René Wellek Livres

'Literary criticism and literary history both attempt to characterize the individuality of a work, of an author, of a period, or of a national literature...' 'But this characterization can be accomplished only in universal terms, on the basis of a literary theory.' How to explore the assumptions on which literary study is based and to create such a literary theory is the subject or René Wellek and Austin Warren's ground-breaking and now classic study. In developing their arguments the authors consider both extrinsic and intrinsic factors in their search for 'an organum of method'. Thus there are chapters on literature as studied through the lens of biography, psychology, society, ideas and other arts. A substantial section is devoted to the formal nature of literature, style: metre, imagery and metaphor, narrative and literary genres. The result is an indispensable handbook for every student.

Crime and punishment - Politics of salvation - Two dimensions of reality in the Brothers Karamazov - The grand inquisitor - Dostoevsky's religious and philosophical views.

The first edition, highly thought of, was out of print a few months after its release. The second edition, with improved binding, is on offer at the same price as the first.René Wellek, Emeritus Professor of Yale University, recipient of numerous honorary doctorates (Oxford, Harvard, Rome, Columbus and Munich) is one of the most eminent scholars of our time, regarded by many as the greatest living expert on literary theory and criticism, as well as a most generous teacher. His book, Theory of Litera- ture, written in collaboration with Austin Warren, has been trans- lated into twenty-two languages. His innumerable publications culminate in the standart work History of Modern Literary Criticism, of which the first four volumes have already appeared.77 well known international scholars, in fact his friends, colleagues and former students have contributed the articles to this Festschrift.

Deals with critical and methodological issues, including the theory of literature, the history of criticism and of critical terms.