Edward Tomarken Libri

The study delves into Samuel Johnson's "Rasselas," highlighting its resistance to traditional critical methods across centuries. Edward Tomarken introduces a new approach, linking Johnson's earlier works to his later achievements in "Rasselas." He argues that Johnson's aesthetic navigates the boundary between literary and extra-literary elements, revealing a process of evolution in his writing. Tomarken also proposes a dialectical relationship between hermeneutics and structuralism, offering insights valuable to both Johnson scholars and those engaged in critical theory.

Focusing on the intersection of film and television, this book offers a detailed analysis of selected artistic works while incorporating the innovative perspectives of Ralph Cohen. It serves as a valuable resource for undergraduates and enthusiasts, blending theoretical insights with practical experience in the study of visual media.

Takes six major literary theorists and explores their work using examples from contemporary film and television. Each chapter is devoted to a single theorist and addresses three of their ideas in particular - a methodical approach that, coupled with the concrete and accessible illustrations, helps to strip away the obscurity that has built up around the discipline. The theorists discussed, representing the cultural critique of the period 1970-2000, are Clifford Geertz, Hayden White, Julia Kristeva, Homi K. Bhabha, Pierre Bourdieu and Martha Nussbaum. The diverse illustrations are taken from mainstream films and television programmes of the past two decades, and include The West Wing (1999), Spider-Man 2 (2004), Frozen (2013), and Twelve Years a Slave (2013). Providing a broad range of specific examples drawn from everyday life, they allow for sophisticated ideas to be quickly grasped, while demonstrating the enduring power of cultural theory to explain the world around us. Ideal for students of literature and cultural studies, this book will also be of interest to academics and general readers looking for a new way to approach the discipline, as well as a convincing reassertion of its value.