Defining literary criticism : scholarship, authority and the possession of literary ... knowledge 1880-2002

Outlining the controversies that have surrounded the academic discipline of English Literature since its institutionalization in the late nineteenth century, this important book draws on a range of archival sources. It addresses issues that are central to the identity of academic English - how the subject came into existence, and what makes it a specialist discipline of knowledge - in a manner that illuminates many of the crises that have affected the development of modern English studies. Atherton also addresses contemporary arguments about the teaching of literary criticism, including an examination of the reforms to A-Level literature. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 Part I Institutions......Page 18 1 Histories of English: The Critical Background......Page 20 2 English in the Universities......Page 34 English at the new universities......Page 37 The study of English......Page 38 Oxford and Cambridge: The development of criticism......Page 45 John Churton Collins and the campaign for English......Page 46 The importance of Classics: The literary tradition......Page 51 Literary judgements: The Tripos at Cambridge......Page 57 Part II Philosophies and Practitioners......Page 66 3 Critics and Professors......Page 68 Literary criticism: The influence of scholarship......Page 71 Matthew Arnold and Walter Pater......Page 77 The new professors and professional criticism......Page 84 Literary history: Scholarship and narrative......Page 90 The analysis of Shakespeare......Page 95 4 Criticism and the Modernists: Woolf, Murry, Orage......Page 105 Virginia Woolf: Criticism as private experience......Page 108 The common reader: Leisure and idealism......Page 116 Woolf and Murry: Impressionism and authority......Page 119 The importance of difficulty......Page 121 Murry and Orage: Editors and sages......Page 124 5 Methods and Institutions: Eliot, Richards and Leavis......Page 132 Eliot and his influence......Page 135 Eliot and scholarship: Method and judgement......Page 136 Personal authority and the retreat from scholarship......Page 141 I. A. Richards: Meaning and value......Page 145 F. R. Leavis: The university and the sage......Page 152 Part III Current Debates......Page 160 6 Revising English: Theory and Practice......Page 162 A-level reform: A brief introduction......Page 166 The new A-level: The treatment of contexts......Page 173 The resistance to knowledge......Page 179 The place of criticism: A wider view......Page 182 Conclusion......Page 190 Notes......Page 192 Bibliography......Page 216 C......Page 226 H......Page 227 M......Page 228 R......Page 229 Y......Page 230 The Academic Study Of English Literature Has Always Been Controversial. In This Timely And Ambitious Volume, Carol Atherton Examines These Controversies By Tracing A Number Of Debates About The Study Of English, From Its Institutionalisation In The Late Nineteenth Century To Recent Arguments About The Reform Of English A-level. Drawing On Archival Records From A Range Of Universities, And On The Work Of Critics Such As Virginia Woolf, T.s. Eliot And F.r. Leavis, The Author Demonstrates That The Struggle To Define Literary Criticism Is Still Ongoing - Presenting Readers With A Challenging And Original Perspective On The Nature Of Literary Knowledge.--jacket. Histories Of English : The Critical Background -- English In The Universities -- Critics And Professors -- Criticism And The Modernists : Woolf, Murry, Orage -- Methods And Institutions : Eliot, Richards And Leavis -- Revising English : Theory And Practice. Carol Atherton. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 207-216) And Index. What do we learn when we study English literature? Does literary criticism rest on a scholarly body of knowledge, or is it simply a matter of opinion? And does the process of analysis spoil the more innocent pleasure to be gained from the act of reading? The academic study of English literature has always been controversial. In this timely and ambitious volume, Carol Atherton examines these controversies by tracing a number of debates about the study of English, from its institutionalisation in the late nineteenth century to recent arguments about the reform of English A-level. Drawing on archival records from a range of universities, and on the work of critics such as Virginia Woolf, T.S. Eliot and F.R. Leavis, the author demonstrates that the struggle to define literary criticism is still ongoing - presenting readers with a challenging and original perspective on the nature of literary knowledge The academic study of English literature has always been controversial. In this timely and ambitious volume, Carol Atherton examines these controversies by tracing a number of debates about the study of English, from its institutionalisation in the late nineteenth century to recent arguments about the reform of English A-level. Drawing on archival records from a range of universities, and on the work of critics such as Virginia Woolf, T. S. Eliot and F. R. Leavis, the author demonstrates that the struggle to define literary criticism is still ongoing - presenting readers with a challenging and original perspective on the nature of literary knowledge