title: The Origins of Criticism: Literary Culture and Poetic Theory in Classical Greece
author: Andrew Ford
description: <b>"One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2003"</b><br /><br />"Andrew Ford has written lively and sophisticated account of the evolution of criticism as an autonomous activity, and illuminated the origins of the modern-day equivalent of those antique experts in literature--the professional academic. . . . [W]hat distinguishes Ford's work from previous studies is the breadth of his scholarship, the detail of his analysis, and above all his historicist approach."<b>---Penelope Murray, <i>Times Literary Supplement</i></b><br /><br />"Andrew Ford has taken on the enormous task of tracing the historical background of critical language and the establishment of criticism as a distinct discilpine. He has executed this task with precision, poignancy, and insightful erudition. . . . [T]his eloquent book will be an instant complement to any study of the history of criticism."<b>---Eustratios Papaioannou, <i>Bryn Mawr Classical Review</i></b><br /><br />"Ford collects in this volume much useful information about classica literary criticism from Homer to Aristotle. . . . [An] important volume." (<i>Choice</i>)<br /><br />"This is an original, ambitious book on an important theme. Earlier scholars have adumbrated in one way another its major thesesbut never have these been argued with so much care, thoroughness, or bibliographical completeness. Ford's synthesis is an impressive one that merits close attention from every scholar interested in the history of the Western literary tradition."<b>Thomas Cole, Yale University</b><br /><br />"The topic is right at the cutting edge of contemporary concerns and will be of wide interest not only to classicists but also to cultural theorists and literary critics. Ford's argument constitutes a substantial reevaluation of the development of criticism and (more particularly) a significant reframing of the contributions of <i>Plato and Aristotle</i>. The whole book is very well written: clear, punchy, and convincingly handled. It will be widely discussed."<b>Simon Goldhill, University of Cambridge</b>
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  Literary Criticism and Theory This incredibly useful volume offers an
  introduction to the history of literary criticism and theory from ancient
  Greece to the present. Grounded in the close reading of landmark theoretical
  texts, while seeking to encourage the reader’s critical response, Pelagia
  Goulimari examines: major thinkers and critics from Plato and Aristotle to
  Foucault, Derrida, Kristeva, Said and Butler;
  
  
  key concepts, themes and schools in the history of literary theory: mimesis,
  inspiration, reason and emotion, the self, the relation of literature to
  history, society, culture and ethics; feminism, poststructuralism,
  postcolonialism, queer theory;
  
  
  genres and movements in literary history: epic, tragedy, comedy, the novel;
  Romanticism, realism, modernism and postmodernism.
  
  
  Historical connections between theorists and theories are traced and the book
  is generously cross-referenced. With useful features such as key-point
  conclusions, fu