Addressing his views on poetry and his mistrust of the poets.
For students and enthusiasts of English literature, navigating the vast ocean of "how" and "why" we read can be overwhelming. B. Prasad’s An Introduction to Literary Criticism
The book is divided into several chapters, each focusing on a specific aspect of literary criticism. It begins with an introduction to the basics of literary criticism, followed by discussions on various critical approaches, such as historical, biographical, psychological, and sociological criticism. The book also explores literary theories, including New Criticism, Structuralism, Post-Structuralism, and Postcolonialism.
Before analyzing the book, we must understand the author. B. Prasad (often referred to as Dr. B. Prasad) is a celebrated Indian academic and author of several popular textbooks, including A Background to the Study of English Literature and An Introduction to English Criticism . His primary audience has always been the non-native English speaker—students for whom English is a second or third language.
As indicated in academic frameworks, understanding literary criticism is vital for: An Introduction To Literary Criticism By B Prasad
: It discusses both the strengths and limitations of different critical approaches, encouraging readers to develop their own analytical standards. Final Verdict
Focuses on his theory of Mimesis (imitation) and his famous charge against poets for being "twice removed from reality."
: Prasad provides clear explanations of the "glasses" through which we can view a text: New Criticism
A book's table of contents is often the best indicator of its scope and methodology. Prasad’s work is known for its logical, progressive structure. The book is divided into two major parts, which trace the historical development of criticism from its classical origins to the modern age. The following is a detailed breakdown of the chapters: Addressing his views on poetry and his mistrust of the poets
Like his criticism text, this book has been widely adopted in university syllabi, often prescribed alongside An Introduction to English Criticism . It provides students with the necessary historical and cultural framework to appreciate the literature they study, and like its companion, it has been revised and reprinted multiple times, including a 3rd edition and a reprint as recently as 2025.
B. Prasad structures the text chronologically to trace the evolution of critical thought. The book divides the history of literary criticism into distinct phases, focusing primarily on British traditions while anchoring them in classical Greek and Roman foundations. It is widely praised for its clear language, structured summaries, and textbook-style approach to dense philosophical concepts. Classical Foundations: The Greek and Roman Origins
Review of Ars Poetica and the Roman emphasis on craft, decorum, and the dual purpose of literature to teach and delight. 2. The Renaissance and Neo-Classical Periods
The book is meticulously organized by literary movements and ages, from the Greeks and Romans to the Romantics and Moderns. This chronological approach makes it far easier for students to understand how ideas evolved and reacted to one another over centuries. Prasad’s An Introduction to Literary Criticism The book
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The text concludes with the high-seriousness of , who viewed poetry as a "criticism of life," and moves into the influential modernist perspectives of T.S. Eliot . Eliot's concepts of "Impersonality" and the "Objective Correlative" are broken down into digestible explanations. 3. Why B. Prasad Remains Relevant
The final chapter of the historical survey brings readers into the 20th century, an "age of interrogation" marked by a radical break from tradition. Prasad introduces students to the revolutionary ideas of T.S. Eliot , whose concept of the "impersonal theory of poetry" and the role of "tradition" in an artist's work changed criticism forever. He also introduces I.A. Richards and Practical Criticism , a method that encouraged students to focus solely on "the words on the page," setting aside preconceived biographical or historical contexts. This paved the way for the formalist approaches (including the New Criticism) that would dominate the mid-20th century.