Chicago school/critics (Neo-Aristotelians)

A group of critics associated with the University of Chicago. They brought out an anthology of critical works CRITICS AND CRITICISM. Ancient modern edited by RS Crane (1952). Important members of the group are:-

 R S Crane

Elder Olson

Richard Mckeon

Norman Maclean

Bernard Weinberg

They critiqued some of the features of new criticism and suggested an alternative formalistic method inspired by Aristotle’s POETICS. They advocated that a literary text must be realized on the basis of its textual and generic intension. While new critics focused on literary language, Neo-Aristotelians stressed the “artistic whole” which is the outcome of a well-balanced plot, character and thought. Following Aristotle, they also hinted at the mimetic, didactic, and affective domain of literature.