What You Need to Know

Key Concept Diagram

A feminist reading examines how gender is represented and what power structures are reinforced

A Marxist reading analyses class, economic power, and social inequality in texts

A postcolonial reading examines texts in the context of colonialism, power, and cultural identity

An ecocritical reading explores the relationship between texts and the natural environment

Different frameworks can yield different — and equally valid — interpretations of the same text

Key Vocabulary

Critical framework

A theoretical lens used to analyse texts from a particular ideological or philosophical perspective

Feminist criticism

Literary criticism that examines gender representation and patriarchal power structures

Postcolonial criticism

Literary criticism that analyses the effects of colonialism on texts and cultures

Ecocriticism

Literary criticism that examines the representation of the natural environment in texts

Knowledge Check

Select the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right.

Question 1

A feminist reading of a novel would focus on:

Economic class structures in the text Environmental themes in the text The historical accuracy of the setting How female characters are represented and what power dynamics are present

Question 2

A Marxist reading would be most interested in which aspect of a text?

Class divisions and economic power relationships The use of simile and metaphor The gender of the narrator The environmental setting

Question 3

Why is using multiple critical frameworks valuable when analysing a text?

It means you do not need to read the text carefully It reveals different aspects of meaning that a single framework might miss It makes the essay shorter It replaces close reading

Applying Critical Frameworks