Choose a poem that you like and write an analysis of it through either one of the four basic approaches: Formalist criticism focuses on the literary text itself, especially its structure and genre. Rhetorical criticism is audience-centered, focused on the “transaction” between text and reader. Historical criticism focuses on the historical context of the literary text, including its author. Ideological criticism applies ideas outside of literature (e.g., psychology, mythology, feminism, postcolonialism) to literary texts.