Readers and Reading (Longman Critical Readers)

Bennett, Andrew

ISBN 10: 0582212901 ISBN 13: 9780582212909

Publisher: Routledge, 1995

Synopsis

Much literary criticism focuses on literary producers and their products, but an important part of such work considers the end-user, the reader. It asks such questions as: how far can the author condition the response of the reader, and how much does the reader create the meaning of a text? Dr Bennett's collection includes important essays from such writers and critics as Wolfgang Iser, Mary Jacobus, Roger Chartier, Michel de Certeau, Shoshana Felman, Maurice Blanchot, Paul de Man and Yves Bonnefoy. It looks in turn at deconstructionist, feminist, new historicist and psychoanalytical response to the school. The book then considers the act of reading itself, discussing such issues as the uniqueness of any reading and the difficulties involved in its analysis.

About this title

About the Author

Andrew Bennett is Professor of Literature at the University of Bristol, UK.

From the Back Cover

This important series takes full account of contemporary literary theory, providing collection of key modern readings of major authors, genres, and critical approaches. Prefaced by a wide-ranging editorial introduction setting the readings in context and exploring the issues they raise, individual volumes in t he series offer the student authoritative and stimulating guides to the best theoretically-informed critical work on subjects from Chaucer to the present
Readers and Reading provides an excellent and wide-ranging introduction to the field of reading theory. This collection of important essays from such writers and critics as Wolfgang Iser, Mary Jacobus, Roger Chartier, Michel de Certeau, Shoshana Felman, Maurice Blanchot, Paul de Man and Yves Bonnefoy bring together and introduced recent developments in the field. It offers comprehensive coverage of all the important areas and looks beyond classic reader-response criticism', showing how key issues in reading theory are also central to criticism and theory generally. Each essay is accompanied by introductory headnotes, and a glossary of key terms is included together with an annotated bibliography to encourage the reader to explore further this important and dynamic field.

From the Inside Flap

Readers and Reading provides an excellent and wide-ranging introduction to the field of reading theory. This collection of important essays brings together and introduces recent developments in the field. It offers comprehensive coverage of all the important areas and looks beyond classic 'reader-response criticism', showing how key issues in reading theory are also central to criticism and theory generally. Each essay is accompanied by introductory headnotes, and a glossary of key terms is included together with an annotated bibliography to encourage the reader to explore further this important and dynamic field.

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0582212901
• ISBN 13: 9780582212909
• Binding: Textbook Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272