--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: School of Resentment is a term coined by…" description: "\"“School of Resentment is a term coined by critic Harold Bloom to describe related schools of literary criticism which have gained prominence in academi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/harold-bloom-3350_african-american_school-of-resentment-is-a-term-coined-by_2033701.jpg" --- # School of Resentment is a term coined by critic Harold… ![“School of Resentment is a term coined by critic Harold Bloom to describe related schools of literary criticism which have gained prominence in academia since the 1970s and which Bloom contends are preoccupied with political and social activism at the expense of aesthetic values.[1] Broadly, Bloom…” quote by Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/harold-bloom-3350_african-american_school-of-resentment-is-a-term-coined-by_2033701.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/harold-bloom-3350_african-american_school-of-resentment-is-a-term-coined-by_2033701.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a47/harold-bloom-3350_african-american_school-of-resentment-is-a-term-coined-by_2033701.jpg) > ““School of Resentment is a term coined by critic Harold Bloom to describe related schools of literary criticism which have gained prominence in academia since the 1970s and which Bloom contends are preoccupied with political and social activism at the expense of aesthetic values.\[1\] Broadly, Bloom terms "Schools of Resentment" approaches associated with Marxist critical theory, including African American studies, Marxist literary criticism, New Historicist criticism, feminist criticism, and poststructuralism—specifically as promoted by Jacques Lacan, Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault. The School of Resentment is usually defined as all scholars who wish to enlarge the Western canon by adding to it more works by authors from minority groups without regard to aesthetic merit and/or influence over time, or those who argue that some works commonly thought canonical promote sexist, racist or otherwise biased values and should therefore be removed from the canon. Bloom contends that the School of Resentment threatens the nature of the canon itself and may lead to its eventual demise. Philosopher Richard Rorty\[2\] agreed that Bloom is at least partly accurate in describing the School of Resentment, writing that those identified by Bloom do in fact routinely use "subversive, oppositional discourse" to attack the canon specifically and Western culture in general.”” [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bloom argues that certain literary critical schools prioritize political activism over aesthetic judgment, threatening the traditional canon. **In simple terms:** Some critics focus on politics instead of art, risking the canon’s integrity. Key Takeaway Balance political insight with aesthetic evaluation. Themes literary criticism canon politics activism aesthetics Mood analytical critical thoughtful Type academic theoretical controversial When to use this quote - University curricula - literary conferences - publishing decisions - canon debates Key Concepts Marxist theory poststructuralism feminist theory cultural studies Questions to Reflect On - How can we assess literary merit while acknowledging social context? - What criteria should guide canon inclusion? A Different Perspective Critics may overlook systemic biases that affect canon formation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [Critical theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical-theory/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Literary criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary-criticism/) [Resentment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resentment/) [Western culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-culture/) ## Related quotes > [Jacques Derrida is a very important thinker and philosopher who has made serious contributions to both philosophy and literary criticism. 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They tell one why it matters to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/in-the-finest-critics-one-hears-the-full-cry-of-the-human-they-tell/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [The idea of Herman Melville in a writing class is always distressing to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/the-idea-of-herman-melville-in-a-writing-class-is-always-distressing/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [If I were to sum up the negative reactions to my work, I think there are two primary causes: one is that if there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/if-i-were-to-sum-up-the-negative-reactions-to-my-work-i-think-there/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [Aesthetic value emanates from the struggle between texts: in the reader, in language, in the classroom, in arguments within a society. Aesthetic value rises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/aesthetic-value-emanates-from-the-struggle-between-texts-in-the/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [Shakespeare will not make us better, and he will not make us worse, but he may teach us how to overhear ourselves when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/shakespeare-will-not-make-us-better-and-he-will-not-make-us-worse-but/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [Criticism starts - it has to start - with a real passion for reading. 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The School of Resentment is usually defined as all scholars who wish to enlarge the Western canon by adding to it more works by authors from minority groups without regard to aesthetic merit and/or influence over time, or those who argue that some works commonly thought canonical promote sexist, racist or otherwise biased values and should therefore be removed from the canon. Bloom contends that the School of Resentment threatens the nature of the canon itself and may lead to its eventual demise. 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