LITERARY THEORIES

ARGEL R. DOCTORA
LIT 501 Literary Theories and Critical
Approaches
 CLASSICISM
is an attitude to literature that is guided by
admiration of the qualities of formal balance,
proportion, decorum, and restraint attributed
to the major works of ancient Greek and
Roman literature ('the classics') in preference
to the irregularities of
later vernacular literatures, and especially
(since about 1800) to the artistic liberties
proclaimed by romanticism.
 CLASSICISM
A classical style or approach to literary
composition is usually one that imitates Greek or
Roman models in subject-matter (e.g. Greek
legends) or in form (by the adoption of GENRES
like Tragedy, Epic, Ode, or verse Satrire), or both.
As a literary doctrine, classicism holds that the
writer must be governed by rules, models, or
conventions, rather than by wayward inspiration
- Aristotle’s Poetic and Horace’s Ars Poetica
 CLASSICISM
After the end of the 18th century, 'classical' came
to be contrasted with 'romantic' in an opposition
of increasingly generalized terms embracing
moods and attitudes as well as characteristics of
actual works.
Rigidly artificial and the romantic with the freely
creative, the classicists condemned romantic self-
expression as eccentric self-indulgence, in the
name of classical sanity and order.
 CLASSICISM
Early Enlightenment
From about the mid-1600s to 1700,
authors such as John Dryden, Samuel Pepys,
John Locke, Jean Racine and Moliere exemplified
these concepts. Dryden's poetry, especially
"MacFlecknoe" and "Annus Mirabilus,"
demonstrate classicism by following the form of
Ancient Greek and Roman epic poetry.
 CLASSICISM
All humane things are subject to decay,
And, when Fate summons, Monarchs must obey:
This Fleckno 2 found, who, like Augustus, 3 young
Was call'd to Empire, and had govern'd long:
In Prose and Verse, was own'd, 4 without dispute [5]
Through all the Realms of Non-sense, absolute.
This aged Prince now flourishing in Peace,
And blest with issue of a large increase, 5
Worn out with business, did at length debate
To settle the succession of the State: 6 [10]
- "Mac Flecknoe" (excerpt)
 CLASSICISM
Early 1700s
Alexander Pope, Johnathan Swift and
Joseph Addison , and the French author Voltaire
worked during this period.
Golden Age
Samuel Johnson's impact is evident from the
term "The Age of Johnson" typically applied to the
period.
 CLASSICISM
American Authors
Literary classicism appeared in the
American Colonies, as well, albeit later than in
Europe. Typically termed the Colonial Period in
American literature, authors writing in this style
during the 18th century include Benjamin
Franklin, Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson.
 IDEALISM
One aspect of idealism is recognizing the value of
imagination. In turn, imagination plays a large
role in the creation and enjoyment of fiction. An
ideal, in general, is something that one believes in
as the best possible manifestation or outcome.
Idealism in literature is usually defined as
presenting events or situations in a highly
positive way, such that the set of circumstances
would be unlikely in a realistic world.
 IDEALISM
It nevertheless seems safe to say that
within modern philosophy there have
been two fundamental conceptions of
idealism:
1. something mental (the mind, spirit, reason,
will)
2. although the existence of something
independent of the mind is conceded, everything
that we can know about this mind-independent
 IDEALISM
Basic arguments
Four basic arguments found in the literature
of idealism may be briefly summarized.
Esse est percipi: “To be is to be perceived”
The reciprocity argument
The mystical argument
The ontological argument
 IDEALISM
Authors who use idealism in some of their
literary piece.
Immanuel Kant
Yukio Mishima
Henry David Thoreou
 HUMANISM
is a belief in the value, freedom, and
independence of human beings. For a
humanist, all human beings are born with
moral value, and have a responsibility to help
one another live better lives. Humanism
emphasizes reason and science over scripture
(religious texts) and tradition, and believes
that human beings are flawed but capable of
improvement.
 HUMANISM
The Importance of Humanism
Humanism has a deep influence on modern
culture. For example, we often object to
something by saying it’s “a violation of human
rights.” The idea of human rights is a
humanistic because it emphasizes the worth
that is within each individual person.
 HUMANISM
The Examples of Humanism in Literature
Example 1
The Little Prince is a secular-humanist story in the
way it presents people as inherently good, but
flawed. In this story, human beings are born
noble, and children keep their innocence and
moral virtue, but sometimes adults lose sight of
it. The story encourages us to get back in touch
with our “inner child” and presents the hopeful
possibility that we can all become happier and
more ethical if we hang on to our childish
innocence.
 HUMANISM
The word ‘humanism’, like all words with long
histories, has had lots of meanings at different
times in different places. In English, it started
being used in the 19th century. Since then, it’s
had two uses. One is a historical one, to refer
back to the culture and scholarship of the
Renaissance. We usually call that ‘Renaissance
humanism’.
 HUMANISM
The second use of the word has been to refer
to a non-religious worldview: a set of beliefs
and values that together constitute a certain
approach to life.
Example of Humanism in literature
Two cheers for democracy by E.M. Foster
Adam Bede by George Eliot
 ROMANTICISM
Romanticism (also the Romantic era or the
Romantic period) is an artistic, literary, and
intellectual movement that originated in Europe
toward the end of the 18th century and was at its
peak in the approximate period from 1800 to
1850.
Romanticism is characterized by its emphasis on
emotion and individualism as well as glorification
of all the past and nature, preferring the medieval
rather than the classical
 ROMANTICISM
The meaning of romanticism has changed
with time. In the 17th century, "romantic"
meant imaginative or fictitious due to the
birth of a new literary genre – Novel
In the 18th century, romanticism is eclipsed by
the Age of Enlightenment,
In the 19th century, "romantic" means
sentimental : lyricism and the expression of
personal emotions are emphasized
 ROMANTICISM
The first generation of British romantic poets
William Blake and Samuel Taylor Coleridge
The second generation of British romantic
poets
The Mask of Anarchy by Shelley was inspired by
the Peterloo Massacre of 1819.
 ROMANTICISM
Main romantic themes:
From society to nature(The Enclosure
Movement and An idealization of nature)
The expression of personal feelings, energy
and passion
A dualistic world
A rediscovery of history and exoticism
 ROMANTICISM
Examples of Romanticism
The publication "Lyrical Ballads" by
Wordsworth and Coleridge
The composition "Hymns to the Night" by
Novalis
Poetry by William Blake
Classics such as "The Three Musketeers," "The
Count of Monte Cristo," and "The Hunchback
of Notre-Dame"
HUMANISM V.S. ROMANTICISM
The Renaissance was all about
looking back to ancient
civilizations for inspiration, such
as the Greeks and Romans, and
stepping away from the
established Christian church.
Humanism was very prevalent
during this period, meaning that
people thought more about how
humanity could benefit from an
idea, rather than how they could
appease a higher power. This
'return to ancient times' inspired
so much art and literature during
this period.
Romanticism was very much a
reaction to the Enlightenment
period that took place before
and the Industrial Revolution on
the horizon. The Enlightenment
was about rational, scientific
thinking, and Romanticism
aimed to challenge that by
focusing on emotions and the
beauty of the natural world.
Romantics focused more on
emotions, intuition and a wild,
untamed relationship with the
natural world.
 REALISM
defined as "the faithful representation of reality"
or "verisimilitude," realism is a literary technique
practiced by many schools of writing. Although
strictly speaking, realism is a technique, it also
denotes a particular kind of subject matter,
especially the representation of middle-class life.
A reaction against romanticism, an interest in
scientific method, the systematizing of the study
of documentary history, and the influence of
rational philosophy all affected the rise of
realism.
 REALISM
According to William Harmon and Hugh
Holman, "Where romanticists transcend the
immediate to find the ideal, and naturalists
plumb the actual or superficial to find the
scientific laws that control its actions, realists
center their attention to a remarkable degree
on the immediate, the here and now, the
specific action, and the verifiable
consequence" (A Handbook to Literature 428).
 REALISM
Many critics have suggested that there is no clear
distinction between realism and its related late
nineteenth-century movement, naturalism.
In American literature, the term "realism"
encompasses the period of time from the Civil
War to the turn of the century during which
William Dean Howells, Rebecca Harding Davis,
Henry James, Mark Twain, and others wrote
fiction devoted to accurate representation and an
exploration of American lives in various contexts
 REALISM
Realism was a movement that encompassed
the entire country, or at least the Midwest and
South, although many of the writers and
critics associated with realism
 REALISM
Characteristics
(from Richard Chase, The American Novel and Its
Tradition)
· Renders reality closely and in comprehensive detail.
Selective presentation of reality with an emphasis on
verisimilitude, even at the expense of a well-made plot
· Character is more important than action and plot;
complex ethical choices are often the subject.
· Characters appear in their real complexity of
temperament and motive; they are in explicable
relation to nature, to each other, to their social class, to
their own past.
 REALISM
Characteristics
· Class is important; the novel has traditionally served
the interests and aspirations of an insurgent middle
class. (See Ian Watt, The Rise of the Novel)
· Events will usually be plausible. Realistic novels avoid
the sensational, dramatic elements of naturalistic
novels and romances.
· Diction is natural vernacular, not heightened or
poetic; tone may be comic, satiric, or matter-of-fact.
· Objectivity in presentation becomes increasingly
important: overt authorial comments or intrusions
diminish as the century progresses.
· Interior or psychological realism a variant form.
 REALISM
 Mark Twain  Joseph W. D. Howells. As editor
 William Dean Kirkland of the Atlantic
Howells  E. W. Howe Monthly and of Harper's
New Monthly
 Rebecca  Hamlin
Magazine, William Dean
Harding Davis Garland
Howells promoted
 John W.  Henry writers of realism as
DeForest James well as those
writing local color
fiction.
 MAGICAL REALISM
Magical realism can be found in most art
forms throughout the world, however the
literary movement of magical realism was
spearheaded by Latin American authors.
Particularly from these Latin American authors
it is often read as a genre of political
subversion. Just as the fantastic and magical
elements are presented as normal, the
standard structure of reality is put into
question.
 MAGICAL REALISM
Essentially, magical realism is a chance for authors to
show an alternative to an accepted reality, which can
be an incredibly powerful tool against political
regimes.
Ultimately magical realism uses magical elements to
make a point about reality. This is as opposed to
stories that are solidly in the fantasy or sci-fi genres
which are often separate from our own reality. There
is a distortion effect in the very fiber of the prose
that forces the reader to question what is real and
often opens up avenues of reality we may not have
thought possible before reading the story
 MAGICAL REALISM
LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA BY GABRIEL
GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ
LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE BY LAURA
ESQUIVEL
BELOVED BY TONI MORRISON
THE BRIEF AND WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR
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NEVER LET ME GO BY KAZUO ISHIGUR
 SOURCES
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literature.html(2019)
https://www.britannica.com/topic/idealism/Basic-arguments
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classicism.html?m=0
https://education.seattlepi.com/examples-literary-classicism-
5244.html
https://philosophyterms.com/humanism/
https://fivebooks.com/best-books/humanism/
https://www.skyminds.net/the-19th-century-romanticism-in-art-and-
literature/
https://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/realism.htm
https://literarydevices.net/realism/
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-romanticism.html
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