Overview of literary critical theory

Last updated: 15/11/2023
Contributor: Edna Hobbs
Overview of literary critical theory
Main Subject
Key stage
Category
Literature: Reading
Resource type
Worksheet

An essential guide for A-level teachers and students to the key literary criticism theories of the 20th and 21st centuries. Includes a summary of the following theories and theorists:  

The great tradition – F. R. Levis [1895–1978]

Reader response – I. A. Richards [1893–1979]

Russian formalists  [1910–1929]

Saussure 

Genre theory 

Structuralism 

Post-structuralism/deconstructionists – Jacques Derrida

Psychoanalysis – Lacan

Feminist literary criticism 

Marxist literary criticism

Post-colonial literary criticism

All reviews

Have you used this resource?

It comes in handy; very helpful!

Evans Abor

20/10/2020

5

20/10/2020

5

13/03/2019

This is a succinct and clear overview. Very useful.

Maria Foulkes

20/04/2015

It comes in handy; very helpful!

Evans Abor

20/10/2020

5

20/10/2020

5

13/03/2019

This is a succinct and clear overview. Very useful.

Maria Foulkes

20/04/2015

5

5

5

5

5

5