What do you think?
Rate this book
O Caminho Crítico
This philosophic inquiry into fundamental problems of literature andsociety is an immensely important addition to the canon of one of America's mostoriginal and distinguished critics. What is the function of poetry? Of criticism? Inwhat sense does the poet "know"? What is the relationship between asociety and its art? Northrop Frye conducts us on an illuminating survey of theseand other broad philosophic issues and offers many incidental insights into specificcultural phenomena as well. Such matters as Marxist aesthetics, Renaissancehumanism, the relation of poetry to religion, the idea of progress, and thechallenge of our contemporary youth culture are among the dozen interesting topicsthat engage his attention along the way.
Mr. Frye identifies twopredominating ideologies in Western culture which he designates as the "myth ofconcern" and the "myth of freedom." A fully developed myth ofconcern, he writes, "compromises everything that it most concerns a society toknow." Its purpose is to hold society together, hence its deeply conservativecharacter. The "myth of freedom," on the other hand, embodies the"liberal" attitudes of objectivity and respect for the individual. Theauthor traces the relative importance of these two myths from Homeric Greece to thepresent, relating them to the types of art and government they foster, the roles ofthe poet and critic, and many other topics. The final thesis of the two myths: "To maintain a free and mature society we have to become aware of the tensionbetween concern and freedom, and the necessity of preserving themboth."
In relating literature to this dialect, Mr. Fryeranges through the entire history of Western philosophy and literature -- from Platoto Heidegger, from Sir Philip Sydney to Bob Dylan -- showing us that his inquiringmind has once again gone beyond the field of literature, narrowly conceived, intothe wider region of the history of ideas. He regards the artist and critic ingenerous terms -- as persons not insulated from society but involved in it in themost profound sense and so provides a unique study informed by intelligence, broadlearning, and grace and precision of style.
173 pages
First published January 1, 1971
5 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Northrop Frye
210 books306 followersBorn in Quebec but raised in New Brunswick, Frye studied at the University of Toronto and Victoria University. He was ordained to the ministry of the United Church of Canada and studied at Oxford before returning to UofT.
His first book, Fearful Symmetry, was published in 1947 to international acclaim. Until then, the prophetic poetry of William Blake had long been poorly understood, considered by some to be delusional ramblings. Frye found in it a system of metaphor derived from Paradise Lost and the Bible. His study of Blake's poetry was a major contribution. Moreover, Frye outlined an innovative manner of studying literature that was to deeply influence the study of literature in general. He was a major influence on, among others, Harold Bloom and Margaret Atwood.
In 1974-1975 Frye was the Norton professor at Harvard University.
Frye married Helen Kemp, an educator, editor and artist, in 1937. She died in Australia while accompanying Frye on a lecture tour. Two years after her death in 1986 he married Elizabeth Brown. He died in 1991 and was interred in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, Ontario. The Northrop Frye Centre at Victoria College at the University of Toronto was named in his honour.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop...
His first book, Fearful Symmetry, was published in 1947 to international acclaim. Until then, the prophetic poetry of William Blake had long been poorly understood, considered by some to be delusional ramblings. Frye found in it a system of metaphor derived from Paradise Lost and the Bible. His study of Blake's poetry was a major contribution. Moreover, Frye outlined an innovative manner of studying literature that was to deeply influence the study of literature in general. He was a major influence on, among others, Harold Bloom and Margaret Atwood.
In 1974-1975 Frye was the Norton professor at Harvard University.
Frye married Helen Kemp, an educator, editor and artist, in 1937. She died in Australia while accompanying Frye on a lecture tour. Two years after her death in 1986 he married Elizabeth Brown. He died in 1991 and was interred in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, Ontario. The Northrop Frye Centre at Victoria College at the University of Toronto was named in his honour.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 2, 2021
Worth the Effort for Examining Frye, Literary Criticism and/or the “Critical Path” - Northrop Frye’s “The Critical Path” openly addresses topics including the importance of literature to society, the responsibilities of critics, and the deeper rationales for studying literature.
Like two previous volumes from Frye talks at colleges or on radio (“The Well-Tempered Critic,” 1961 and “The Educated Imagination,” 1964), this book was compiled from lectures at Cornell, Indiana, California Berkley, and Duke Universities. As such it is somewhat more accessible or “friendly” than other Frye works such as “Anatomy of Criticism” that benefits from interpreters such as Robert Denham (see my review of Denham’s “Northrop Frye and Critical Method”).
Seven chapters (un-named) progress from a definition of the “critical path” (derived from business as in the most important tasks required for project or other success) as the use of literature in seeking a desired or idealized world. More specifically in Chapter 1 Frye discusses criticism as a theory of literature, recurring structural patterns and arriving at meaning. Chapter 2 deals with rise of conventions, genres, and archetypes of literature, development of language through fables and myths from oral to written resulting mythologies of concern (e.g. core beliefs, tradition, group survival) and freedom (e.g. evidence, verification, objectivity/judgement, tolerance, individual respect). Chapter 3 addresses the dialectic/tension between myths of concern and freedom, exchange in characteristics as society has progressed, defenses of poetry by Sidney and Shelly. Chapter 4 treats the conception of the prophetic poet and the function of poetry. Chapter 5 departs from historical survey to discuss the contemporary scene, social function of criticism, reinterpretation of myth against changing social context. Chapter 6 goes on to explore education in the myth of concern (via family and society) versus that of the myth of freedom (via schools and universities), alienation and recovery of the myth of concern. Finally, Chapter 7 examines the social contract, ideal/utopian literature, social coherence and freedom derived from the imaginative world along the critical path.
Some aspects of the “The Critical Path” that I found particularly interesting include Frye’s comments of his own “critical path” and his earlier work on William Blake. Then there is his acceptance of being called a “Jungian” critic due to the way he considers archetypes an essential aspect of literature. Later Frye refers to the clichés to be found in advertising and communication media. In light of these remarks it is fascinating to note his observations on Marshall McLuhan’s work particularly in that McLuhan’s book “From Cliché to Archetype” appeared around the same time (hardback late 1970, paperback 1971).
Another source for this work and reference for scholars is “The Critical Path and Other Writings on Critical Theory, 1963-1975” edited by Eva Kushner and Jean O'Grady from the Collects Works of Northrop Frye. This volume is more costly, but includes 27 articles and commentary (on them) from the central period of Frye’s career.
As all Frye books, there is much packed into this relatively small volume (176 pages) and it is well worth the effort for those interested in Frye, literary criticism and/or examining the “critical path.”
Like two previous volumes from Frye talks at colleges or on radio (“The Well-Tempered Critic,” 1961 and “The Educated Imagination,” 1964), this book was compiled from lectures at Cornell, Indiana, California Berkley, and Duke Universities. As such it is somewhat more accessible or “friendly” than other Frye works such as “Anatomy of Criticism” that benefits from interpreters such as Robert Denham (see my review of Denham’s “Northrop Frye and Critical Method”).
Seven chapters (un-named) progress from a definition of the “critical path” (derived from business as in the most important tasks required for project or other success) as the use of literature in seeking a desired or idealized world. More specifically in Chapter 1 Frye discusses criticism as a theory of literature, recurring structural patterns and arriving at meaning. Chapter 2 deals with rise of conventions, genres, and archetypes of literature, development of language through fables and myths from oral to written resulting mythologies of concern (e.g. core beliefs, tradition, group survival) and freedom (e.g. evidence, verification, objectivity/judgement, tolerance, individual respect). Chapter 3 addresses the dialectic/tension between myths of concern and freedom, exchange in characteristics as society has progressed, defenses of poetry by Sidney and Shelly. Chapter 4 treats the conception of the prophetic poet and the function of poetry. Chapter 5 departs from historical survey to discuss the contemporary scene, social function of criticism, reinterpretation of myth against changing social context. Chapter 6 goes on to explore education in the myth of concern (via family and society) versus that of the myth of freedom (via schools and universities), alienation and recovery of the myth of concern. Finally, Chapter 7 examines the social contract, ideal/utopian literature, social coherence and freedom derived from the imaginative world along the critical path.
Some aspects of the “The Critical Path” that I found particularly interesting include Frye’s comments of his own “critical path” and his earlier work on William Blake. Then there is his acceptance of being called a “Jungian” critic due to the way he considers archetypes an essential aspect of literature. Later Frye refers to the clichés to be found in advertising and communication media. In light of these remarks it is fascinating to note his observations on Marshall McLuhan’s work particularly in that McLuhan’s book “From Cliché to Archetype” appeared around the same time (hardback late 1970, paperback 1971).
Another source for this work and reference for scholars is “The Critical Path and Other Writings on Critical Theory, 1963-1975” edited by Eva Kushner and Jean O'Grady from the Collects Works of Northrop Frye. This volume is more costly, but includes 27 articles and commentary (on them) from the central period of Frye’s career.
As all Frye books, there is much packed into this relatively small volume (176 pages) and it is well worth the effort for those interested in Frye, literary criticism and/or examining the “critical path.”
January 15, 2023
Just to correct the misinformation above, Frye was Canadian--NOT American.
October 18, 2023
Essential.
February 7, 2024
Excellent introduction to Frye's thought and a primer on most of his deep concerns. While somewhat esoteric in places (but what lit crit isn't?), it was brief, but immersive.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews