The present paper shall seek to explore in brief a historical evolution and criteria of the canon-formation. It will further analyse the contemporary debate on canon-formation and Harold Bloom's defence of the canon.
The contemporary academic world is intensely involved in the debate on the process of canon-formation (I am limiting my focus on the western literary canon). Sometimes, some of these theorists demand to open the canon since they see some politics behind the canon. Such an offence on the canon, sometime it may be right, aims to reduce the canonical stature of an author of genius to the level of either an historian or a propagandist. The present paper shall seek to explore in brief a historical evolution and criteria of the canon-formation. It will further analyse the contemporary debate on canon-formation and Harold Bloom's defence of the canon.
Table of Contents
1. Debate on Canon-Formation and Harold Bloom’s Defence of the Canon
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper explores the historical evolution and criteria of western literary canon-formation, specifically analyzing contemporary debates surrounding the canon and Harold Bloom's defense of it against ideological critiques.
- Historical development of the western literary canon from Plato to the 20th century.
- Critique of political, social, and historical approaches to literature ("School of Resentment").
- Bloom’s criteria for canonicity: Originality, Strangeness, and Aesthetic strength.
- The role of the solitary poetic self and the autonomy of the imagination.
- The distinction between aesthetic genius and ideological constructs.
Excerpt from the Book
Debate on Canon-Formation and Harold Bloom’s Defence of the Canon
The contemporary academic world is intensely involved in the debate on the process of canon-formation (I am limiting my focus on the western literary canon). Sometimes, some of these theorists demand to open the canon since they see some politics behind the canon. Such an offence on the canon, sometime it may be right, aims to reduce the canonical stature of an author of genius to the level of either an historian or a propagandist. The present paper shall seek to explore in brief a historical evolution and criteria of the canon-formation. It will further analyse the contemporary debate on canon-formation and Harold Bloom's defence of the canon.
In Plato’s ideal state the literary canon is impossible. Because of the rift dividing philosophy (hailed as the only authentic form of knowledge) and poetry, Plato is so hard on the poets that he expels them on moral grounds from his ideal state.
Aristotle defends poetry and manipulates Plato’s terms and raises the value of poetry as superior to philosophy. Longinus adds a greater dimension in aesthetics by sublimating the self of the poet as a determinative function. They set "standards of sublimity" of imagination and thought. (Altieri 53) The Theological criticism of the Middle Ages defines theology as poetry of God and raises poetry to the status of theology in order to save poetry from current dogmatic religious threats.
Summary of Chapters
Debate on Canon-Formation and Harold Bloom’s Defence of the Canon: This section provides a historical overview of the development of the literary canon and examines Harold Bloom’s resistance to modern ideological interpretations of literature in favor of aesthetic autonomy.
Keywords
Canon, Canon-formation, Harold Bloom, Western Canon, Aesthetic strength, Originality, Strangeness, Anxiety of Influence, School of Resentment, Power/Knowledge, Literary genius, Poetic survival, Aestheticism, Autonomy of imagination, Self-reliance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic paper?
The paper examines the historical process of how a western literary canon is formed and evaluates Harold Bloom’s intellectual defense of this canon against competing ideological theories.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
The text covers the historical timeline of canonization, the shift toward critical theory in the 20th century, and the conflict between aesthetic-focused criticism and socio-political approaches to literature.
What is the primary objective of the author?
The primary goal is to analyze the criteria of canon-formation and specifically highlight how Bloom defends the concept of the canon against the "School of Resentment."
Which scientific or theoretical methods are employed?
The author uses a literature-based analytical approach, contrasting Bloom’s aesthetic theories with historical and post-structuralist perspectives, such as those of Foucault and Barthes.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body traces the canon from Plato and Aristotle through the Restoration and Romantic periods, leading to 20th-century debates involving Eliot, Leavis, and Bloom’s specific defense of "aesthetic strength."
How can the work be characterized by its keywords?
The work is defined by concepts such as aestheticism, the autonomy of the poetic imagination, the anxiety of influence, and the resistance to reducing literature to purely political or ideological ends.
How does Harold Bloom define the concept of 'originality'?
Bloom defines originality as an individual's natural gift to create and their ability to depart from previous metaphors, asserting that the anxiety to write differently drives the creation of new tropes.
What is Bloom’s position on the 'School of Resentment'?
Bloom rejects the approaches of the "School of Resentment"—including Marxist, Feminist, and New Historicist critics—arguing that their focus on ideology ignores the intrinsic aesthetic value and universal nature of literary genius.
How does Bloom's view of 'knowledge' differ from Foucault's?
While Foucault views knowledge as a tool of power and social control, Bloom considers knowledge in a microcosmic sense as a path toward liberation and a manifestation of the solitary spiritual self.
Why does Bloom argue that the 'death of the author' is an invalid concept?
Bloom asserts that the canon acts as a "gauge of vitality," arguing that great authors remain alive through their works and that literature is fundamentally rooted in the individual genius rather than just linguistic play.
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- Dr. Siddhartha Singh (Autor:in), 2016, Debate on Canon-Formation and Harold Bloom’s Defence of the Canon, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/338539
