Critic in the Modern World, The: Public Criticism from Samuel Johnson to James Wood - Softcover

Ley, James

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1623569311 ISBN 13: 9781623569310

Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic, 2014

Synopsis

The Critic in the Modern World explores the work of six influential literary critics—Samuel Johnson, William Hazlitt, Matthew Arnold, T.S. Eliot, Lionel Trilling and James Wood—each of whom occupies a distinct historical moment. It considers how these representative critics have constructed their public personae, the kinds of arguments they have used, and their core principles and philosophies. Spanning three hundred years of cultural history, The Critic in the Modern World considers the various ways in which literary critics have positioned themselves in relation to the modern tradition of descriptive criticism. In providing a lucid account of each critic's central principles and philosophies, it considers the role of the literary critic as a public figure, interpreting him as someone who is compelled to address the wider issues of individualism and the social implications of the democratising, secularising, liberalising forces of modernity.

About this title

About the Author

James Ley (PhD, University of Western Sydney) has been a literary critic for fifteen years. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Age, Australian Book Review, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian and the Times Literary Supplement.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1623569311
• ISBN 13: 9781623569310
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 248