Books Quote by Jewel Spears Brooker
““The best of the New Critics were masters of close readings. Cleanth Brooks, for example, in 1937 wrote a detailed commentary on The Waste Land which is still a model of critical helpfulness. The fact that certain basic insights in the past generation have originated as reactions against Brooks and his colleagues does not in any way diminish their excellence.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Critical Theory and the New Critics, 1990s
The quote acknowledges the New Critics’ skill in close reading while noting later critiques arose without lessening the original work’s value.
In simple terms: New Critics were skilled, later critiques don’t erase their merit.
Key Takeaway
Recognize past insights while embracing new perspectives.
Themes
literary criticism
historical context
intellectual humility
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
scholarly
reflective
When to use this quote
- teaching literature
- writing essays
- academic debates
Key Concepts
close reading
critical theory
academic discourse
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance respect for past scholarship with innovative critique?
- What aspects of close reading remain valuable today?
A Different Perspective
Later critiques may overlook nuances of original methods.
