Correct option is D
Psychoanalysis (B): Founded by Sigmund Freud in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, psychoanalysis is a psychological theory that explores the unconscious mind and its influence on human behavior and emotions. It has had a profound impact on psychology, literature, and cultural studies.
New Criticism (E): New Criticism emerged in the early to mid-20th century, primarily in the United States. It is a literary theory that focuses on close reading and formal analysis of texts, emphasizing the text's autonomy and intrinsic meaning.
Structuralism (A): Structuralism emerged in the mid-20th century and was particularly influential in linguistics and anthropology. It seeks to uncover the underlying structures and systems that shape human culture, language, and thought.
Orientalism (D): Coined by Edward Said in the late 20th century, Orientalism is a critical theory that examines how the West has historically represented and constructed the East. It addresses issues of cultural bias and colonialism in Western scholarship and art.
Ecocriticism (C): Ecocriticism began to gain prominence in the late 20th century and continues to evolve today. It is an interdisciplinary approach that explores the relationship between literature and the environment, examining how texts represent and engage with ecological issues.
This sequence reflects the chronological development of these theories and their contributions to various fields of study, including psychology, literary criticism, cultural studies, and environmental studies.
Information Booster:
Psychoanalysis: Developed by Sigmund Freud in the late 19th–early 20th centuries; explores the unconscious mind and its influence on thought, behavior, and emotion.
Core concepts: Id, Ego, Superego, Oedipus complex, dream interpretation, repression, free association.
Impact: Influenced not only psychology but also literary criticism, art, and cultural theory (e.g., Freud’s ideas applied in character analysis).
New Criticism: Focuses on close reading and textual autonomy; treats a text as a self-contained object independent of authorial intent or historical context.
Principles: Unity, tension, irony, paradox, and organic form.
Structuralism: Rooted in linguistics (Saussure), anthropology (Lévi-Strauss); seeks to uncover the underlying structures of meaning in language, culture, and literature.
Method: Analyzes systems, binary oppositions, myths, and codes.
Orientalism: Introduced by Edward Said (1978) to critique how the West constructed the East through colonial discourse; examines representation, power, and cultural hegemony.
Ecocriticism: Interdisciplinary study of literature and the environment; examines representations of nature, ecology, and climate.
Themes: Environmental justice, anthropocentrism vs. ecocentrism, literature’s role in shaping ecological awareness.
Additional Knowledge
Freud’s legacy is extended by Jacques Lacan, who emphasized language in psychoanalysis.
New Criticism is sometimes contrasted with Reader-Response Theory, which emphasizes the reader’s role in creating meaning.
Structuralism eventually gave rise to Post-Structuralism (Derrida, Foucault), which questioned the stability of meaning and structures.
Orientalism is foundational in Postcolonial Studies, influencing scholars like Homi Bhabha and Gayatri Spivak.
Ecocriticism intersects with eco-feminism, animal studies, and posthumanism.
Chronological spread of theories:
Psychoanalysis – late 19th to early 20th century.
New Criticism – early to mid-20th century.
Structuralism – mid-20th century.
Orientalism – late 20th century.
Ecocriticism – late 20th century to present.
English
10 Questions
20 Marks
12 Mins
