20th-century literary theory

20th-century literary theory refers to various approaches developed to analyze and interpret texts, emphasizing that meaning is influenced by context, language, and cultural factors. These theories include formalism (focusing on the text itself), structuralism and post-structuralism (examining underlying structures and their fluidity), Marxist theory (highlighting class and social issues), feminist theory (addressing gender perspectives), psychoanalytic theory (exploring subconscious and desires), and postcolonial theory (studying colonial impacts). Together, they expand understanding of literature beyond surface stories, revealing how texts reflect, challenge, or reinforce societal values and power dynamics.