Structuralism is distinct in that it focuses explicitly on the structure, or literary form of a work rather than its broader theme or implications. Other theories, such as the Marxist, Gender, and Queer theories and Ethnic Studies have specific topics that are sought out and focused on in literature. New Historicism focuses on the historical context that a text was written in. Structuralism, on the other hand, only analyzes the structure and literary devices themselves and how they work to produce meanings. It does not take into account historical context but explicitly only the text itself. Psychological or psychoanalytic criticism focuses on the interpretation of a text, but again is more focused on what is interpreted rather than what makes it easier to interpret, as in structuralism.
Deconstruction and poststructuralism are theories that respond to structuralism. They are both critical of it, opposing the idea that there are universal, constant, and independent structures part of a single truth. Poststructuralism claims that structures are unstable because there are many truths. Particularly in literature, poststructuralism resists the structure of traditional narrative in which the audience is not given a choice to interpret the text in their own way. Unlike in structuralism, there is no "right" or "wrong" interpretation, or single, correct structure that literary works must be a part of.
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