Literary Market and Enlightenment Criticism

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Questions and Answers

What is literary criticism?

The study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature (correct)

The practical application of literary theory

The philosophical critique of literary works

The analysis of literary goals and methods

How is modern literary criticism influenced?

By literary theory, which is the philosophical analysis of literature's goals and methods (correct)

By practical applications of literary theory

By popular critics publishing reviews

By literary works in general

What do some critics consider literary criticism to be?

An abstract form of literature analysis

A separate field of inquiry from literary theory

A practical application of literary theory (correct)

A genre of arts criticism

Where is literary criticism often published?

In essay or book form Signup and view all the answers

Do literary critics always have to be theorists?

No, literary critics are not always theorists Signup and view all the answers

Why is the distinction between literary theory and literary criticism controversial?

Because they are often used interchangeably in academic literature Signup and view all the answers

Where do academic literary critics usually teach and publish?

In literature departments and academic journals Signup and view all the answers

In what form do more popular critics typically publish their reviews?

In broadly circulating periodicals such as The New York Times Book Review Signup and view all the answers

Which publication would be an example of where popular critics publish their reviews?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What are the main activities of literary critics?

Teaching in literature departments and publishing in academic journals Signup and view all the answers

What work by Aristotle is considered to be one of the most important influences upon literary criticism?

The Poetics Signup and view all the answers

Which concept was not fully developed in literary theory until the publication of Emanuele Tesauro's Il Cannocchiale aristotelico in 1654?

Metaphor as a universal language of images Signup and view all the answers

What did the Renaissance criticism develop from classical ideas into literary neoclassicism?

Emphasizing unity of form and content Signup and view all the answers

What was challenged by the rival movement of Baroque in the seventeenth century?

The core critical-aesthetic principles inherited from classical antiquity Signup and view all the answers

What influenced the rise of literary criticism during the Enlightenment period?

Commercialization of literature and its mass production Signup and view all the answers

Which work included literary criticism on ancient Indian literature and Sanskrit drama?

The Natya Shastra Signup and view all the answers

Who was one of the most influential Renaissance critics who wrote commentaries on Aristotle's Poetics in 1570?

Lodovico Castelvetro Signup and view all the answers

What did the Enlightenment period witness in terms of literacy rates?

Rise in literacy rates Signup and view all the answers

Who wrote the Natya Shastra, which includes literary criticism on ancient Indian literature and Sanskrit drama?

No one knows Signup and view all the answers

Which concept was developed for the first time by Aristotle in Poetics and is still crucial in literary studies?

Catharsis Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of ecocritics in literary criticism?

Connections between literature and the natural sciences Signup and view all the answers

Which academic journal is mentioned as being interested in nontraditional texts and women's literature?

Contemporary Women's Writing Signup and view all the answers

What is the principal concern of book history in literary criticism?

The production, circulation, and reception of texts and their material forms Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the issues within the history of literature intersecting with book history?

The formation of reading audiences Signup and view all the answers

What do Darwinian literary studies explore in the context of literature?

Literature in the context of evolutionary influences on human nature Signup and view all the answers

Which field draws on the methods of bibliography, cultural history, and media theory in its interdisciplinary inquiry?

History of the book Signup and view all the answers

What do some critics influenced by cultural studies read in their literary criticism work?

Popular texts like comic books or pulp/genre fiction Signup and view all the answers

What have postcritics sought to develop in responding to literary texts?

New ways of reading and responding to literary texts that go beyond the interpretive methods of critique Signup and view all the answers

What are some critics interested in besides the literary canon?

Nontraditional texts and women's literature Signup and view all the answers

What was the early literary market expected to do?

Educate the public and keep them away from superstition and prejudice Signup and view all the answers

Which literary work was criticized by one critic as 'the detestable story of the Yahoos'?

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift Signup and view all the answers

What did the British Romantic movement introduce to literary studies?

New aesthetic ideas Signup and view all the answers

Which school of criticism came to dominate the study and discussion of literature in the early twentieth century?

New Criticism in Britain and the United States Signup and view all the answers

What did Northrop Frye note about some critics in his influential Anatomy of Criticism?

They judge literary pieces based on ideology Signup and view all the answers

What did E.Michael Jones argue in his work Degenerate Moderns?

Stanley Fish was influenced by his own adulterous affairs to reject classic literature that condemned adultery Signup and view all the answers

'Knowledge via interpretation to understand the meaning of human texts and symbolic expressions' is described as a form of:

Hermeneutics Signup and view all the answers

'Theory' in the context of literature departments peaked during which period?

The mid-1980s Signup and view all the answers

'Approaches based in literary theory and continental philosophy largely coexist in university literature departments' is a statement about which period?

Current state Signup and view all the answers

What did 19th-century Romantic criticism introduce to literary studies?

New aesthetic ideas Signup and view all the answers

What is the main topic of the dialogue between Socrates and Ion?

The skill of rhapsodes in performing poetry Signup and view all the answers

What does Ion claim to understand better than anyone alive?

Homer Signup and view all the answers

According to Socrates, what does Ion's limited knowledge and skill apply to?

Only Homer Signup and view all the answers

What does Socrates deduce about Ion's skill based on his observation?

Ion is like a soothsayer or prophet, divinely possessed Signup and view all the answers

What event had Ion just come from when he engages in a discussion with Socrates?

A festival of Asclepius at the city of Epidaurus Signup and view all the answers

What does Socrates find perplexing about Ion's claim of understanding Homer better than anyone else?

Ion's lack of knowledge in other poets like Hesiod Signup and view all the answers

What is Socrates' analogy for Ion's limited knowledge and skill?

A doctor only knowledgeable about nutrition Signup and view all the answers

'Not by art do they utter these things, but by divine influence' refers to who or what according to Socrates?

Homer and other poets Signup and view all the answers

'For not by art do they utter these things, but by divine influence; since, if they had fully learned by art to speak on one kind of theme, they would know how to speak on all.' What is Socrates implying with this statement?

'They' lack genuine knowledge and skill in speaking on any theme Signup and view all the answers

'Further, this man is probably not the poet, like Ion, but a specialist like a doctor, who knows better about nutrition.' What is Socrates suggesting with this comparison?

'This man' refers to a rhapsode with limited knowledge and skill Signup and view all the answers

Who or what did Socrates deduce was divinely possessed?

'They' who utter things not by art but by divine influence Signup and view all the answers

What did Ion claim to have won at the festival of Asclepius at the city of Epidaurus?

First prize in the competition for rhapsodes Signup and view all the answers

According to Socrates, why does God take away the mind of men and use them as his ministers?

To reveal that it is God himself who speaks through them when they are out of their wits. Signup and view all the answers

What does Socrates compare the rhapsode's transmission of the poet's original inspiration to?

A magnet transferring inspiration from the muse to the audience. Signup and view all the answers

According to Ion, what inspires his deliberate disconnection from reality during his performances?

The promise of payment. Signup and view all the answers

What does Ion claim about his knowledge when Socrates questions him about various skills in Homer's poetry?

He possesses knowledge as a capable military general. Signup and view all the answers

How does Socrates criticize Ion regarding his occupation?

Berating him for being inconsistent and changing professions. Signup and view all the answers

What does Plato argue about Ion's talent as an interpreter?

It must come from divine inspiration of the Muses. Signup and view all the answers

What is the supposed fallacy in Plato's argument according to some researchers?

"Genetic" fallacy. Signup and view all the answers

What holds specific significance to Socrates in terms of divine madness?

Its role in guiding Socrates' actions. Signup and view all the answers

What does Plato develop a more elaborate critique of in other dialogues?

Unjustified belief rather than poetry in general. Signup and view all the answers

What do some readers doubt about the authorship of Plato's argument?

The Platonic authorship of this dialogue. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Definition and Scope of Literary Criticism

Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature.
Modern literary criticism is influenced by various factors and approaches.

History of Literary Criticism

Aristotle's work, particularly "Poetics", is considered one of the most important influences on literary criticism.
The Renaissance criticism developed from classical ideas into literary neoclassicism.
The rival movement of Baroque in the 17th century challenged literary neoclassicism.
The Enlightenment period witnessed a rise in literary criticism, influenced by the increased literacy rates.
The "Natya Shastra" written by Bharata Muni includes literary criticism on ancient Indian literature and Sanskrit drama.

Literary Theories and Approaches

Ecocritics focus on the relationship between literature and the environment.
Book history is concerned with the production, circulation, and reception of books.
Darwinian literary studies explore the intersection of literature and evolutionary theory.
Cultural studies influences literary criticism by reading cultural and social contexts into literary texts.
Postcritics seek to develop a more nuanced and responsive approach to literary texts.

Key Figures and Works

Emanuele Tesauro's "Il Cannocchiale aristotelico" (1654) developed the concept of literary criticism.
Aristotle's "Poetics" is still crucial in literary studies.
Northrop Frye's "Anatomy of Criticism" is an influential work in literary theory.
E.M. Michael Jones' "Degenerate Moderns" argues that literary criticism has been influenced by cultural and social factors.

Ancient Greek Perspectives

In Plato's "Ion", Socrates engages in a dialogue with Ion, a rhapsode, to discuss the nature of poetic inspiration and skill.
Socrates argues that Ion's skill is not based on art or knowledge but on divine influence.
Socrates deduces that Ion is divinely possessed and that his skill is limited to Homer's poetry.

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Description

Explore the divergence of the emergent literary market from Enlightenment ideals and the intensification of criticism, using the works of Jonathan Swift as a case study.