what is new criticism?

New Criticism is a literary theory and approach to analyzing literature that emerged in the early 20th century. It focuses on close reading and analysis of the text itself, rather than considering external factors such as authorial intent, historical context, or reader response. New Critics believe that the meaning of a text can be found within the text itself, through careful examination of its language, structure, and form. Key figures associated with New Criticism include Cleanth Brooks, John Crowe Ransom, and Robert Penn Warren.

New Criticism

New Criticism is a literary theory and school of criticism that emerged in the United States in the early 20th century. It became dominant in American literary studies from the 1930s to the 1960s.

Key Principles:

- Close reading: Analyzing a literary text closely, focusing on its language, structure, and imagery.
- Objective interpretation: Avoiding subjective or biographical readings and focusing instead on the text itself.
- Emphasis on form: Believing that the form and structure of a text determine its meaning.
- Organic unity: Viewing a literary work as an organic whole, where all elements contribute to its overall coherence.
- Irony and ambiguity: Recognizing the importance of irony, ambiguity, and multiple interpretations.

Origins and Development:

- Rooted in the work of 19th-century American critics, such as Edgar Allan Poe and Henry James.
- Influenced by the rise of formalism in Russian literature and T.S. Eliot's emphasis on poetic tradition.

Leading Critics:

- John Crowe Ransom
- Allen Tate
- Cleanth Brooks
- Robert Penn Warren
- William Empson

Characteristics of New Criticism:

- De-emphasis of authorial intention: Critics focused on the text itself, rather than the author's biography or external circumstances.
- Preference for complexity: New Critics valued works that exhibited complexity, ambiguity, and irony.
- Emphasis on metaphor and symbolism: They believed that metaphorical and symbolic language played a crucial role in conveying meaning.
- Rejection of emotional response: Critics sought to remove their own emotional reactions from their interpretations.
- Focus on the New England tradition: New Critics often analyzed works by American authors from the New England region, such as Emily Dickinson and Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Decline and Legacy:

- New Criticism began to decline in the 1960s, when other critical theories, such as structuralism, post-structuralism, and feminist criticism, gained prominence.
- However, its emphasis on close reading and attention to textual form remains a valuable approach to literary analysis.

General ideas of Aristotle on a literary criticism