PART 7: MAJOR ART MOVEMENTS THAT INFLUENCED LITERARY STYLE AND TECHNIQUE

Major Art Movements Which Have Influenced Literary Style and Technique : Realism, Naturalism, Impressionism, Surrealism, and Stream-of-Consciousness

Since critical norms governing style and technique vary according to the peculiar emphases of artistic movements, it would be wise for the literary critic to acquaint himself with the characteristics of the major --- if not all --- artistic movements. These characteristics will more or less define the particular qualities peculiar to what is considered as “good art” or formally excellent objects of art in any given period of artistic development.

It is the student’s familiarity with the literary practices of these movements which would lead him to the formulation of his conclusions on the literary norms governing the literature of that time.

The following are capsule discussions of five major literary movements which have influenced modern literature considerably. They are included here as a reference material and hopefully a springboard for further research on the part of the reader.

(The following pages Pages 238 to 260 have been reproduced from A. B. Casuga’s The Aesthetics of Literature, a collection of lectures on Aesthetics, Literary Theory and Criticism)

REALISM

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THIS CONCLUDES THE DISCUSSION OF A THEORY OF LITERARY CRITICISM (CRITICISM OF STYLE AND TECHNQUE).

THE FINAL SERIES WILL BE ON THE THIRD LEVEL OF LITERARY APPRECIATION --- EVALUATION IN AN EMPIRICALLY-BASED APPRECIATION OF LITERATURE.

HOW VALUABLE IS THE PIECE OF LITERATURE TO THE READER?