This book offers one professor's critical observations and constructive suggestions on the teaching of foreign literatures, specifically French, which is his métier. The condition of humane studies, and their risk of being degraded to the status of poor relations to the sciences, are a continuing source of disquiet. Thus, the descriptions and disclosures of what went wrong in the past are meant to encourage, demonstrating by contrast the improvements in the organization of studies that have been made. With one exception, the pieces in Part Two, Commentaries & Discussions, are exercises in how to introduce literary topics within the official lecture 'hour' of fifty minutes.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

With the erudition that has distinguished his lifelong study of literary criticism, Wellek considers the trends, theories, and quarrels of recent years. He continues to insist that criticism--whether written by structuralists, phenomenologists, Marxists, or the New Critics--makes judgments and also takes into account "a common humanity that makes all art accessible to us." He also considers the relationship between literature and linguistics and the difficulty of constructing evolutionary models for literary history. Originally published in 1982. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

Surprisingly, there are few book-length studies available that approach the poems in Charles Baudelaireís collection on an individual basis. Understanding "Les Fleurs du Mal" fills this gap by providing students and serious readers with clear, scholarly "explications" to many of the most widely read of Baudelaire's poems.

This book of linked essays contains the first critical study of Baudelaire's development as a poet, from his youth onward. It also includes studies of the development of Baudelaire's aesthetic, detailed commentaries on a number of his finest poems, and accounts of three intriguing and crucial "encounters" with notable contemporaries. Three of the essays are previously unpublished and four very recent; the other eleven have been thoroughly updated, revised, and, in some cases, substantially expanded. Together, they constitute a new and important contribution to the understanding and appreciation of Baudelaire's work.