Literary Criticism and the Functions of a Literary Criticism 

Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. It is a form of analysis that examines various aspects of a work, including its themes, style, and structure, in order to understand its meaning and significance. Literary criticism can take many different forms and be performed by scholars, literary critics, and readers, and can be applied to a wide range of texts, including novels, poetry, and plays.

The Functions of a Literary Criticism 

The main functions of literary criticism are to:

Interpret the meaning of a text: This involves analyzing the themes, symbols, and motifs present in a work, and determining what the author is trying to convey to the reader. For example, a literary critic might analyze the symbolism in a novel such as "The Great Gatsby" to argue that the green light on Daisy's dock represents Gatsby's longing for a life he can never have.

Evaluate the literary merit of a work: 

This involves assessing the quality and value of a work in terms of its use of language, style, and structure. For example, a critic might argue that the poetic language in a Shakespearean play such as "Hamlet" makes it a masterpiece of literature.

Provide historical context: 

This involves placing a work within the cultural and historical context in which it was written to better understand its meaning and significance. For example, a critic might analyze the gender politics present in Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" by comparing it to the societal expectations of women in the late 18th century. 

Provide a lens to a literary period or genre: 

Critic can categorize a piece of literature by it's genre and historical period, based on which the critic can look at its impact and contribution to that particular period and genre. For example, a critic might examine how Charles Dickens's "Oliver Twist" reflects the societal issues and concerns of the Victorian era, or how Gabriel García Márquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" helped establish the genre of magical realism.

Read for pleasure: Criticism can also be read for pleasure, these can be personal opinion and interpretation, non-scholarly analysis and reviews. A reader who enjoys a book and wants to share their thoughts or a blogger who writes their thoughts on a novel they recently read would be an example of this.