Johnson, Rasselas, and the Choice of Criticism

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The study delves into Samuel Johnson's "Rasselas," highlighting its resistance to traditional critical methods across centuries. Edward Tomarken introduces a new approach, linking Johnson's earlier works to his later achievements in "Rasselas." He argues that Johnson's aesthetic navigates the boundary between literary and extra-literary elements, revealing a process of evolution in his writing. Tomarken also proposes a dialectical relationship between hermeneutics and structuralism, offering insights valuable to both Johnson scholars and those engaged in critical theory.