Author Description
An important contribution to the current rethinking of "English," and to the reconsideration of Shakespeare's role within it, this book focuses on the emergence of the New Historicism, clarifying a number of key positions in the criticism of the past fifteen years. The essays subject many of New Historicism's most challenging claims to rigorous analysis, distinguish sharply between its American and British versions, and assess the causes and consequences of its politicization of literary studies. The theoretical and political issues at stake in current debates are clearly examined, and the uses served by the canonical texts at their center are reexamined within a broad cultural and historical perspective. Offering fresh readings of a number of classic texts--including Hamlet, The Winter's Tale, The Tempest, Shakespeare's sonnets, More's Utopia, Donne's poetry, and Conrad's Heart of Darkness--this overview of contemporary critical theory and practice provides a deepened understanding of the complex and changing functions of the canon itself.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the evolving function of the literary canon and the impact of New Historicism on the study of Elizabethan literature. Howard Felperin, a scholar of literary theory, utilizes a series of analytical essays to evaluate the shift in academic perspectives over the late twentieth century. He examines the divergence between American and British critical schools, arguing that the politicization of literary studies has fundamentally altered how canonical texts are interpreted and taught. By applying these theoretical frameworks to specific works, the author provides a structured critique of contemporary critical practice.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Comparative analysis of American and British versions of New Historicism.
- Critical re-evaluations of Shakespearean plays including Hamlet, The Winter's Tale, and The Tempest.
- Examination of the political implications inherent in modern literary theory.
- Theoretical readings of canonical texts such as More's Utopia and Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students of literary theory frequently cite this work as a significant contribution to the debate surrounding the New Historicism movement. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a rigorous examination of the intersection between cultural history and literary criticism.
Page Count:
208
Publication Date:
1992-11-19
Publisher:
Clarendon Press
ISBN-10:
0198122659
ISBN-13:
9780198122654
History
Literary Criticism
Literary theory
Academic
Shakespeare Studies
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