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Showing posts from June 6, 2025

Impressionistic Criticism

Impressionistic criticism is a type of literary criticism that focuses on the reader’s personal feelings, emotions, and thoughts after reading a literary work. Instead of deeply analyzing the structure, language, or historical background of a text, the critic shares how the work affected them personally. This method is more emotional and subjective than other types of criticism. Main Features of Impressionistic Criticism Personal Response – The critic explains how the work made them feel, what images or memories it brought to mind, and how it touched their emotions. Subjectivity – The criticism is based on personal impressions rather than logical analysis or strict rules. Focus on Experience – It values the reading experience itself rather than trying to explain what the author intended. Art as Feeling – Literature is seen as something that moves the heart, not just something to study with the mind. Famous Impressionistic Critics and Views Anatole France , a French writer ...

Practical Criticism: by I. A. Richards

🌟 What is Practical Criticism? Practical criticism is a way of reading and understanding poems by focusing only on the words in the poem , without knowing anything about the poet or the background. It started in the 1920s by I.A. Richards , a professor at Cambridge University. He gave his students poems without telling them who wrote them and asked them to write what they understood. 🎯 Main Aims of the Book Richards wrote this book to: Help readers understand poems in a new way. Teach people how to decide why they like or dislike a poem. Create better ways of judging literature, different from traditional methods. 📘 Structure of the Book The book has four parts : Introduction – Richards explains why he wrote the book. Documentation – Thirteen poems are given for analysis. Analysis – This part explains how to study poems. It has eight chapters. Summary and Recommendations – Richards gives final advice. 🧠 Four Types of Meaning in a Poem Richards says th...

Criticism

Criticism in literature means the study, interpretation, and evaluation of literary works. It helps readers understand the meaning, style, structure, and value of poems, novels, plays, and other writings. Literary criticism is not just about finding faults; it is about understanding literature deeply and thinking about how it affects readers and society. Main Features of Literary Criticism Analysis – Critics carefully examine the language, themes, characters, and structure of a work. Interpretation – Criticism explains what a literary work means and how it creates meaning. Evaluation – Critics judge whether a work is good, powerful, original, or important. Different Approaches – There are many ways to study literature, such as historical, feminist, psychological, or Marxist criticism. Famous Critics and Critical Works Aristotle – In his work "Poetics", he gave early ideas about drama, especially tragedy. Samuel Johnson – His book "Preface to Shakespeare...

Mystery Novel

A mystery novel is a type of fiction in which a central problem or crime—usually a murder—is solved by a detective or main character. The story focuses on finding out who committed the crime, how it was done, and why it happened. Readers are given clues and are invited to solve the mystery along with the characters. Main Features of a Mystery Novel Central Crime or Puzzle – Most mystery novels begin with a crime, especially murder, that needs to be solved. Detective or Investigator – The story usually follows a detective, police officer, or amateur sleuth who works to solve the mystery. Clues and Red Herrings – The writer places clues throughout the story to help readers guess the solution, along with false leads to create suspense. Suspense and Tension – The mystery creates curiosity and keeps readers guessing until the end. Logical Solution – The mystery is usually solved through reasoning, observation, and evidence. Famous Mystery Novel Writers and Works Arthur Conan ...

Connotation

Connotation is the emotional or cultural meaning that a word suggests, beyond its dictionary definition. While the literal meaning of a word is called its denotation , the connotation is the feeling or idea that the word makes people think of. Writers use connotation to create mood, tone, and deeper meaning in their work. Main Features of Connotation Emotional Impact – Words can have positive, negative, or neutral feelings attached to them. Cultural Associations – Some words carry meanings shaped by society, history, or traditions. Tone and Mood – A writer can create a soft, harsh, or joyful feeling using certain words. Not Always Obvious – Connotation is not directly stated but understood from the context. Examples of Connotation The word "home" literally means a place where someone lives (denotation), but its connotation includes feelings of warmth, safety, and love. The word "snake" literally means a kind of reptile, but it often connotes danger, e...