Geoffrey H. Hartman Criticism
Geoffrey H. Hartman, a distinguished literary critic and theorist, is celebrated for his profound influence on the study of Romantic poetry, most notably through his works Unmediated Vision and Wordsworth's Poetry, 1787–1814. These texts are considered seminal in understanding Romantic literature's intricate relationship between nature and imagination, as explored in detail by Hartman. His insights into Wordsworth's poetic genius, as noted in The Greatness of Wordsworth, reveal Hartman's skill in elucidating the harmonization of nature and imagination, though some critics suggest he might have underestimated the poet's literalism.
Hartman's later works, such as Beyond Formalism and The Fate of Reading, challenge traditional literary criticism methods, advocating for a more expansive approach that goes beyond "close reading" and embraces a broader, more creative perspective. His calls for innovation in criticism are further elaborated in Criticism in the Wilderness, where he proposes viewing criticism as an integral part of literature itself, fostering a speculative, philosophical approach. This perspective is aligned with his embrace of Romanticism and a resistance to definitive conclusions, as discussed in Beyond Formalism: Literary Essays, 1958–1970.
Though Hartman has been critiqued for stylistic complexities in his work, as noted by Denis Donoghue, and a potentially problematic focus on poetics over broader social issues, his contribution to literary criticism remains influential. His work often navigates the interplay between enchantment and criticism, promoting an open-ended dialogue within literary studies, as observed by Richard Poirier and others. Hartman's legacy is thus one of expanding the boundaries of literary criticism and encouraging a dynamic, interdisciplinary discourse.
Contents
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The Greatness of Wordsworth
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In the following essay, Christopher Ricks examines Geoffrey H. Hartman's analysis of Wordsworth, arguing that Hartman successfully demonstrates Wordsworth's genius in harmonizing nature and imagination, yet suggests Hartman underestimates the need to highlight Wordsworth's literalism for modern readers.
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Apocalyptic Imagination
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The critic evaluates Geoffrey H. Hartman's book on Wordsworth, arguing that while Hartman's thesis on Wordsworth's apocalyptic imagination and alienation from nature is intriguing, it neglects Wordsworth's belief in pantheism and fails to convincingly align with the development of Wordsworth's poetry.
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Stendhal's Mirror
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In the following essay, Laurence Lerner examines Geoffrey Hartman's argument that true art emerges from adherence to form, allowing writers to transcend mere experience, and critiques Hartman's convoluted yet intriguing analysis of modern realism's connection to romance and myth, while emphasizing the necessity of structured perception in art.
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Beyond Formalism: Literary Essays, 1958–1970
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In the following essay, Joseph N. Riddel explores Geoffrey H. Hartman's "Beyond Formalism" as a critical work that examines the complexities of Romanticism and self-consciousness in literature, emphasizing the ongoing interplay between enchantment and criticism, and advocating for a criticism that remains open-ended and resists definitive conclusions.
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A Star Trek in the Theory of Poetics
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In the following essay, Richard Poirier critiques Geoffrey H. Hartman's approach to poetics, arguing that while Hartman's work eloquently merges literary analysis with theory, it exhibits a problematic emphasis on the poetic at the expense of addressing broader social and political dimensions intrinsic to literary forms.
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Mediate and Immediate
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In the following essay, Denis Donoghue critiques Geoffrey Hartman's work as being preoccupied with the dichotomy between mediated and unmediated visions in poetry, yet argues that Hartman's recent writings, while often brilliant, suffer from stylistic excess and lack a coherent theoretical foundation.
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Reading and Misreading
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In the following essay, Jonathan Culler critiques Geoffrey Hartman's unique approach to literary criticism, emphasizing Hartman's preference for creating new subgenres and exploring poetic consciousness, while also questioning his reliance on Romanticism and suggesting an underlying avoidance of engaging with contemporary literary history.
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Beyond Formalism
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In the following essay, Donald Marshall discusses Geoffrey H. Hartman's work, asserting that Hartman seeks to transcend formalism by emphasizing the poet's historical consciousness and its influence on literary form, thereby bridging the gap between literary history and criticism through an exploration of the poet's engagement with tradition.
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Criticism in the Wilderness: The Study of Literature Today
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In the following essay, Gerald Graff critiques Geoffrey H. Hartman's "Criticism in the Wilderness" for its disjointed structure and lack of definitive argumentation, while acknowledging Hartman's valid points on the limitations of contemporary literary criticism and its need to engage more with theoretical and interdisciplinary approaches.
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Continental Drift
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In the following essay, Terrence Des Pres examines Geoffrey H. Hartman's Criticism in the Wilderness, highlighting its challenge to conventional Anglo-American literary criticism by advocating for a speculative, philosophical approach that engages literature as a counterliterature, thereby enriching and expanding critical discourse.
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Reading about Writing
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In the following essay, Donoghue criticizes Hartman's proposal in "Criticism in the Wilderness" for transforming literary criticism into an art form akin to poetry or fiction, arguing that such an approach risks obscuring the purpose of criticism and becoming ineffectual in addressing the needs of mass education.
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Criticism without Constraint
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In the following essay, Frederick Crews critiques Geoffrey H. Hartman's embrace of "indeterminism" in literary criticism, arguing that Hartman's resistance to definitive meaning and empirical evidence undermines rational discourse, elevates criticism above the works it examines, and fosters an irrational, undemocratic scholarly environment.
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A Strange Disturbing World: The Conflicts in Criticism
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In the following essay, Bernard Bergonzi critiques Geoffrey H. Hartman's Saving the Text for its playful yet complex engagement with Derridean deconstruction, noting Hartman's simultaneous admiration and resistance to Derrida, and highlighting the book's blend of criticism, philosophy, and a fictional quality that reflects the author's introspective prose style.
Criticism by Geoffrey H. Hartman
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Shakespeare's Poetical Character in Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night Criticism
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Image—Music—Text, A Lover's Discourse
Roland Barthes Criticism
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Beyond the Middle Style
James Wright Criticism
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Monsieur Texte
Jacques Derrida Criticism
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War in Heaven
Harold Bloom Criticism
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Between the Claims of Self and Culture
Lionel Trilling Criticism
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Ghostlier Demarcations: The Sweet Science of Northrop Frye
Northrop Frye Criticism
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Christopher Smart's 'Magnificat': Toward a Theory of Representation
Christopher Smart Criticism
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Methods and the Man
J. V. Cunningham Criticism