Abstract
F. R. Leavis's critical practice has been habitually and conveniently labeled as anti-theoretical. His debate with Rene Wellek in the 1930s on "literature vs. philosophy" was a proof to his aversion to rigid theory and abstraction. Leavis maintained that literary criticism in practice should engage itself with elements such as human nature, life, morality and reality, which led to the labeling of him as a "practical critic." What Leavis was against in the so-called "anti-theory" is essentially the routinization, dogmatism and abstraction in literary criticism practice, and Leavis held up to the empirical tradition of literary criticism, emphasizing on literariness as an inherent value of literature and on literary autonomy. His conservative stance per se is of theoretical value. However, Leavis's theoretical construction is, to a large extent, ignored or underrated. Leavis had attempted to theorize or philosophize some fundamental issues such as criticism's nature, standards, functions and the existence of literary meaning. His criticism was conscious exploration into literary theory under his "anti-theoretical" gesture.
First Page
130
Last Page
136
Recommended Citation
Meng, Xiangchun. 2015. "Anti-Theory and Theory: A Study of F. R. Leavis's Concept of Criticism." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 35, (5): pp.130-136. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol35/iss5/3
