New CriticismNew CriticismAlso known as “Liberal Humanism,” and

“Practical Criticism,”

A text without a context is a literary artifact

New criticism began in England in the 1920s, then moved to and had its greatest impact in America. It remained popular until the 1970s, and is still a widely-use teaching tool in literature classes on all levels.

T. S. EliotT. S. Eliot((1888-1965)1888-1965)

“The central figure of twentieth century literary criticism”

Main IdeasMain Ideas: : • The text contains its own meaning and all

necessary information to discover its meaning. No research is needed.

• The poem has one, specific, limited, recognizable meaning.

• Literature uses language in special, extraordinary ways. It is not the same as ordinary, everyday language.

• There is a defined literary tradition—the “canon” of great works (usually by dead white European males).

• Literature teaches about life, especially moral values.

Quotes: Quotes: “In a successful work, form and content

cannot be separated…form is meaning” (Brooks, Cleanth. “The Formalist Critics” 1366).

Literature assumes the “autonomy of the artist” (Ransom, John Crowe. “Criticism, Inc.” 1115).

“The goal of literary criticism is that of attaining pure, disinterested knowledge” (Barry 26).

Main Question: Main Question:

What is the one meaning of the poem, (expressed

through form and technique)?

How to “do” a New Critical How to “do” a New Critical Reading:Reading:

Focus on “the thing itself”. Isolate the text from its context (ignore

history, biography, politics…) Perform a close reading: “a meticulous

textual surgery”.Pay attention to structureSearch for unity of form and content,

parts to whole.

Examine, one at a time, these Examine, one at a time, these elements of the poem:elements of the poem:

• Diction

• Allusions

• Images, symbols, figures of speech

• Rhythm & rhyme

• Tone, theme, & point of view

• irony, paradox, ambiguity

• tension & resolution

[Potentially] Positive [Potentially] Positive Aspects of New CriticismAspects of New Criticism

• There is only one true interpretation. • No extra research is necessary.• It gives students an “objective” approach

to literature. • “Close Reading” is easily taught and

repeated

[Potentially] Negative [Potentially] Negative Aspects Aspects

of New Criticismof New Criticism

• There is only one true interpretation

• It is an impersonal approach

• It separates literature from its context

• It only works really well on poems

SourcesSourcesBarry, Peter. Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary

and Cultural Theory. 2nd edition. NY: Manchester UP, 2002.

Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. 4th ed.   Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. 

Eliot, T. S. “Hamlet” in Eliot: Poems and Prose. NY, Knopf/Everymanm 1998. 131-140.

- - - . “The Metaphysical Poets” (1921) in The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. 1098-1105.

- - - . “Tradition and the Individual Talent” (1919) in Criticism: Major Statements. 404-410.

Kaplan, Charles and William Davis Anderson, eds. Criticism: Major Statements. 4th edition. Boston, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000.

Leitch, Vincent B., gen. ed. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. NY: Norton, 2001.