Scan barcode
A review by shaunnow38
Literary Theory: An Introduction by Terry Eagleton
3.0
Read this sporadically and out of order for an introductory criticism class. Eagleton does a good job of providing an overview of each of the major schools of literary theory from Russian Formalism to Psychoanalysis. Eagleton's prose is actually more enjoyable than most academic texts, but it maintains a certain rigor. This book is not easy to read, it is not a casual read, no matter how much Eagleton's wisecracking makes it seem like it is.
Eagleton's own biases come to the fore here, which isn't a problem for my tastes. His opinion is well informed by the criticism he read and his own thoughts. However, in framing the book narratively as he does, I cannot help but feel his biases leave out major thinkers, including post-colonial thinkers and writers of the 50s and 60s.
Overall, I want to give this book about a 3.25 to a 3.5. The difficulties I had in reading it lower my opinion of the book, but not of Eagleton as a writer.
Eagleton's own biases come to the fore here, which isn't a problem for my tastes. His opinion is well informed by the criticism he read and his own thoughts. However, in framing the book narratively as he does, I cannot help but feel his biases leave out major thinkers, including post-colonial thinkers and writers of the 50s and 60s.
Overall, I want to give this book about a 3.25 to a 3.5. The difficulties I had in reading it lower my opinion of the book, but not of Eagleton as a writer.