ABRAKA - (Delta) Prof. Simon Umukoro of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, has said that there are linkages between literary criticism, scholarship and national development.

Umukoro made the observation in a paper he presented at the 18th Inaugural Lecture of DELSU on Saturday in Abraka, Delta.

In the paper, “Literary Criticism, Scholarship and National Development’’, Umukoro, a professor of English and Literary Studies, said literary criticism could trigger national development.

“Literary criticism is scholarship. It helps to generate ideas for the transformation of our country’s condition of under-development to a developed nation,’’ he said, pointing out that the field deals with the interpretation of literature for general understanding.

According to him, every work of literature presents a human experience and an analysis or interpretation can make the meaning of the experience clearer and generate action.
“Literary criticism is concerned with analysis and evaluation or judgment with one complementing the other.

“This critical function also involves evaluating a work of literature to show whether or not it is relevant to the positive development of society and the individual,” he said.