The Development of Practical Criticism of Poetry From New Criticism to Deconstruction

The article deals with "practical criticism" as a starting point of Anglo-American critical literary studies of 20th century. New Critics created a consistent and understandable method of reading poetry what they called "close reading". New Criticism has given rise to a practical criticism based on close and careful reading similar to the method of textual analysis J. Derrida. When it comes to literature criticism, Deconstruction can be considered a transitional phase between exhausted itself formalism and its predecessors, the movements transferred to a broader social and cultural criticism. The American critics' consistent denial of New Criticism theoretical foundations began with the arrival of Deconstruction to USA and with the emergence of Yale school. Short-lived victory of form over content has forever changed poetry criticism. The method was a common vision of criticism from New Criticism to Deconstruction. Therefore an examination of broader perspective of history of literary criticism of 20th century is the productive approach to underline the strengths and weaknesses of "practical criticism".