The Function of Criticism: From the Spectator to Post-StructuralismVerso Books, 05/05/2020 - 138 من الصفحات This wide-ranging book argues that criticism emerged in early bourgeois society as a central feature of a "public sphere" in which political, ethical, and literary judgements could mingle under the benign rule of reason. The disintegration of this fragile culture brought on a crisis in criticism, whose history since the 18th century has been fraught with ambivalence and anxiety. Eagleton's account embraces Addison and Steele, Johnson and the 19-century reviewers, such critics as Arnold and Stephen, the heyday of Scrutiny and New Criticism, and finally the proliferation of avant-garde literary theories such as deconstructionism. The Function of Criticism is nothing less than a history and critique of the "critical institution" itself. Eagleton's judgements on individual critics are sharp and illuminating, which his general argument raises crucial questions about the relations between language, literature and politics. |
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academic Addison and Steele aesthetic amateur argued Arnold audience authority autonomy becomes Beljame bourgeois public sphere capitalist Carlyle classical public sphere clerisy collaboration common consensus counterpublic sphere critical judgement criticism’s cultural deconstruction discourse disinterested dissociation dominant early eighteenth century economic Edinburgh Review effect eighteenth-century England English enlightened essay experience F.R. Leavis force forms of subjectivity functions gentleman Habermas historical Hohendahl humanist ideal ideological idiom increasingly institutions intellectual interests irony Jane Jack John Barrell journals Jurgen Habermas language late capitalism Leavis Leavis’s Leigh Hunt Leslie Stephen letters liberal humanism literary criticism literary production literary theory literature mediator middle class modes moral norms once one’s periodicals political popular precisely professional public opinion rational readership reading public realm role Romantic sage Samuel Johnson scientism Scrutiny Scrutiny’s sense significant social alienations social classes social relations socialist structures Tatler and Spectator traditional transcendental truth universal Victorian whole Williams’s writes