A History Of Modern Criticism Rene Wellek Pdf !!hot!! →

What makes the History unique is its fierce anti-relativism. In an era that would soon worship theory’s endless deferrals, Wellek insisted on judgment. He was a Kantian at heart: criticism should seek the intrinsic structure of a work of art. Consequently, his History reads like a courtroom drama. He praises the Russian Formalists for their focus on literariness , but convicts them of mechanistic narrowness. He admires T.S. Eliot’s “impersonal theory,” but finds his practical criticism full of personal prejudice. Every thinker is measured against the Platonic ideal of a "criticism that illuminates literature."

While many search for a for ease of use, it is important to note that these volumes are still under copyright in many jurisdictions. However, there are several legitimate ways to access them: a history of modern criticism rene wellek pdf

: English and American Criticism (1900–1950). What makes the History unique is its fierce anti-relativism

The intersection of literature with social science, history, and psychology. The 20th Century: Consequently, his History reads like a courtroom drama

Here's a brief overview of the work:

Unlike many histories that stick to one national tradition, Wellek treats Western criticism as a unified "inter-traffic" of ideas. He shows how a German concept travels to England and is eventually refined in America. 3. A Defense of Literature