What is literary criticism

 

Literary criticism is the process of understanding, appreciating ,analysing or rather judging a literary piece. The term ‘Criticism’ derived from the Greek word ‘Kritikose’ which means a person who forms or expresses judgement. Thus, literary criticism refers to the estimation of the quality of a literary work and making comments on it.

The Victorian critic Matthew Arnold was of the view that criticism is a disinterested endeavour to learn and propagate the best that is known and thought in the world. The famous English essayist Joseph Addison held the view that a true critic will dwell on excellences rather than imperfections.

To sum up criticism is a disciplined attempt to understand and to evaluate works of literature.

The two major functions of criticism are interpretation and judgement. Criticism plays an important role in enhancing our appreciation of a literary text by interpreting the various subtle shades of meaning within it. The critic as interpreter acts as a pathfinder, helping the unmotivated reader gain a deeper understanding of the text. In doing so, the critic is like a friendly companion who points out things that could go unnoticed. An example of such critic is AC Bradley, as evidenced in his criticism of Shakespeare.

It is good for a reader to search for a secondary source in order to get a better understanding of an author or a text. A good critic should be knowledgeable. He should have read not only the book that he is critiquing , but should also have an excellent knowledge about the genre, the age to which it belongs and the background to its composition. He also should focus on what is good in a particular work.