Literature against Philosophy, Plato to Derrida: A Defence of Poetry

This timely book argues that the institutionalisation of literary theory, particularly within American and British academic circles, has led to a sterility of thought which ignores the special character of literary art. Mark Edmundson traces the origins of this tendency to the ancient quarrel between philosophy and poetry, in which Plato took the side of philosophy; and he shows how the work of modern theorists - Foucault, Derrida, de Man and Bloom - exhibits similar drives to subsume poetic art into some ‘higher’ kind of thought. Challenging and controversial, this book should be read by all teachers of literature and of theory, and by anyone concerned about the future of institutionalised literary studies.

• Brilliant and original work by outstanding scholar • Incisive critique of the institutionalisation of literary theory, particularly within contemporary American academe • Essential reading for all teachers of literature and theory, and anyone concerned about the future of literary studies

Prologue: an ancient quarrel; 1. Rhetorics of blindness; 2. Polemics against presence; 3. Real history; 4. Foucault Inc.; 5. Under the influence.

‘By focusing on the condescension with which philosophy has, since Plato, treated poetry, Edmundson has given us a remarkably successful and genuinely original treatment of the relation between contemporary European philosophy and American literary criticism. Though he writes in a spirit of reconciliation, his view is bound to be controversial. Many literary theorists have no wish to be reconciled with the poets.’ Richard Rorty