Introduction
pp. 11-17
in: K. M. Newton (ed), Twentieth-century literary theory, Berlin, Springer, 1988Abstract
No one concerned with recent developments in literary criticism can ignore the fact that there has been a great revival of interest in questions of theory. Probably the main reason for this has been the impact on literary criticism of structuralism and post-structuralism, which have presented a serious challenge both to conventional historically based criticism and to the Anglo-American New Critical tradition. Theoretical issues, apparently dormant for several decades, have been revitalised and new forms of critical approach in which practice and theory are intermingled, such as deconstruction, reception theory, reader-response criticism, feminism, various types of Marxist and psychoanalytic criticism, have emerged. There has been much talk of a "crisis' in literary studies. At present there seems little likelihood of a new consensus developing out of division and conflict.
