It refers to the genre of writing whereby an author critiques a literary text. Literary texts include poetry and works of fiction like short stories, fables, fairytales, plays, myths, and novels.

Why is it important to criticize a literary piece?

It analyzes textual representations from a woman’s perspective such as stereotyping and objectification of womanhood.

It studies a text as only a text, its features like rhymes, cadences, and literary devices in an isolated way, not attempting to apply their own opinion.

Example: In the analysis of haiku, the focus is five -seven-five syllables three-lined structure of the poem, and other literary devices that were used

It attempts to describe what happens in the reader’s mind while interpreting the text. It critics believe that no text provides self-contained meaning and readers have different ideas/meanings about the text.