Trends in Contemporary Literary Criticism in Iraq

Abstract

    Iraqi literary criticism has evolved through multiple stages, shifting from merely correcting linguistic errors to embracing ideological, psychological, and aesthetic perspectives on texts. The latter half of the 20th century played a major role in the flourishing of criticism, with external scholarships and the poetic renewal movement contributing to the development of the critical landscape. Prominent critics from various generations emerged, advancing this movement. With the advent of the 21st century, critics began to focus more on studying theories and terminology, which sometimes led them to concentrate on criticism itself at the expense of literary works. This created a gap between critics and writers, making criticism increasingly self-focused