LITERARY CRITICISM OVERVIEW

Formalism stresses the importance of literary form in determining the meaning of a work. Each piece of literature is considered by itself, in isolation. Formalist scholars consider biographical, historical, and social questions to be irrelevant to the real meaning of a play, short story, novel, or poem. American formalism is often called new criticism.
For Othello: A formalist approach would focus on the plot as it unfolds. It would not consider why Othello is so hated by Iago, only that he is and that this hatred brings about his eventual undoing. A formalist critique would take elements of the play and judge them based on their quality and credibility. It would also take into account the structure, language, and how the form works in relationship to the plot.
Examples:
- “The King’s Evil” – pg 367 in textbook
- “Sound in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.”
More tips on using this style:
http://www.sou.edu/English/IDTC/Paradigm/Resources/formalst.htm
http://www.literatureclassics.com/ancientpaths/litcrit.html#formalism

Reader-response criticism suggests a critical view that opposes formalism, seeing the reader's interaction with the text as central to interpretation. Unlike formalists, reader-response critics do not believe that a work of literature exists as a separate, closed entity. A poem, short story, novel, or play is not a solid fabric, but rather a series of threads separated by gaps that readers must fill in, drawing on their own experiences and knowledge.
For Othello: A reader-response critique might draw on the critic’s background experience as it relates to the content of the play. In particular with Othello, those experiences might relate to marriage and adultery, jealousy, promotion, prejudice, and betrayal. In light of our readings of A Passage to India and Native Son, an interesting approach might be to look at Othello in terms of his role as an outsider.
Example:
-Relationships and Connections in Wordsworth's Michael
More tips on using this style:
http://www.literatureclassics.com/ancientpaths/litcrit.html#reader
http://www.sci.edu/classes/ellertsen/rosenblatt.html

Feminist criticism focuses on the role gender plays in literary works, with a particular emphasis on analyzing stereotypes and re-interpreting traditional gender roles.
For Othello: Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca could each be studied in this vein. Questions to consider might include whether any of these characters are objectified in order to advance the plot, whether Desdemona’s is really in love with Othello or whether she is fooled/abused, and the relationships between any of the women and the men in the play (this could also include Desdemona and her father). Iago’s views on women would also make a strong foundation for this type of criticism.
Example:
- “In a New Country: Women and Nation in My Antonia”
More tips on using this style:
http://www.literatureclassics.com/ancientpaths/litcrit.html#feminist


New historicist critics focus on a text in relation to the historical and cultural contexts of the period in which it was created and periods in which it was critically evaluated. These contexts are not considered simply as "background" but as integral parts of a text.
For Othello: Our kick-off look at Venice is the perfect springboard for this type of criticism. Why is Venetian society so fitting to the play (or is it?) Were Moors really looked at so contemptuously by Venetians during this time? Why? How did the structure of society in Venice lend itself to the events and actions in the story. Obviously, you should be well-versed in the geographical, historical, and cultural conventions of the play’s setting in order to view it in this light. Another approach would be to look at the Venetians’ treatment of Othello and their views on Moors in general… was this view a product of the time and culture, and how did Shakespeare reflect that?
Examples:
- Motivation in Cisneros's "Never Marry a Mexican" - A Historical-Biographical Critical Approach
More tips on using this style:
http://www.literatureclassics.com/ancientpaths/litcrit.html#historical
http://www.sou.edu/English/Hedges/Sodashop/RCenter/Theory/Explaind/nhistexp.htm


Psychoanalytic criticism focuses on a work of literature as an expression in fictional form of the inner workings of the human mind. Terms developed by Sigmund Freud (such as id, ego, super-ego, etc.) are frequently applied to characters to explain their motivations.
For Othello: This play is rich with characters whose motives could be picked apart for days! Iago’s cunningness and obsessive thirst for revenge would make perfect fodder for a criticism of this type. Othello is another good example: How could such a seemingly strong man come tumbling down to failure as he does? A little research on Freudian beliefs will prove beneficial here.
Examples:
- “The Pressure to Do Great Things and the Impulse to Resist It: The Case of Iago in Othello”
- “Central psychoanalytic motifs in Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2”
More tips on using this style:
http://www.literatureclassics.com/ancientpaths/litcrit.html#Psych