How can the distinction between literary theory and literary criticism best be explained?

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Literary criticism focuses solely on interpreting the meaning of a text, whereas literary theory focuses exclusively on its structure.Literary criticism relies on external research beyond the text, while literary theory is based on analysis within the text itself.Literary criticism examines the actions of characters, while literary theory explores the reasons behind those actions.Literary theory involves the framework or approach used to analyze a text, whereas literary criticism is the practical application of these theoretical methods.Literary theory is concerned with the historical context of a work, while literary criticism deals with its thematic content.

Explanation

Literary theory provides the conceptual tools and approaches used to interpret literature, serving as a foundation. Literary criticism applies these theoretical frameworks to analyze and evaluate specific literary works.