This episode comprehensively outlines the field of literary criticism, beginning with foundational concepts, principles, functions, and the necessary qualifications of a critic. The text proceeds to categorize various types and schools of criticism, from classical approaches like structuralism and deconstruction to more contemporary perspectives such as feminism and eco-criticism. It then journeys through historical developments in literary criticism, examining influential figures and critical movements in Greek, Roman, and British literary history, spanning from Aristotle and Horace to Wordsworth, Arnold, Eliot, and Richards.