Theory of Literature

It is said that this book reached an important milestone in the study of literature by crystalizing a movement that had been under way for two decades in this country. The movement being to focus literary criticism and literary study in general on literature itself, rather than on the historical backgrounds, the psychological mechanisms, the political and social currents that influence literary creation. It conceives of imaginative literature as a way of knowing, different from but as humanly useful as the method of natural science. It begins with a brilliantly stated set of definitions of the nature and function of literature; and it proceeds through an examination of what goes into the making of a work of literature, to an analysis of the elements of literary composition and a statement of the principles by which we can evaluate the literary work itself. The timeless virtue of this work is that the authors are thoroughly grounded in the traditional methods of literary scholarship, and also thoroughly aware of the impact of the social and psychological sciences on all modern thinking, then and now. Theory of Literature incorporates examples ranging from Aristotle to Coleridge and is written in clear, uncondescending prose, which, especially in its suspicion of simplistic explanations and its distrust of received wisdom, remains extremely relevant to the study of literature today. It was and still will be eagerly sought for by teachers, critics, students, and all other who seek objective standards for judging and further understanding the art of literature.

Sommario

Contents


Preface


I. DEFINITIONS AND DISTINCTIONS


I. Literature and Literary Study 3


II. The Nature of Literature 9


III. The Function of Literature 19


IV. Literary Theory, Criticism, and History 29


V. General, Comparative, and National


Literature 38


II. PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS


VI. The Ordering and Establishing of Evidence 49


III. THE EXTRINSIC APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF LITERATURE


Introduction 61


VII. Literature and Biography 67


VIII. Literature and Psychology 75


IX. Literature and Society 89


X. Literature and Ideas 107


XI. Literature and the Other Arts 124


IV. THE INTRINSIC STUDY OF LITERATURE


XII. The Analysis of the Literary Work of Art 139


XIII. Euphony, Rhythm, and Meter 159


XIV. Style and Stylistics 177


XV. Image, Metaphor, Symbol, Myth 190


XVI. The Nature and Modes of Narrative Fiction 219


XVII. Literary Genres 235


XVIII. Evaluation 248


XIX. Literary History 263


V. THE ACADEMIC SITUATION


XX. The Study of Literature in the Graduate School 285


Notes 299


Bibliography 347


Index 389

Info autore

RENÉ WELLEK (1903-1995) was a Czech-American comparative literary critic. He taught at the University of Iowa for seven years before being hired at Yale University in 1946 where he was a professor of Slavic literature and was widely regarded as the founder of the study of comparative literature. He published many works throughout his life. Some of his more well-regarded titles were Immanuel Kant in England 1793-1838, Dostoevsky: A Collection of Critical Essays, Literature and Ideas, among many others.

Riassunto

It is said that this book reached an important milestone in the study of literature by crystalizing a movement that had been under way for two decades in this country. The movement being to focus literary criticism and literary study in general on literature itself, rather than on the historical backgrounds, the psychological mechanisms, the political and social currents that influence literary creation. It conceives of imaginative literature as a way of knowing, different from but as humanly useful as the method of natural science.
It begins with a brilliantly stated set of definitions of the nature and function of literature; and it proceeds through an examination of what goes into the making of a work of literature, to an analysis of the elements of literary composition and a statement of the principles by which we can evaluate the literary work itself.
The timeless virtue of this work is that the authors are thoroughly grounded in the traditional methods of literary scholarship, and also thoroughly aware of the impact of the social and psychological sciences on all modern thinking, then and now. Theory of Literature incorporates examples ranging from Aristotle to Coleridge and is written in clear, uncondescending prose, which, especially in its suspicion of simplistic explanations and its distrust of received wisdom, remains extremely relevant to the study of literature today. It was and still will be eagerly sought for by teachers, critics, students, and all other who seek objective standards for judging and further understanding the art of literature.

Testo aggiuntivo

"I admire Theory of Literature very much indeed. Some of the chapters are models of criticism-cum-scholarship. 'Image, Metaphor, Symbol, Myth' and 'The Nature and Modes of Narrative Fiction' are first-rate critical essays."—Allen Tate (University of Chicago)

"I know nothing comparable in scope and purpose to this comprehensive study."—David Daiches (Cornell)

"The most important and stimulating book on the subject in my time."—Don Cameron Allen (Johns Hopkins)

"Mr. Warren and Mr. Wellek have done a distinct service to the discipline of literary study, and all serious students will be grateful to them>"—Lionel Trilling (Columbia)

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Austin Warren, Rene Wellek, René Wellek, Rene/ Warren Wellek
• Editore: Dalkey Archive Press
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Tascabile
• Pubblicazione: 31.08.2018, ritardato
• EAN: 9781628972832
• ISBN: 978-1-62897-283-2
• Pagine: 406
• Serie: Scholarly; Scholarly; Scholarly Series; Dalkey Archive Scholarly
• Categorie: Narrativa > Romanzi > Saggi, articoli culturali, critica letteraria, interviste; Scienze umane, arte, musica > Scienze linguistiche e letterarie > Letteratura generale e comparata; USA, Literature: history & criticism, Literary theory