New Criticism

Literary theory is a field where a text is critically examined by various devices. In this field New Criticism was a formalist movement. Before this movement there was an another trend of reading and enjoying a text. But New Criticism with its appearance brought a wide change in the modes of going through a text producing a new taste in the minds of the readers. The name New Criticism is given to a style of criticism advocated by Anglo-American academics writing in the first half of the 20th century. Formal elements such as rhyme, meter, setting, characterization and plot were used to identify the theme of the text. In addition to the theme, the New critics also looked for paradox, ambiguity, tension to help establish the single best and most unified interpretation of the text. The present paper attempts to focus on all sides of New Criticism with a clear view and analyze how New Criticism created a new mind set to judge a text. It also highlights on how New Criticism has opened a path to wring more delight out of a text.