Read more
This books delineates the seismic shifts of the twentieth century humanities by way of a close examination of the dynamic landscape of modern language, criticism and philosophy. In this manner, it argues that both philosophy and literary criticism have dovetailed in the twenty-first century. Starting out as a survey of literary criticism in its broadest terms, later chapters - which are more expository - assess recent movements within modern literary theory. These are located with respect to the post-Russell and Fregean "linguistic turn" in philosophy.
Designed for specialists and non-specialists alike; philosophers, literary critics and even students of the modern critical tradition, the argument takes a novel stance towards modern criticism, language and philosophy, arguing for a return to a more formalist and rhetorical approach to literary criticism, while taking care not to indulge too many "political pathologies" when engaging with texts.
List of contents
Preface.- Chapter 1: What is Literary Criticism?.- Chapter 2: A brief (but timely) History of Literary Criticism.- Chapter 3: The Philosophical self-consciousness of the New Criticism and Formalism.- Chapter 4: Structuralism, Semiotics and Ordinary Language Doubts.- Chapter 5: Linguistic Twists, Turns and Dovetails in the Modern Humanities.- Chapter 6: Literary Méditations Hégéliennes.- Chapter 7: Whither Postmodernism? Whether it's New Liberalism?.- Chapter 8: Phronesis in Literary Criticism-the Pragmatic Denouement.- Chapter 9: In Through the Outdoor.
About the author
Wayne Deakin is Assistant Professor and Senior Lecturer in Literature and Language in the Department of English at Chiang Mai University in Thailand. He is the author of
Hegel and the English Romantic Tradition (2015) and numerous journal articles and book reviews.
