Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Literary criticism
(3,083 words)

1. Definition

Literary criticism is the practice of assessing all kinds of literature in order to give the reading public guidance regarding recent publications, based on contemporary aesthetic and cultural values. Literary criticism also scrutinizes canonized classical texts and considers aspects of literary life such as literary fashions and reading habits [3. 1–3]. With the appearance of periodical publications in the 17t…

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Heudecker, Sylvia, “Literary criticism”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 21 March 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_023445>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20190801



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