Literary theory is the key to understand the deeper meanings of texts, revealing the complex layers of language, symbolism, and interpretation. This book serves as a comprehensive guide to four major schools of literary criticism—Russian Formalism, Literary Semiotics, Reception Aesthetics, and Psychoanalysis—offering clear explanations and insightful analysis of their foundational concepts and influential thinkers.
From Shklovsky’s defamiliarization/deautomization and Jakobson’s poetic function to Barthes’ semiotic codes, Jauss’ reader-response theory, and Freud and Lacan’s psychoanalytic interpretations, this introduction provides an accessible yet in-depth exploration of how literature is structured, how meaning is constructed, and how readers engage with texts.
Designed for students, scholars, and literature enthusiasts, this book makes complex ideas approachable while demonstrating their practical relevance in literary analysis. Whether you’re studying classic novels, poetry, or modern narratives, this book will equip you with the critical tools to appreciate literature in new and profound ways.
