Critical criticism: Educational novels: Educational novels

Author: Tzvetan Todorov
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-03-01
Features: One of the "Modern Western Academic Series." The book narrates the intellectual evolution and growth process of the French literary theorist Tzvetan Todorov himself, describing how he transformed from a Bulgarian "literary theorist" into a formalist and then a structuralist, and eventually became an advocate of dialogical criticism. It also discusses many of the major critical schools of the 20th century, involving important literary theorists and writers from different countries such as Russia/Soviet Union, Germany, France, Canada, etc. Additionally, the author himself explains in the "Preface" of the book that he attempts to examine the major ideological trends of the 20th century and their reflections in literature and criticism, and tries to find a "more reasonable" "ideological stance," an "almost correct" "literary perspective and critical viewpoint." Alternatively, this book can be seen as a reflection by a renowned critic on the Western literary criticism of the 20th century that he was part of. The book narrates the intellectual evolution and growth process of Tzvetan Todorov himself, describing how he transformed from a Bulgarian "literary theorist" into a formalist and then a structuralist, and eventually became an advocate of dialogical criticism, covering the major critical schools of the 20th century.