Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was the main emphasis of the New Criticism movement?
What was the main emphasis of the New Criticism movement?
- Focusing on the social and political influences on literature
- Analyzing literature through historical context
- Close reading of poetry to understand its self-contained aesthetic object (correct)
- Exploring the personal background of the author
Who gave the idea of intentional and affective fallacy in New Criticism?
Who gave the idea of intentional and affective fallacy in New Criticism?
- I. A. Richards
- W. K. Wimsatt (correct)
- T. S. Eliot
- Cleanth Brooks
Which Cambridge scholar's works were important to the development of a New Critical methodology?
Which Cambridge scholar's works were important to the development of a New Critical methodology?
- I. A. Richards (correct)
- T. S. Eliot
- John Crowe Ransom
- Cleanth Brooks
Who developed the notions of 'theory of impersonality' and 'objective correlative'?
Who developed the notions of 'theory of impersonality' and 'objective correlative'?
Which literary critic played a significant role in influencing the formation of the New Critical canon?
Which literary critic played a significant role in influencing the formation of the New Critical canon?
What did the New Criticism movement derive its name from?
What did the New Criticism movement derive its name from?
What did the New Critics feel was neglected by the older philological and literary history schools?
What did the New Critics feel was neglected by the older philological and literary history schools?
According to the passage, what did the New Critics disparage?
According to the passage, what did the New Critics disparage?
What did the New Critics aim to exclude from their analysis of texts?
What did the New Critics aim to exclude from their analysis of texts?
What did the New Critics believe was intimately connected with the structure and meaning of the text?
What did the New Critics believe was intimately connected with the structure and meaning of the text?
Which method did the New Critics advocate to bring the focus of literary studies back to analysis of the texts?
Which method did the New Critics advocate to bring the focus of literary studies back to analysis of the texts?
Who initially met resistance from older scholars for their interest in textual study?
Who initially met resistance from older scholars for their interest in textual study?
What challenged the predominance of the New Critics' methods in American universities in the 1970s?
What challenged the predominance of the New Critics' methods in American universities in the 1970s?
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Study Notes
New Criticism Movement Overview
- Emphasized close reading and textual analysis as the primary means of understanding literature.
- Aimed to analyze works of art independently rather than focusing on external context or authorial intent.
Key Concepts in New Criticism
- Intentional Fallacy: The idea that an author's intention should not influence the interpretation of their work, proposed by W.K. Wimsatt and Monroe C. Beardsley.
- Affective Fallacy: The belief that a reader’s emotional response should not dictate the meaning of a text, also developed by Wimsatt and Beardsley.
Influential Scholars
- Ivor A. Richards was a prominent Cambridge scholar whose works were essential for developing New Critical methodology.
- T.S. Eliot introduced the concepts of "theory of impersonality" and "objective correlative," arguing for the separation of the author’s experiences from their work.
Formation of the New Critical Canon
- Cleanth Brooks significantly influenced the New Critical canon, advocating for the close examination of texts without reliance on outside influences.
Derivation of the New Criticism Name
- The term "New Criticism" was derived from the movement seeking fresh approaches to literary analysis, breaking away from older methodologies.
Neglected Aspects by Older Schools
- New Critics felt that older philological and literary history schools overlooked the intrinsic qualities of the text.
Disparagement and Exclusion in Analysis
- New Critics disparaged biographical and historical approaches, seeking to exclude personal and historical contexts from literary critique.
Textual Structure and Meaning
- Believed that meaning and structure were closely intertwined, arguing that a text's form directly impacts its substance.
Advocacy for Literary Study Focus
- Advocated for a return to emphasizing textual analysis, encouraging critics to engage deeply with the written word.
Initial Resistance
- Early proponents of New Criticism faced resistance from traditional scholars who favored historical and biographical analysis over textual study.
Challenges in the 1970s
- In the 1970s, New Criticism faced challenges from post-structuralism and reader-response criticism, which emphasized the role of the reader and deconstructed traditional methods.
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