The Resistance to Theory--Paul de Man

The Resistance to Theory

Paul de Man

Study materials for research scholars of Indian Universities.

Dr. S. Sreekumar

Paul de Man (December 6, 1919 – December 21, 1983) was one of the most prominent literary critics in the United States who succeeded in bringing German and French philosophical approaches into Anglo-American literary studies and critical theory. De Man’s companionship with Jacques Derrida proved very influential as both took up the epistemological difficulties inherent in any textual, literary, or critical activity. This approach aroused considerable opposition, which de Man attributed to "resistance" inherent in the difficult enterprise of literary interpretation itself.

The Twentieth Century I: The Early Decades--Blamires--Unit III

M. Phil English, Bharathiar University--Blamiers—

Approaches--Unit III

Summary by Dr. S. Sreekumar

Syllabus for Unit IIIThe Romantic Age (Blamires, pp 217-380)The Victorian AgeThe Twentieth Century I: The Early DecadesThe Twentieth Century II: Post-war Developments

The Twentieth Century I: The Early Decades

PART I

[the study  material is in two parts]

The early twentieth century was a period of extraordinary literary activity in England. The publishing industry was expanded and modernized as there was a huge demand for books. There were various reasons for this:

·        Elementary education became universal

·        The public library system was developed

·        There was reaction against excessive working hours from the trade unions and laborers got vast increase in leisure.

ADDISON AS A CRITIC—ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR SCHOLARS AND TEACHERS

BRITISH CRITICISM DURING THE 18^th CENTURY –Blamiers

The Eighteenth Century I: The Age of Addison and Pope

M. Phil English, Bharathiar University--Blamiers—

Approaches--Unit II

Additional critical materials for students of M.Phil (English)

S.Sreekumar 

ADDISON AS A CRITIC—ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR SCHOLARS AND TEACHERS

[Teachers of MPhil classes are advised to provide additional learning materials for their scholars as the materials from the text books are not sufficient for a clear estimate of the critic concerned]

JOSEPH ADDISON (1672-1719)

Addison’s critical papers appeared mostly in the SPECTATOR.

His aim was to bring ‘philosophy out of closets and libraries, schools and colleges, to dwell in clubs and assemblies, at tea tables and in coffee houses’. Thus, Addison’s writings were not for the learned people but for the common man. This gave a new turn to English Criticism.