Doing Criticism: Across Literary and Screen Arts

Doing Criticism: Across Literary and Screen Arts is a practical guide to writing criticism across the literary arts, dramatic arts, and narrative screen arts, providing specific advice on how to best write criticism while offering concrete illustrations of what it looks like on the page. It discusses how the bridging of the literary arts and screen arts can help criticism flourish in the present day, illustrates how the doing of criticism is a particular kind of writing, considers how to generalize the consequences of criticism beyond personal growth and gratification, and addresses the ways the practice of criticism matters to the practice of the critical object. It features case studies organized under the rubrics of conversation, adaptation, genre, authorship, and seriality and is an ideal text for students in introductory courses in criticism, literary studies, and film studies, as well as general readers with interest in the subject.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 28 April 2022
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Doing Criticism: Across Literary and Screen Arts is a comprehensive and accessible guide to writing criticism across various artistic mediums, including literature, drama, and the narrative screen arts. It not only provides practical insights and techniques for engaging with critical objects but also makes a compelling case for the importance of criticism in today's world.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part offers an up-to-date account of the state of criticism in both Anglo-American and Continental contexts, exploring its longstanding mission and evolving functions over centuries. It also addresses critical issues that bridge the literary and screen arts in the contemporary world, such as the representation of gender, race, and identity in media.

The second part of the book features a diverse range of case studies of criticism across media, encompassing works by canonical authors such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and W. B. Yeats, as well as films like Coppola's The Conversation and Hitchcock's Vertigo, screen adaptations of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day, and a concluding chapter on several of Spike Lee's film joints. These case studies provide concrete examples of how criticism can be applied to different artistic mediums and offer insights into the critical approaches employed by various critics.

One of the key strengths of Doing Criticism: Across Literary and Screen Arts is its emphasis on helping students of literature and cinema write well about what they find in their reading and viewing. The book discusses how the bridging of the literary arts and screen arts can contribute to the flourishing of criticism in the present day. It illustrates how the doing of criticism is a practical and creative process that involves close analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of artistic works.

By providing a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to criticism, Doing Criticism: Across Literary and Screen Arts offers valuable insights for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of artistic expression and the role of criticism in shaping our understanding and appreciation of the arts. Whether you are a student, scholar, or simply a passionate reader or viewer, this book will enhance your critical thinking skills and deepen your engagement with the world of art.

Weight: 472g
Dimension: 228 x 152 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781405177795