The New Criticism

"The New Criticism: An Anthology of Modern Aesthetics and Literary Criticism" is an influential collection that brings together pivotal essays and theories defining the landscape of 20th-century literary thought. Edited by Edwin Berry Burgum, this anthology serves as a comprehensive survey of the aesthetic principles and critical methodologies that emerged during a transformative period in intellectual history. The work explores the fundamental shift toward a more rigorous, objective analysis of literature, emphasizing the internal structures of poetry and prose over historical or biographical context.

Inside, readers will find foundational texts that examine the nature of artistic expression, the role of the critic, and the evolving relationship between form and meaning. By anthologizing diverse voices within the "New Criticism" movement and modern aesthetics, the volume provides a structural framework for understanding how literature is evaluated and understood. This collection is an essential resource for scholars of literary theory, students of modernism, and anyone interested in the philosophical underpinnings of artistic criticism. It captures a moment when the study of literature sought to establish itself as a precise discipline, making it a cornerstone for the study of modern literary evaluation.

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