Modern literary critisism

 Name: Malek Muskan Naushadbhai

College: Maharanishree Nandkuverba Mahila Arts And Commerce College

Year: T. Y. B. A. (2025-26)

Sem:6

Subject: English 

Paper name : Modern literary critisism 

Topic:

  Class Assignment: psychoanalytic criticism,

  Home assignment :Feminist criticism,

  Essay :Postcolonial criticism.

Submitted to : Rachana Ma'am

Submission date: 25/02/2026 

Class assignment 

Topic : psychoanalytic critisism 

Introduction:

Psychoanalytic literary criticism is literary criticism or literary theory that , in method, concept, or form, is influenced by the tradition of psychoanalysis begun by Sigmund Freud.

Psychoanalytic reading has been practiced since the early development of psychoanalysis itself, and has developed into a heterogeneous interpretive tradition. As Celine Surprenant writes, "Psychoanalytic literary criticism does not constitute a unified field. However, all variants endorse, at least to a certain degree, the idea that literature ... is fundamentally entwined with the psyche."

The object of psychoanalytic literary criticism, at its very simplest, can be the psychoanalysis of the author or of a particularly interesting character in a given work. The criticism is similar to psychoanalysis itself, closely following the analytic interpretive process discussed in Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams and other works.

 Critics may view the fictional characters as psychological case studies, attempting to identify such Freudian concepts as the Oedipus complex, Freudian slips, Id, ego and superego, and so on, and demonstrate how they influence the thoughts and behaviors of fictional characters

Psychoanalytic literary criticism is literary criticism or literary theory that , in method, concept, or form, is influenced by the tradition of psychoanalysis begun by Sigmund Freud.

Psychoanalytic criticism focuses on:

• The unconscious mind of characters and authors
• Hidden desires, fears, and motivations
• Childhood experiences and trauma
• Sexual and aggressive instincts
• Psychological conflicts and symbolism 

Although later thinkers like Carl Jung, Jacques Lacan, and Erik Erikson contributed to psychoanalytic criticism, the foundation of this approach lies in Freudian psychoanalysis.

Sigmund Freud: Basic Ideas:

Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) was the founder of psychoanalysis. He believed that human behavior is largely controlled by unconscious mental processes rather than conscious thought.

 According to Freud, the mind is like an iceberg: the conscious mind is visible, but the unconscious mind is much larger and hidden.

Freud’s ideas are central to psychoanalytic criticism because literature, like dreams, allows Structure of the Human Mind: Id, Ego, and Superego . Freud divided the human personality into three parts:

1. Id

The primitive and instinctive part of the mind Operates on the pleasure principle Seeks immediate satisfaction of desires (sexual and aggressive instincts) Has no sense of morality or logic.

2. Ego

The rational and practical part of the mind Operates on the reality principle Balances the demands of the id with social rules Acts as a mediator.

3. Superego

The moral conscience . Internalizes social rules, values, and laws.Causes feelings of guilt and shame.In Freudian literary interpretation, conflict between id, ego, and superego often explains.character’s actions, guilt, madness, or tragedy.

The Unconscious and Repression

The unconscious contains thoughts, desires, and memories that are too painful or socially unacceptable to be acknowledged consciously. These are repressed, but they continue to influence behaviour. In literature, repressed desires appear indirectly through:

Dreams

• Slips of the tongue
• Symbols and imagery
• Repeated actions or obsessions

Psychoanalytic critics study how texts reveal these hidden psychological forces.

Dreams and Symbolism

Freud believed “dreams are the royal road to the unconscious”. Dreams disguise forbidden desires in symbolic form so that they can be expressed safely.

Oedipus Complex: 

One of Freud’s most famous ideas is the Oedipus complex, named after Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex.

A boy develops unconscious sexual desire for his mother.He feels rivalry and fear toward his father.Fear of punishment leads to repression

Freud believed this conflict shapes identity and morality. Psychoanalytic critics use this idea to analyze:

• Parent-child relationships
• Authority figur
• Rivalry and guilt

Conclusion:

Psychoanalytic criticism views literature as a product of the unconscious mind. Freudian interpretation helps readers understand characters, symbols, and narratives as expressions of repressed desires and psychological conflicts. Despite criticism, psychoanalytic theory remains a powerful and influential method in literary studies, especially when combined with other approaches.

Home assignment 

Topic :  Feminism criticism 

Introduction:

Definition and Goal

Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. It asserts that modern societies are patriarchal, prioritizing the male point of view, and that women are treated unjustly. Feminist efforts focus on challenging gender stereotypes and improving educational, professional, and interpersonal opportunities for women.

Historical Background:

Originating in late 18th-century Europe, feminist movements have campaigned for women’s rights, including the right to vote, run for office, work, earn equal pay, own property, receive education, enter contracts, have equal rights in marriage, and maternity leave. 

Feminists have also fought for access to contraception, legal abortions, protection from sexual assault, harassment, and domestic violence, as well as changes in dress standards and physical activity for women.

Expanding Scope:

Although feminism has primarily focused on women’s rights, some advocate for men’s liberation, believing men are also harmed by traditional gender roles. Feminist theory emerged to understand gender inequality through women’s social roles and experiences.

Major Waves and Schools:

First-wave liberal feminism: Focused on political and legal equality through reforms Labour-based/proletarian movements: Developed into socialist and Marxist feminism centered on class struggle.

Radical feminism: Emerged in the 1960s, calling for a radical reordering of society to eliminate patriarchy.

These three,liberal, socialist, and radical feminism,are often called the "Big Three" schools.

Modern Developments:

Since the late 20th century, new forms of feminism have emerged. Some, like white feminism and gender-critical feminism, have been criticized for focusing mainly on white, middle-class, heterosexual perspectives. This led to ethnically specific and multicultural forms, such black feminism and intersectional feminism.

Feminist Criticism

Definition and Purpose

Feminist literary criticism studies literature through the lens of feminist ideas, examining how texts reflect male dominance and gender inequality. It explores the economic, social, political, and psychological forces in literary works and has influenced how literature is read and the literary canon is define.

Objectives:

1.  Discover women’s writing: Develop and rediscover a tradition of writing by women.

2.  Explain women’s symbols: Ensure symbols in women’s writing are not misinterpreted due to male perspectives.

3.  Challenge sexism: Oppose sexist elements in popular and traditional literature.

4.  Understand gender and power: Explore the connection between language, writing style, and gender dynamics.

Historical Development:

19th century: Focused on works by women authors like George Eliot and Margaret Fuller.

First and Second Waves (before 1970s): Analyzed female authors and representation of women in literature, especially female characters.

Between waves: Ongoing feminist literary work acknowledged women’s experiences as unique and often marginalized, as explained by thinkers like Lois Tyson.

Major Approaches:

Feminine Critique: 

Focuses on plot, characters, and story structure to reveal hidden sexism or misogyny.

 Gynocriticism:

 Developed during the second wave, studies women’s writing from a female perspective, exploring how gender influences representation. Elaine Showalter highlight that gynocriticism seeks to understand unique qualities of women’s writing, while feminist critique also critiques traditional male-dominated literature.

Modern Feminist Criticism:

Explores intersectionality, connecting gender with race, class, and sexual orientation. Aims to uncover patriarchal power structures, challenge traditional literary ideas, and recover neglected texts by women.

Continues to examine women’s lives in society and literature, including areas like education, politics, and work.

Essay:

Topic :  Postcolonial criticism 

Introduction :

Postcolonialism is the academic study of the cultural, political and economic consequences of colonialism and imperialism, focusing on the impact of human control and exploitation of colonized people and their lands. 

The field started to emerge in the 1960s, as scholars from previously colonized countries began publishing on the lingering effects of colonialism, developing an analysis of the history, culture, literature, and discourse of imperial power. It is part of the critical theory framework in broader sense, and more narrowly, critical race theory.

1. Understanding the "Post" in Postcolonial

The term "postcolonial" has a dual meaning that is often misunderstood: 

Temporal Meaning (Post-colonial): With a hyphen, it refers to the chronological period after a nation gains formal independence.

Critical Meaning (Postcolonial): Without a hyphen, it refers to a theoretical framework that studies the ongoing impact of colonialism on culture and identity from the moment of contact to the present day.

Objective: The primary goal of postcolonial critics is to account for and combat the residual effects of colonization, such as economic dependency, cultural disruption, and social inequality. 

2. Detailed Historical Background

Postcolonialism emerged from the global decolonization movements of the mid-20th century. 

Early Resistance: Long before it was an academic theory, leaders like Mahatma Gandhi (India) and Aimé Césaire (Martinique) challenged colonial rule through political and literary resistance. Césaire’s Discourse on Colonialism (1950) was pivotal in condemning the "dehumanizing" nature of empire.

Psychological Foundations: In the 1960s, Frantz Fanon, an Algerian psychiatrist, wrote The Wretched of the Earth, analyzing how colonialism damages the psyche of the colonized, forcing them to adopt a "white mask" to feel accepted by their masters.

Academic Birth (1978): The field was formalized with Edward Said’s Orientalism. Said demonstrated that Western knowledge about the East (the "Orient") was not neutral but was carefully constructed to portray Easterners as irrational and inferior, justifying Western control. 

3. Core Concepts and Theoretical Frameworks

Postcolonial criticism relies on several "pillar" concepts to analyze texts and society:

Orientalism: A biased Western style of representing the East as exotic, backward, and mysterious to maintain a "Us vs. Them" binary.

The Other: The process of "Othering" involves portraying colonized people as fundamentally different from and inferior to the Western "Self".

Hybridity: Popularized by Homi Bhabha, this describes the new, mixed cultural identities that emerge from colonial contact. It suggests that neither the colonizer nor the colonized remains "pure" after their encounter.

Subaltern: A term popularized by Gayatri Spivak to describe groups (such as poor women or indigenous tribes) who are so marginalized they are completely excluded from the dominant power structures and historical narratives.

Mimicry: When colonized subjects imitate the language, dress, and habits of the colonizer. Bhabha argues this is "almost the same, but not quite," which creates a subtle form of mockery that can threaten colonial authority. 

4. Application in Literature

Critics use a postcolonial lens to re-read the "Great Books" of Western literature and to champion new voices. 

Challenging the Canon: Critics expose how "classic" novels often ignore the colonial exploitation that funds their characters' lives 

e.g., Edward Said's critique of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park.

Writing Back: Authors from formerly colonized regions, such as Chinua Achebe (Things Fall Apart) and Salman Rushdie (Midnight’s Children), use literature to reclaim their native history and challenge Western stereotypes.

Language as a Weapon: Many postcolonial writers choose to write in their native tongues or "decolonize" the colonizer's language by infusing it with local dialects and rhythms to reflect their own culture. 

5. Why it Matters in 2026

In the contemporary world, postcolonial criticism remains relevant by addressing: 

Neocolonialism: Analyzing how powerful nations or corporations still exert control over poorer countries through economic debt rather than direct military rule.

Global Inequalities: Understanding why certain regions remain unstable or underdeveloped due to historical borders drawn by colonizers.

Digital and Environmental Justice: Examining how the "Global South" is disproportionately affected by climate change and "digital colonialism" (data extraction by tech giants). 

Conclusion : 

Postcolonial criticism is a significant literary theory that helps us understand the long-lasting impact of colonialism on culture, identity, and literature. It challenges Western dominance, questions false representations, and highlights the voices of the oppressed. By studying postcolonial criticism, readers gain a deeper understanding of history, power, and cultural diversity.

Refrences :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoanalytic_literary_criticism

https://ebooks.inflibnet.ac.in/antp10/chapter/post-colonialism/

https://open.baypath.edu/eng134/chapter/navigating-library-databases/