Practical Criticism

More about the book

I. A. Richards (1893-1979), a prominent polymath of the twentieth century, is renowned as a founder of modern literary critical theory. He transformed criticism by moving away from biographical and historical readings, as well as aesthetic impressionism, to a more analytical approach. His landmark volume, first published in 1929, exemplifies this method by examining literary texts as syntactical structures composed of interacting verbal units of meaning. Richards' work stemmed from an experiment aimed at uncovering the psychological foundations of reading and interpretation. He presented thirteen poems, without authorship or dates, to approximately four hundred Cambridge students. The results revealed a troubling trend: many interpretations were poor and largely influenced by contemporary opinions and beliefs rather than the texts themselves. This led Richards to identify several mental obstacles to effective reading, such as "irrelevant associations," "stock responses," and a general misunderstanding of poetry's purpose. Richards' insights in this volume extend beyond formal analysis; he argued that critical reading and truthful language are essential skills for navigating a world dominated by mass-produced art and advertising. This classic work will engage teachers of literature, cultural studies specialists, and intellectual historians alike.