Who among the following published a series of essays titled The New Criticism?

Correct option is A

John Crowe Ransom, an American literary critic, poet, and essayist, published a series of essays titled The New Criticism in 1941. This work laid the foundation for the formalist movement in literary theory, which later came to be known as "New Criticism." Ransom's approach advocated for close reading of texts and the idea that the meaning of a literary work resides within its structure, free from historical, biographical, or authorial contexts. The New Criticism emphasized a focus on the text itself, examining its form, language, and the internal dynamics of meaning.
Information Booster:
1. New Criticism became a dominant approach in the study of literature in the mid-20th century, especially in the United States. It encouraged rigorous analysis of the structure and meaning of texts.
2. Close reading, a key tenet of New Criticism, focuses on detailed, line-by-line interpretation of a text without considering outside factors like author biography or historical context.
3. John Crowe Ransom was part of a group of Southern literary critics known as the Southern Agrarians, who contributed significantly to American literary theory.
4. Formalism was central to New Criticism, as it considered the form of a work—its structure, rhythm, imagery, and language—to be the key to its meaning.
5. New Critics often rejected the Intentional Fallacy, the idea that a text’s meaning is determined by the author's intent, and the Affective Fallacy, which refers to relying on the reader’s emotional response to a text.
6. New Criticism influenced the way literature was taught, especially in American universities, focusing on close textual analysis rather than historical or sociological contexts.
Additional Information:
· B. William K. Wimsatt Jr.: Along with Monroe C. Beardsley, Wimsatt co-authored influential essays such as The Intentional Fallacy and The Affective Fallacy, which became cornerstones of New Criticism. However, he did not publish The New Criticism.
· C. Monroe C. Beardsley: He collaborated with Wimsatt in developing key New Criticism theories, particularly concerning the role of the reader and author in interpretation. Beardsley, though important to the movement, did not publish The New Criticism.
· D. Allen Tate: Another prominent figure associated with New Criticism, Allen Tate was a poet and essayist who contributed to the movement. However, like Wimsatt and Beardsley, he did not publish the work titled The New Criticism.