Thursday, December 04, 2008

Thoughts on Literature (Harold Bloom)

A few thoughts by Harold Bloom to contemplate:

"I accept only three criteria for greatness in imaginative literature: aesthetic splendor, cognitive power, wisdom."

"Shakespeare may well stand here for the largest benign effect of the highest literature: properly appreciated, it can heal part of the violence that is built into every society whatsoever."

1 comment:

John said...

That reminds me of Fred's essay, "The Meaning of Value," the levels of which were tropic, economic, rational, moral and aesthetic.

He couldn't be more right about Shakespeare.