• How are my ideas reflected in the literary theories?
• Which of my ideas do I want to explore further in relation to those theories?
• How can I further apply the principles of the literary theory or theories to get more meaning from the text and delve deeper into the meaning/ideas I already have?

For more specific questions that might be useful in helping you apply literary theories, take a look at the “Questions to Consider” at the end of each literary theory description below.

THE LITERARY THEORIES:

Historical/Biographical Criticism is a literary lens that allows readers to examine the realities of the historical period reflected in the work and/or the realities of the life and times of the author. To study a work using the historical/biographical literary lens, the reader’s assumption is that the literary work is a reflection of the period in which it was written, and/or that the work is a reflection of the author’s life and times. In other words, the reader assumes that the work has been shaped by historical events of the time (historical) and/or by events in the author’s life (biographical). Approaching a literary work using the historical/biographical perspective requires the reader to engage in supplemental research related to the relevant historical period and the author of the work.

Questions to Consider:

• In what ways do the events and/or characters in the work parallel significant events and/or people represented during the time period or in the author’s life?
• How might the work and its meaning have been shaped by events of the time period in which it was set or written?
• How might the work and its meaning have been shaped by events and/or people in the author’s life?

New Criticism (also known as Formalist Criticism) examines the relationships between the ideas and themes in a literary work and its form. When applying this theory, the reader focuses on exploring the meaning of the literature and the way in which the meaning is conveyed in the text. In other words, the work’s theme/meaning is reinforced and unified in the text’s form (imagery, narrative structure, point of view, and other literary elements). In applying the New Criticism as an approach for understanding literature, very close analysis of and focus on the literary text is essential.

• How do imagery and narrative point of view reinforce a theme or idea you’ve identified in the work?
• How does the plot contribute to supporting the meaning of a story you’ve read?

Archetypal Criticism is a literary lens requiring the reader to examine cultural and psychological myths that contribute to the meaning of the texts. As readers apply this theory, they assume that the literature imitates universal dreams of humanity and that recurring images, patterns, symbols, and human experiences, also known as archetypes, contribute to the form and meaning of the work. These archetypes may include what are known as motifs (recurring themes, subjects, ideas).

• What symbols help to illustrate a common, universal struggle experienced by the protagonist of the story?
• How do the actions of the characters and/or the setting of the story reflect events/ideas that we find in other cultural stories and myths?

Gender Criticism (also known as Feminist Criticism) is a literary lens that allows the reader to critique dominant patriarchal and heterosexual language and ideas by exposing how a work reflects masculine, patriarchal, heterosexual ideology. Additionally, the reader may focus on examining how literary works are shaped by and/or convey messages about gender-related issues such as gender identity, sexual orientation, gender roles and expectations, gender dynamics, and gender-related power structures.

Gender criticism encourages readers to examine gender ideology and politics in literature and to critique oppressive patriarchal and masculine structures apparent in literary works.

• In what ways is the work a commentary or critique of the dominant patriarchal ideologies in the society it depicts?
• What ideas about gender are reflected in the work?

Marxist Criticism argues that literature reflects the struggles between oppressed and oppressing classes. Readers applying Marxist criticism focus on examining the representation of socio-economic class structures, marginalization, materialism, class systems, and/or class conflict in literature. Readers also examine the way in which a literary work may espouse oppressive social and class structures.

In applying Marxist criticism, readers tend not to focus heavily on a literary work’s aesthetic or artistic concerns, arguing that meaning is shaped by the work’s depiction of class conflict and class distinctions, as well as its social and political concerns. In reading and critiquing literature, Marxist theorists tend to find themselves sympathetic to the working classes and to authors whose works challenge economic inequalities found in capitalist societies.

• In what ways does the literature depict the struggles between the rich and the poor?
• How is the work be sympathetic to the working class?
• How might the work be a critique or commentary about capitalism?

Deconstruction is an approach that requires readers to challenge the assumption that a work has a single, fixed meaning and that this meaning is accessed only through a close reading of the text alone. Deconstruction involves examining contradictions that exist within a text and accepting the idea that because a text can have a variety of meanings, some meanings may actually contradict others.

Readers employing deconstructionist criticism tend to focus not on what is being said but, rather, on how it is said in the writer’s use of language. Because of this focus on the use of language, deconstructionists rely on a close reading of the text/words in order to make meaning.

• White is a color that typically represents purity and innocence in our culture. How is the color white used to represent ideas that both support and contradict this meaning in the work?
• How might a theme in the work be negated by an opposing theme that also exists within the same work?

New Historicism is a literary lens through which readers find meaning by considering the context of the period during which the text was written. Readers who examine literature through a New Historical lens concern themselves with the political, social cultural, economic, and/or intellectual implications of the work.

• How are the politics and policies of the time in which the work was written depicted in the events and characters of the work?
• In what ways are the social norms of the period reflected in the story, poem, play, or novel?

Cultural Criticism allows the reader to approach literature with the assumption that the work questions traditional, cultural (typically Western-European) ideologies and values and that most literary works espouse these dominant ideas. With this in mind, those who apply cultural criticism examine how literature challenges Eurocentric-based meaning, particularly by focusing on how works, especially those written by and about traditionally oppressed and/or marginalized groups or sub-groups, expose the identities, systems, values, norms, traditions, etc. of typically under-represented groups.

• How does the work reflect the oppressive environment of the time in which it takes place or in which it was written?
• In what ways is the devaluation and/or marginalization of under-represented groups represented?

Psychological/Psychoanalytic Criticism involves the assumption that the work is a reflection of the personality, state of mind, feelings, and desires of the author. The Psychological/Psychoanalytic lens requires readers to delve into the psychology or personality of the author and/or characters to determine the meaning of the work.

Readers employing the psychological/psychoanalytic approach examine the role of unconscious psychological drives/impulses and repressive behaviors in shaping human behavior.

• In what ways does the story reveal the protagonist’s struggle to assert his/her identity?
• How is the work a reflection of an individual’s desire to act according to his/her impulses yet, at the same time, struggle against those impulses?

Reader-Response Criticism suggests that the experience of reading and the experiences that the reader brings to the reading determine the meaning of the work. In other words, meaning within literature is created as the reader experiences (reads) the work. As readers bring their own ideas, thoughts, moods, knowledge, and experiences to the text, meaning is created with little emphasis placed on the structural elements of the work (plot, narrative point of view, character, symbol, etc.). The interaction between the reader and the text determines the meaning of the work.

• What attitudes do you and the main character of the story have in common? Have these attitudes led you to similar/different outcomes to those of the main character? How so?
• How would you have responded to the situations the characters find themselves in? Why would you have responded in such a manner?

Literary Criticism: thesis examples

• Introduction
• Steps to Literary Criticism
• Resources to Use
• Literary Theories
• Citing Sources
• thesis examples

thesis statement examples

SAMPLE THESIS STATEMENTS

These sample thesis statements are provided as guides, not as required forms or prescriptions.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The thesis may focus on an analysis of one of the elements of fiction, drama, poetry or nonfiction as expressed in the work: character, plot, structure, idea, theme, symbol, style, imagery, tone, etc.

In “A Worn Path,” Eudora Welty creates a fictional character in Phoenix Jackson whose determination, faith, and cunning illustrate the indomitable human spirit.

Note that the work, author, and character to be analyzed are identified in this thesis statement. The thesis relies on a strong verb (creates). It also identifies the element of fiction that the writer will explore (character) and the characteristics the writer will analyze and discuss (determination, faith, cunning).

Further Examples:

The character of the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet serves as a foil to young Juliet, delights us with her warmth and earthy wit, and helps realize the tragic catastrophe.

The works of ecstatic love poets Rumi, Hafiz, and Kabir use symbols such as a lover’s longing and the Tavern of Ruin to illustrate the human soul’s desire to connect with God.

The thesis may focus on illustrating how a work reflects the particular genre’s forms, the characteristics of a philosophy of literature, or the ideas of a particular school of thought.

“The Third and Final Continent” exhibits characteristics recurrent in writings by immigrants: tradition, adaptation, and identity.

Note how the thesis statement classifies the form of the work (writings by immigrants) and identifies the characteristics of that form of writing (tradition, adaptation, and identity) that the essay will discuss.

Further examples:

Samuel Beckett’s Endgame reflects characteristics of Theatre of the Absurd in its minimalist stage setting, its seemingly meaningless dialogue, and its apocalyptic or nihilist vision.

A close look at many details in “The Story of an Hour” reveals how language, institutions, and expected demeanor suppress the natural desires and aspirations of women.

The thesis may draw parallels between some element in the work and real-life situations or subject matter: historical events, the author’s life, medical diagnoses, etc.

In Willa Cather’s short story, “Paul’s Case,” Paul exhibits suicidal behavior that a caring adult might have recognized and remedied had that adult had the scientific knowledge we have today.

This thesis suggests that the essay will identify characteristics of suicide that Paul exhibits in the story. The writer will have to research medical and psychology texts to determine the typical characteristics of suicidal behavior and to illustrate how Paul’s behavior mirrors those characteristics.

Through the experience of one man, the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, accurately depicts the historical record of slave life in its descriptions of the often brutal and quixotic relationship between master and slave and of the fragmentation of slave families.

In “I Stand Here Ironing,” one can draw parallels between the narrator’s situation and the author’s life experiences as a mother, writer, and feminist.

SAMPLE PATTERNS FOR THESES ON LITERARY WORKS

1. In (title of work), (author) (illustrates, shows) (aspect) (adjective). 

Example: In “Barn Burning,” William Faulkner shows the characters Sardie and Abner Snopes struggling for their identity.

2. In (title of work), (author) uses (one aspect) to (define, strengthen, illustrate) the (element of work).

Example: In “Youth,” Joseph Conrad uses foreshadowing to strengthen the plot.

3. In (title of work), (author) uses (an important part of work) as a unifying device for (one element), (another element), and (another element). The number of elements can vary from one to four.

Example: In “Youth,” Joseph Conrad uses the sea as a unifying device for setting, structure and theme.

4. (Author) develops the character of (character’s name) in (literary work) through what he/she does, what he/she says, what other people say to or about him/her.

Example: Langston Hughes develops the character of Semple in “Ways and Means”…

5. In (title of work), (author) uses (literary device) to (accomplish, develop, illustrate, strengthen) (element of work).

Example: In “The Masque of the Red Death,” Poe uses the symbolism of the stranger, the clock, and the seventh room to develop the theme of death.

6. (Author) (shows, develops, illustrates) the theme of __________ in the (play, poem, story).

Example: Flannery O’Connor illustrates the theme of the effect of the selfishness of the grandmother upon the family in “A Good Man is Hard to Find.”

7. (Author) develops his character(s) in (title of work) through his/her use of language.

Example: John Updike develops his characters in “A & P” through his use of figurative language.

Perimeter College, Georgia State University,  http://depts.gpc.edu/~gpcltc/handouts/communications/literarythesis.pdf

Oscar Wilde

Charles Dickens

Zora Neale Hurston

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What is a Theoretical Framework? | A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on 14 February 2020 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 10 October 2022.

A theoretical framework is a foundational review of existing theories that serves as a roadmap for developing the arguments you will use in your own work.

Theories are developed by researchers to explain phenomena, draw connections, and make predictions. In a theoretical framework, you explain the existing theories that support your research, showing that your work is grounded in established ideas.

In other words, your theoretical framework justifies and contextualises your later research, and it’s a crucial first step for your research paper , thesis, or dissertation . A well-rounded theoretical framework sets you up for success later on in your research and writing process.

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Table of contents

Why do you need a theoretical framework, how to write a theoretical framework, structuring your theoretical framework, example of a theoretical framework, frequently asked questions about theoretical frameworks.

Before you start your own research, it’s crucial to familiarise yourself with the theories and models that other researchers have already developed. Your theoretical framework is your opportunity to present and explain what you’ve learned, situated within your future research topic.

There’s a good chance that many different theories about your topic already exist, especially if the topic is broad. In your theoretical framework, you will evaluate, compare, and select the most relevant ones.

By “framing” your research within a clearly defined field, you make the reader aware of the assumptions that inform your approach, showing the rationale behind your choices for later sections, like methodology and discussion . This part of your dissertation lays the foundations that will support your analysis, helping you interpret your results and make broader generalisations .

• In literature , a scholar using postmodernist literary theory would analyse The Great Gatsby differently than a scholar using Marxist literary theory.
• In psychology , a behaviourist approach to depression would involve different research methods and assumptions than a psychoanalytic approach.
• In economics , wealth inequality would be explained and interpreted differently based on a classical economics approach than based on a Keynesian economics one.

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To create your own theoretical framework, you can follow these three steps:

• Identifying your key concepts
• Evaluating and explaining relevant theories
• Showing how your research fits into existing research

1. Identify your key concepts

The first step is to pick out the key terms from your problem statement and research questions . Concepts often have multiple definitions, so your theoretical framework should also clearly define what you mean by each term.

To investigate this problem, you have identified and plan to focus on the following problem statement, objective, and research questions:

Problem : Many online customers do not return to make subsequent purchases.

Objective : To increase the quantity of return customers.

Research question : How can the satisfaction of company X’s online customers be improved in order to increase the quantity of return customers?

2. Evaluate and explain relevant theories

By conducting a thorough literature review , you can determine how other researchers have defined these key concepts and drawn connections between them. As you write your theoretical framework, your aim is to compare and critically evaluate the approaches that different authors have taken.

After discussing different models and theories, you can establish the definitions that best fit your research and justify why. You can even combine theories from different fields to build your own unique framework if this better suits your topic.

Make sure to at least briefly mention each of the most important theories related to your key concepts. If there is a well-established theory that you don’t want to apply to your own research, explain why it isn’t suitable for your purposes.

3. Show how your research fits into existing research

Apart from summarising and discussing existing theories, your theoretical framework should show how your project will make use of these ideas and take them a step further.

You might aim to do one or more of the following:

• Test whether a theory holds in a specific, previously unexamined context
• Use an existing theory as a basis for interpreting your results
• Critique or challenge a theory
• Combine different theories in a new or unique way

A theoretical framework can sometimes be integrated into a literature review chapter , but it can also be included as its own chapter or section in your dissertation. As a rule of thumb, if your research involves dealing with a lot of complex theories, it’s a good idea to include a separate theoretical framework chapter.

There are no fixed rules for structuring your theoretical framework, but it’s best to double-check with your department or institution to make sure they don’t have any formatting guidelines. The most important thing is to create a clear, logical structure. There are a few ways to do this:

• Draw on your research questions, structuring each section around a question or key concept
• Organise by theory cluster
• Organise by date

As in all other parts of your research paper , thesis, or dissertation , make sure to properly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism .

To get a sense of what this part of your thesis or dissertation might look like, take a look at our full example .

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While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work based on existing research, a conceptual framework allows you to draw your own conclusions, mapping out the variables you may use in your study and the interplay between them.

A literature review and a theoretical framework are not the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably. While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work, a literature review critically evaluates existing research relating to your topic. You’ll likely need both in your dissertation .

A theoretical framework can sometimes be integrated into a  literature review chapter , but it can also be included as its own chapter or section in your dissertation . As a rule of thumb, if your research involves dealing with a lot of complex theories, it’s a good idea to include a separate theoretical framework chapter.

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a dissertation , thesis, research paper , or proposal .

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Literary Criticism

• Introduction
• Literary Theories
• Steps to Literary Criticism
• Find Resources
• Cite Sources
• thesis examples

Step 1 :: READ

As you read the work, ask yourself questions, such as:

Why did the author write this?

What is the theme or themes?

How is the style relevant to the content?

How are the characters developed?

What do the characters learn?

How are the characters connected to the themes?

What does the format and style suggest about the story?

Step 2 :: THESIS

The thesis is a road map for the paper—it tells the reader what to expect.  A good thesis is specific, limited in scope, and offers a perspective or interpretation on a subject. 

Focus on specific attribute(s) of the text(s).

Make a specific, arguable point (thesis) about these attributes.

Defend this point with reasons and evidence drawn from the text and secondary sources.

As you do research and your paper evolves, don't hesitate to revamp your original thesis statement.

THESIS STATEMENT EXAMPLES

Step 3 :: RESEARCH

Find evidence that supports your thesis. This evidence may include:

Opinions of other critics.​

Discussion of the text's historical and social context.

Discussions in books or articles about your text.

Discussions in books and articles about theories related to your argument.

RESOURCES TO USE  IN YOUR RESEARCH 

Step 4 :: SUPPORT

In addition to support for your thesis in sources you have located in your research, you will use support directly from the text, such as:

Direct quotations

Summaries of scenes

Paraphrases

Reminder: Do not summarize the plot. You are writing an analysis; not a review or summary.

For more information about paraphrasing:

OWL Purdue  

Writer's Handbook - University of Wisconsin

Step 5 :: EDIT

The final step is to edit and polish the paper:

Check for spelling and grammar mistakes.

Ask a friend to review it for you. Since you have read it so many times, you may overlook obvious mistakes.

Make sure you follow all formatting guidelines.

Some questions to consider as you review your paper:

Do you get the reader's attention in the introductory paragraph?

Do you vary the sentence structure?

Do your paragraphs transition well?

Do your quotes and research clearly support your thesis?

Does your conclusion tie up all the loose ends?

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Literary Criticism: Literary Theories

• Introduction
• Literary Theories
• Five Steps of Writing
• Find Resources
• Cite Sources
• Thesis Examples

Types of Literary Theory

"Literary theories were developed as a means to understand the various ways people read texts. ... All literary theories are lenses through which we can see texts" (Appleman, Critical Theories Defined ).

"A very basic way of thinking about literary theory is that these ideas act as different lenses critics use to view and talk about art, literature, and even culture. These different lenses allow critics to consider works of art based on certain assumptions within that school of theory. The different lenses also allow critics to focus on particular aspects of a work they consider important" (Gutierrez, Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism ).

Below are just a few of the many literary theories or lenses that you can use to view and talk about art, literature, and culture.

To help you decide on a literary theory and to begin analyzing your chosen text, consider the questions presented below:

Feminism :: Questions for Analysis

Feminist criticism is concerned with "...the ways in which literature (and other cultural productions) reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of women" (Tyson).  

Is the author male or female?

Is the text narrated by a male or female?

What types of roles do women have in the text?

Are the female characters the protagonists or secondary and minor characters?

Do any stereotypical characterizations of women appear?

What are the attitudes toward women held by the male characters?

What is the author's attitude toward women in society?

How does the author's culture influence her or his attitude? Is feminine imagery used? If so, what is the significance of such imagery?

Do the female characters speak differently than to the male characters? In your investigation, compare the frequency of speech for the male characters to the frequency of speech for the female characters.

Gender Studies :: Questions for Analysis

Gender studies and queer theory explore issues of sexuality, power, and marginalized populations (woman as other) in literature and culture.

What elements of the text can be perceived as being masculine (active, powerful) and feminine (passive, marginalized) and how do the characters support these traditional roles?

What sort of support (if any) is given to elements or characters who question the masculine/feminine binary? What happens to those elements/characters?

What are the politics (ideological agendas) of specific gay, lesbian, or queer works, and how are those politics revealed in...the work's thematic content or portrayals of its characters?

What does the work contribute to our knowledge of queer, gay, or lesbian experience and history, including literary history?

How is queer, gay, or lesbian experience coded in texts that are by writers who are apparently homosexual?

How does the literary text illustrate the problematics of sexuality and sexual "identity," that is the ways in which human sexuality does not fall neatly into the separate categories defined by the words homosexual and heterosexual?

Marxism :: Questions for Analysis

Based on the theories of Karl Marx (and so influenced by philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel), this school concerns itself with class differences, economic and otherwise, as well as the implications and complications of the capitalist system.

​ Is there an outright rejection of socialism in the work?

Does the text raise fundamental criticism about the emptiness of life in bourgeois society?

How well is the fate of the individual linked organically to the nature of societal forces? What are the work's conflicting forces?

At what points are actions or solutions to problems forced or unreal?

Are characters from all social levels equally well sketched?

What are the values of each class in the work?

What is valued most? Sacrifice? Assent? Resistance?

How clearly do narratives of disillusionment and defeat indicate that bourgeois values - competition, chauvinism - are incompatible with human happiness?

Does the protagonist defend or defect from the dominant values of society? Are those values in ascendancy or decay?

Bressler, Charles. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003.

Psychoanalytic Criticism :: Questions for Analysis

Psychoanalytic criticism builds on Freudian theories of psychology. While we don’t have the room here to discuss all of Freud’s work, a general overview is necessary to explain psychoanalytic literary criticism.

• How do the operations of repression structure or inform the work?
• Are there any oedipal dynamics – or any other family dynamics – are work here?
• How can characters’ behavior, narrative events, and/or images be explained in terms of psychoanalytic concepts of any kind (for example…fear or fascination with death, sexuality – which includes love and romance as well as sexual behavior – as a primary indicator of psychological identity or the operations of ego-id-superego)?
• What does the work suggest about the psychological being of its author?
• What might a given interpretation of a literary work suggest about the psychological motives of the reader?
• Are there prominent words in the piece that could have different or hidden meanings? Could there be a subconscious reason for the author using these “problem words”?

Cultural Poetics or New Historicism :: Questions for Analysis

This school, influenced by structuralist and post-structuralist theories, seeks to reconnect a work with the time period in which it was produced and identify it with the cultural and political movements of the time .

​ What kinds of behavior, what models of practice, does this work seem to reinforce?

Why might readers at a particular time and place find this work compelling?

Are there differences between my values and the values implicit in the work I am reading?

Upon what social understanding does the work depend?

Whose freedom of thought or movement might be constrained implicitly or explicitly by this work?

What are the larger social structures with which these particular acts of praise or blame might be connected?

Additional Resources

The following web sites and books provide descriptions of literary theories, tips for applying the theory to a work, and additional resources you may wish to consult.

• Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Founded in 1995 to provide open access to detailed, scholarly, peer-reviewed information on key topics and philosophers in all areas of philosophy.
• Literary Critical Theory Analysis Online OER text exploring different literary critical theories and how to apply them.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Theory and literary criticism'

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Wisch, Stephen H. "Teaching Literary Criticism Through Independent Reading." Ohio Dominican University / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=oduhonors1556705309193909.

Filsinger, Judy Ann. "Literary criticism, composition, and "passing theory": Conflicts and connections." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1994. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/963.

Barga, Rachel M. "Sex Theory: Theology of the Body as Literary Criticism." Miami University Honors Theses / OhioLINK, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=muhonors1304527876.

Al-Shamaa, Khaldoun. "Modernism and after : modern Arabic literary theory from literary criticism to cultural critique." Thesis, SOAS, University of London, 2007. http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/28817/.

Kolbas, E. Dean. "Critical theory and the literary canon." Boulder, CO : Westview Press, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/heb.07706.

Segal, A. P. M. "Deconstruction and the logic of criticism." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1987. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.234922.

Ferretter, Luke. "Towards a Christian literary theory." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/15232.

Potts, Tracey. "Can the Imperialist read? : race and feminist literary theory." Thesis, University of Warwick, 1997. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/63653/.

Coonan, Emma Marya. "Senses of theory : conceptual metaphors and manoeuvres in 20th-century literary criticism." Thesis, University of York, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.431650.

Swiderski-Ritchie, Martha. "The contents of criticism : Ingardenian theory in the context of literary analysis /." [S.l.] : [s.n.], 1986. http://www.ub.unibe.ch/content/bibliotheken_sammlungen/sondersammlungen/dissen_bestellformular/index_ger.html.

Jolliffe, Christine. "After relativism : literary theory after the linguistic turn." Thesis, McGill University, 1998. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=35901.

Barlow, Lauren Nicole. "Criticism as Redemption: Jonathan Safran Foer's Theory of Meaning." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2010. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/2123.

Cheung, M. P. Y. "Making readers : Theory and practice in modern writing." Thesis, University of Kent, 1985. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.377147.

Clarke, Joni Adamson. "A place to see: Ecological literary theory and practice." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/187115.

Mayes-Elma, Ruthann Elizabeth. "A Feminist Literary Criticism Approach to Representations of Women's Agency in Harry Potter." Oxford, Ohio : Miami University, 2003. http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?miami1060025232.

Sychrava, J. "Redescribing the naive : A critique of the 'sentimental' tradition in literary theory and criticism." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.376021.

Pitcher, Jonathan Michael. "Excess baggage : a modern theory and the conscious amnesia of Latin Americanist literary criticism." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.407698.

LiBrizzi, Marcus. "Interpretive ground and moral perspective : economics, literary theory, early modern texts." Thesis, McGill University, 1996. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=42080.

Sherwood, Yvonne M. "Hosea 1-3 and contemporary literary theory : a test-case in rereading the Prophets." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.311550.

De, Obaldia Claire. "The essay as a marginal genre." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1989. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.305670.

Cardoso, Sebastião Marques. "De personagens e anti-herois : um estudo sobre a trilogia do exilio, de Oswald de Andrade." [s.n.], 2007. http://repositorio.unicamp.br/jspui/handle/REPOSIP/270090.

Casto, Andrew Christopher. "Reading Consciousness: Analyzing Literature through William James' Stream of Thought Theory." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/32531.

Noriega-Rivero, Gerardo. "La carrera de Letras Inglesas en el cuidado editorial." Thesis, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/64907.

Donovan, Anna Gay. "Virginia Woolf : a language of looking." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.324071.

Edmonds, Markus. "A Defence of Literary Theory : A psychoanalytical study of selected works by Percy Bysshe Shelley with a view to didactic usage." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för språk (SPR), 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-61065.

Mogoboya, Mphoto Johannes. "African indentity in Es'kia Mphahlele's autobiographical and fictional novels : a literary investigation." Thesis, University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/972.

Kakoliris, Gerasimos. "An impossible project : Derrida's deconstructive reading as 'double' reading: the case of 'Of grammatology'." Thesis, University of Essex, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.369354.

Odendaal, Dirk Hermanus 1954. "A hermeneutic description of a therapeutic interview using reader response concepts from literary theory." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007749.

Payne, Christopher Neil. "Terminus intractable and the literary subject : deconstructing the endgame in Chinese avant-garde fiction." Thesis, McGill University, 2002. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=29518.

Ipsen, G. "The value of literature : the disparity between 'Practical Criticism' and 'Modern Literary Theory' with a case study of Thomas Hardy." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2008. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1444202/.

Alvandi, Nazanin. "Literary Theory in Upper Secondary School : Should It Be Used Before Higher Education?" Thesis, Högskolan i Jönköping, Högskolan för lärande och kommunikation, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-44612.

Nutters, Daniel. "HENRY JAMES AND ROMANTIC REVISIONISM: THE QUEST FOR THE MAN OF IMAGINATION IN THE LATE WORK." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2017. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/440381.

Brauer, Kristen D. "The religious roots of postmodernism in American culture : an analysis of the postmodern theory of Bernard Iddings Bell and its continued relevance to contemporary postmodern theory and literary criticism." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2007. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/6264/.

Miranda, Hélio Rosa de. "O sertão no universo poético de João Guimarães Rosa: o recado cifrado da canção." Universidade de São Paulo, 1999. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/8/8151/tde-18042013-114655/.

Tarricone, Jucimara. "Hermenêutica e crítica: o pensamento e a obra de Benedito Nunes." Universidade de São Paulo, 2007. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/8/8151/tde-23012008-115949/.

Lima, Luiz Fernando Martins de [UNESP]. "A recepção crítica de Harold Bloom no meio acadêmico brasileiro." Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/94043.

何梓慶. "明代唐宋派文學思想研究= A research on literary theory of Tang-Song school in Ming dynasty." HKBU Institutional Repository, 2018. https://repository.hkbu.edu.hk/etd_oa/566.

Leopold, Amanda A. "Dealing with the Digital: Literary Media, Mediated Narratives, and Sketchy Politics." Oberlin College Honors Theses / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=oberlin1495718816858325.

Wiedeman, Megan. "A Queer and Crip Grotesque: Katherine Dunn's." Scholar Commons, 2018. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7244.

Goode, Rich W. IV. ""Little Things": Chekhov's Children and Discourse in the Comic Short Story." ScholarWorks@UNO, 2013. http://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1630.

Pino, Estivill Ester. "Circulación de textos y usos de Roland Barthes en la crítica literaria francesa, española y argentina (1965-2015)." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Barcelona, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/666179.

Cunha, Rodrigo Ennes da. "Rumo ao abstrato: a importação de teorias anglo-americanas na crítica literária brasileira." Universidade de São Paulo, 2010. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/8/8147/tde-27092010-161554/.

Bacardit, i. Raluy Albert. "The Biohazard Message: Epidemics, Biological Accidents and Bioterrorism in Fiction (1969-1999)." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Lleida, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/8117.

de, Toro Alfonso. "Hacia una teoría de la cultura de la "hibridez" como sistema cientifico transrelacional, "transversal" y "transmedial"." Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig, 2015. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:15-qucosa-159203.

Casagrande, Eduardo Vignatti. ""Each one of us goes through life inside a bottle" : a reading of Brave new world in the light of Zygmunt Bauman's theory." reponame:Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da UFRGS, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10183/141236.

Absalyamova, Elina. "Paul Verlaine critique littéraire : aspects biographique, esthétique et discursif." Thesis, Paris 4, 2012. http://www.theses.fr/2012PA040152.

Mueller, Marieke. "Subjectivity in Sartre's 'L'idiot de la famille' : biography as a space for the development of theory." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2015. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:54f60363-e148-4481-b710-c7e68a908bd5.

Masters, Kenneth Andrew. "Observing and describing textual "reality": a critique of the claims to objective reality and authentication in new critical and structuralist literary theory, seen against a background of Feyerabend's ideas concerning paradigms, dominance and ideology." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002290.

Lima, Luiz Fernando Martins de. "A recepção crítica de Harold Bloom no meio acadêmico brasileiro /." Assis : [s.n.], 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/94043.

Ribeiro, Giselle Rodrigues. "Caminhos teóricos para a leitura literária de práticas de resistência subalterna." Universidade de São Paulo, 2010. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/8/8156/tde-27092010-162632/.

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