Structuralism · English Literature

Structuralism shifted the focus of literary criticism away from the 'Spirit of the Author' and toward the:

The economic conditions and interests of the publisher
The inner psychology and private desires of the characters
The underlying system of rules that makes the work possible
The reader's personal moral judgment and ethical response

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Correct answer: The underlying system of rules that makes the work possible

Structuralists are 'anti-humanist' in that they de-center the individual creator. They argue that the author doesn't 'create' meaning so much as they assemble pre-existing linguistic and cultural structures.

Difficulty: Medium Question 18 of 20

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Structuralism shifted the focus of literary criticism away from the 'Spirit of the Author' and toward the:

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