Rethinking Literature: The Emergence and Development of Modern Literary Theory

Abstract

The development of literary theory in the twentieth century marks a decisive shift in the intellectual foundations of literary studies. What had long been governed by the assumptions of liberal humanist criticism, cantered on the universality of human experience and the intrinsic value of literary texts, was fundamentally transformed by the emergence of theoretical frameworks that interrogate and reinterpret language, ideology, power, and historical context. Literary theory thus emerged not merely as a methodological supplement to literary criticism but as a critical reorientation of the discipline itself. This paper traces the evolution of literary theory by examining the intellectual transition from classical criticism to the diverse theoretical paradigms that reshaped literary studies in the twentieth century—beginning with early philosophical reflections on art in the works of Plato and Aristotle, and the later development of humanist criticism, highlighting how literary interpretation was historically grounded in moral and aesthetic evaluation. The paper then examines the emergence of modern theoretical approaches, including the entourage of psychoanalysis, Marxism, feminism, structuralism, post-structuralism, postmodernism, new historicism, and postcolonial theory. By situating these movements within their historical and intellectual contexts, the paper demonstrates how literary theory redefined the scope and purpose of literary studies.