The Concept of Artistic Creativity in Modern Critical Approaches

Abstract

Literary criticism is considered a stage that follows the creative process. It represents a moment of reflection and deep understanding of the text, contributing to the revelation of its meanings and intellectual and aesthetic dimensions. Criticism is an essential element in the continuity of the creative process, as it gives the literary work a new life through reading, interpretation, and judgment.Criticism flourished in the 4th century AH and the 20th century AD as a result of cultural openness and the expansion of translation movements. The flourishing of civil and political life also contributed to the development of criticism, due to its close connection with thought and knowledge, which made it present in cafés, newspapers, magazines, and educational institutions, thus becoming part of daily and cultural life.Modern Iraqi criticism has evolved and diversified in its methods, yet it has preserved its essence since Aristotle, based on the interpretation of emotions and ideas. The process of criticism goes through three main stages: interpretation to understand meaning, analysis to describe style, and evaluation to assess the text.Critics differ in their approaches; some follow the psychological approach, viewing literature as a mirror of the writer’s soul, while others adopt the social approach, linking literature to the environment and reality. There are also those who prefer the artistic approach, which focuses on the aesthetics of the text and its independence as an art form.The process of criticism requires deep knowledge of cultures, vocabulary, and the aesthetics of texts in order to deliver accurate judgment