The Craft of Poetry: Dialogues on Minimal Interpretation

📘 Book Details

• Title: The Craft of Poetry: Dialogues on Minimal Interpretation

• Author: Derek Attridge & Henry Staten

• Publisher: Routledge

• Release Date: 24 April 2015

• Edition: 1st

• Language: English

• Number of Pages: 168

• ISBN: 978-113-885007-1

• Package Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches

📖 About The Book

The Craft of Poetry: Dialogues on Minimal Interpretation offers an innovative approach to poetry criticism called "dialogical poetics." Written by renowned scholars Derek Attridge and Henry Staten, this book presents a method where poetry readings are viewed not as fixed interpretations, but as dynamic and ongoing dialogues between readers.

In this highly readable text, the authors demonstrate how poetry should be read with the utmost respect for what the poem actually conveys — from its opening to its closing lines. This dialogue-focused analysis presents an inspiring perspective on how poetry should be approached. The book offers a fresh way of understanding poems by focusing on the text's literal meaning and minimal interpretation, avoiding overly complicated theories. Through the format of email exchanges between the authors, readers gain insights into the subtleties of poetry and how different interpretations can coexist.

The book explores key topics such as:

• Modernist Difficulty: The challenge of reading and understanding modernist poems.

• Historical and Intellectual Context: Understanding the influence of the poem's historical and cultural setting.

• The Role of Criticism: Reexamining the function of criticism in poetry.

• Translation: The complexities of translating poetic works.

The Craft of Poetry is ideal for both students and poetry enthusiasts who are eager to explore poetry beyond traditional academic approaches. The authors’ approach offers a practical, grounded way of analyzing poems that respects the integrity of the text while allowing space for multiple interpretations and perspectives.

This book not only appeals to those in academia but to anyone interested in understanding the true art of reading and interpreting poetry. It’s a valuable resource for anyone who wants to explore the depths of poetry without getting lost in overly complex jargon or convoluted theories.