Literary Theory and Criticism

This handbook is divided into four main "sections": The first two chapters are familiar, in that their contents and the way they are organized, are often represented in handbooks and anthologies of criticism that aim for broad coverage. The Rise of Literary Theory focuses on a history of theory,.The Scope of Literary Theory concentrates on types and branches of theories. The handbook succeeds in being inclusive, but doesn't explore either the historical periods or individual theories in as much depth as other books. The third section, Key Figures in Literary Theory, is more noteworthy. Although, biographical sketches of the critics are brief, the number of critics grouped together, as well as the critical perspectives they represent, is thought-provoking. The fourth section, Reading with Literary Theory, demonstrates the application of theory, but in a very limited and topical way.

In a series of articles, this book provides the reader with a history of literary criticism that begins with Marxist Criticism after the Great Depression. It investigates certain early movements in more depth than is often found in other books or anthologies. For example, two chapters are dedicated to describing the seperate identities of The New York and Chicago Schools of critics. Another chapter investigates Myth Criticism, which had its heyday between the forties and sixties. The last chapter of the book, American Criticism Since 1987, shows the way post-millenial criticism, in all its many subdivisions, is connected to the culture wars and other critical breaks of the 1980's.

This books of original essays breaks from other books and anthologies in the way it's organized. Instead of grouping essays and articles by time period or theme, it gathers them under the ambiguous headings of Forms, Spaces, and Practices. Although essays reference older literary works, the thrust of the book is forward - on the advanciung edge of American Literary Studies. The essays in Forms focuses mainly on the aesthetics of literature. In Spaces, they question the relevance of national literature by looking at geographies and temporalities. In Practices, essays addresses the emerging subfields of literary studies, including disability studies, post humanism, race studies, etc...