New Criticism

A mid-20th-century school of literary criticism that emphasizes close reading and formal analysis of texts independent of authorial intent, historical context, or biography. Its classroom utility contributed to its dominance in American academia, and its rise and fall was intertwined with McCarthy-era anti-communist politics.

Claims that use this term

• New Criticism’s classroom utility explains its hegemonic dominance
• New Criticism’s rise and fall tracked McCarthy-era anti-communism