A critic argues that in John Milton's "Samson Agonistes," the shearing of Samson's locks is symbolic of his castration at the hands of Delilah. What kind of critical approach is this critic using ?

Correct answer: D. Psychological approach

  • A. Mimetic approach
  • B. Formalist approach
  • C. Historical approach
  • D. Psychological approach

Explanation

Interpreting Samson's shorn locks as a symbolic castration focuses on unconscious sexual symbolism and psychological conflict. That makes the approach psychological, not merely formal, historical, or concerned with imitation of reality.

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