| Pros | Cons | |------|------| | Extremely beginner-friendly and clear | No applied criticism / worked examples | | Covers all major Western schools from Plato to Poststructuralism | Oversimplifies difficult modern theories (Derrida, Foucault) | | Ideal for passing university exams (NET/SET/BA) | Neglects contemporary fields (Postcolonialism, Eco, Digital) | | Affordable and widely available in India | Mediocre print quality, occasional typos | | Good chapter summaries and Q&A sections | Dense prose with no illustrations or charts |
An Introduction to Literary Criticism by B. Prasad is not a great work of original scholarship. It will not make you a theorist. It will not impress a Ph.D. committee. However, it is arguably the on criticism ever written for the South Asian undergraduate. An Introduction To Literary Criticism By B Prasad
Throughout the book, Prasad emphasizes several recurring themes: | Pros | Cons | |------|------| | Extremely
: It begins with the "Greek Masters" (Plato and Aristotle) and "Roman Classicists," laying the groundwork for Western critical tradition. It will not impress a Ph
theories of impersonality, and the emergence of psychological and sociological approaches to a text. Core Themes The Function of Poetry: