1. APPROACHES AND METHODS OF STUDYING
LITERATURE
Mrs. M. Annalakshmi
Asst. Professor, English
2. FORMALISTIC / LITERARY APPROACH
Also called “PURE” or “LITERARY” approach
The selection is read and viewed intrinsically, or for itself;
independent of author, age, or any other extrinsic factor.
This approach is close to the “art for art’s sake” dictum
The study of the selection is more is more or less based on
the so – called literary elements which is more or less boil down
to the literal level, the affective values, the ideational
values, technical values, and total effects.
3. The literal level (subject matter)
The affective values (emotional, mood,
atmosphere, tone attitudes, empathy)
The ideational values (themes, visions, universal
truths, character)
Technical Values (plot, structure, scene,
language, point of view, imagery, figure, metrics,
etc.)
Total Effect (the interrelation of the foregoing
elements)
4. MORAL AND HUMANISTIC APPROACH
The nature of man is CENTRAL to literature. The reader or
teacher or critic more or less “requires” that the piece present
MAN AS ESSENTIALY RATIONAL, that is endowed with intellect
and free will; or that the piece does not misinterpret the true
nature of man.
In these times of course the TRUE NATURE OF MAN is hotly
contested, making literature all the more challenging.
This approach is close to the “MORALITY” of literature, to the
questions of ethical goodness and badness.
5. HISTORICAL APPROACH
Sees literature as both a reflection and product of the times
and circumstances in which it is written. Man as a member of
a particular society or nation at a particular time, is central to
the approach and whenever a teacher gives historical or biog
raphical backgrounds in introducing a selection, or arranges
a literature Course in chronological order, he is hewing close
to this approach.
The historical approach is often suitable to high school classes,
to survey courses, for “average” classes, and for pieces
tackled or “discovered” for the first time. It operates on the
premise that the history of a nation has telling effects on
its literature and that a piece can be better understood and
appreciated if one knows the times around its creation.
6. CULTURAL APPROACH
Considers literature as one of the principal manifestation and
vehicles of a nation’s or race’s culture and tradition.
It includes the entire complex of what goes under “culture” ---- the
technological, the artistic, the sociological, the ideological
aspects, and considers the literary piece in the total culture milieu in
which it was born.
“culture teaching through literature”.
7. PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH
Set in dizzying motion, principally, by FREUD, perhaps
beyond his wildest expectations, it considers literature as
the EXPRESSION OF PERSONALITY of “Inner Drives” of
neurosis. It includes the psychology of the author, of the
character, and even the psychology of creation.
It has resulted in an almost exhausting and exhaustive “
psychological analysis” of the characters of symbols and
images, of recurrent themes, etc.
8. Conclusion
Formalistic – based on the literary elements
Moral / Humanistic – close to the morality of literature , to questions
of ethical goodness and badness.
Historical – sees literature as both a reflection and a product of the
times and circumstances in which it is written.
Cultural – an approach in knowing the culture of the people and one of
the pleasurable ways of appreciating the literature of the
people.
Psychological – considers literature as the expression of “personality”,
of “inner drive” of neurosis.
