René WellekCritiques

3/16/22

Obra de referência, 'Teoria da Literatura' é um estudo da natureza, função, forma e conteúdo da obra literária. Neles, os autores procuram unir a poética (ou teoria literária) e o criticismo (valoração da literatura) à erudição investigativa e à história literária.

I was so happy that I did not have to read it once again when I passed my exam on basics of literary history.... I had the Dutch version, the translators did a good job, but a very tough book stays a very tough book.
It is very abstract, despite the writers added examples. No, I keep it, for old times sake, but not to read again.

Set book at university. Unread.

[The book] undertakes to arrange the main problems of literary study from the standpoint of what the authors call the ‘intrinsic’ concern for literature. Chapters on the nature of literature, on metre, style, metaphor, symbol, fictional technique and genres form the core of the book, but the ‘extrinsic’ approaches are not slighted: literature in relation to psychology, society, ideas and problems of editing and of literary history.

The peculiar success of this work lies in the harmony of powers sometimes mutually restrictive – clear theoretical vision and diverse learning. The perspective is international, and from it a panorama of modern literary scholarship from America to the Slavic world is unfolded. It is an indispensable manual for every student of literature.