ENGL 2005 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Historical Criticism, Balaam, Human Nature

• School: Carleton University
• Department: English
• Course: ENGL 2005
• Professor: Jody Mason

Document Summary

Week 3: liberal humanism & the rise of english studies. Li(cid:271)e(cid:396)al hu(cid:373)a(cid:374)is(cid:373) a(cid:374)d the ise of e(cid:374)glish tudies a(cid:396)(cid:374)old, (cid:862)the fu(cid:374)(cid:272)tio(cid:374) of c(cid:396)iti(cid:272)is(cid:373) at the p(cid:396)ese(cid:374)t. Ti(cid:373)e,(cid:863) the c(cid:396)iti(cid:272)al t(cid:396)aditio(cid:374), pp. (cid:1008)1(cid:1009) 29 (ares) (cid:862)al(cid:373)ost the o(cid:374)e thi(cid:374)g fo(cid:396) (cid:449)hi(cid:272)h one would come to english literature is just that very thing which now europe most desires (cid:272)(cid:396)iti(cid:272)is(cid:373)(cid:863) Since literature works with current ideas, great works can only be generated in a climate of great ideas. Criticism prepares the way for creation: romantic poets after french revolution. C(cid:396)eati(cid:448)e, (cid:271)ut (cid:449)ithout (cid:395)ualit(cid:455) of ideas (cid:374)e(cid:272)essa(cid:396)(cid:455) fo(cid:396) (cid:862)g(cid:396)eat (cid:449)o(cid:396)k(cid:863) French revolution devolved into an obsession with the political and the practical; (cid:862)(cid:395)uitti(cid:374)g the i(cid:374)telle(cid:272)tual sphe(cid:396)e a(cid:374)d (cid:396)ushi(cid:374)g furiously into the political sphere. Culture can provide a defence against anarchy: anxiety about change. Asse(cid:396)tio(cid:374) of a(cid:374) ideal i(cid:374) the (cid:272)o(cid:374)te(cid:454)t of (cid:271)ei(cid:374)g out of o(cid:374)e(cid:859)s (cid:272)o(cid:374)t(cid:396)ol. Worked on a social level with government schools. Literary criticism: analysis of particular texts, often employing close reading.