Resistance to theory is discussed in a famous essay by Paul De Man,
bearingthe same title. Commentary, useful ones, I mean , to De man's essay
are to be found in William Ray's. 'Paul De Man: the irony of
deconstruction/ the deconstruction of irony, in Ray's Literary Meaning:
FromPhenomenology to Deconstruction. The book is dated 1984. Worth reading,
indeed.
You cannot dismiss critical theory once it is universally understood that
theory starts from a pragmatic consideration about literature as such (that
is, the Sartrian dilemma: What is Literature?'
As for the neo-Platonic idea, as being emanation theory ante literam, see
Yeats distinction between dancer and dance. Which can be read, with proper
alertness to the poet's use of metaphorical language. How can we
distinguish the rules and theoretical discourses on poetic language from
the poets using it? In each poet there is a substantial imprinting of that
very tree swaying in the un, emanating its powers to each leave. Do I
agree? With huge reservations. With a sense of aesthetic nausea.
erminia
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