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After Theory
As heralded everywhere from NPR to the pages of the New York Times Magazine, a new era is underway in our colleges and universities: after a lengthy tenure, the dominance of postmodern theory has come to an end. In this timely and topical book, the legendary Terry Eagleton ("one of [our] best-known public intellectuals."-Boston Globe) traces the rise and fall of these idea...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
December 1st 2004
by Basic Books
(first published December 24th 2003)
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Notwithstanding the constraints that Eagleton's Marxist mores place upon the socio-cultural interpretation herein, this is lucidly expressed and soundly reasoned stuff, if a touch too diverse and unfocused. It's curious how much Eagleton's polemical tenor reminds me of the French intellectual Pascal Bruckner—of whom I've recently read—though the latter's political stances would only intermittently be in accord with those of the author; while Eagleton's reasoning about the reversed universal/part...more
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Do not expect a step by step debunking of the critical-theoritical dogma : as often with Eagleton, the overarching 'theme' of the book (here, the dominant conjecture of identity politics, cultural relativism and thinking-small know as post-modernism) is a mere excuse for the author's developing his own view, only lightly touching on what and why he finds himself to differ from the established pomo cannon.
If not for his analysis or even his critique, why, then, should one read this book, you may...more
If not for his analysis or even his critique, why, then, should one read this book, you may...more
I love about 90% of this book. Towards the middle to late middle he began to ramble a bit and his thinking is perhaps over-spiced with Aristotelian thought (which really isn't the worst thing in the world, I'd just prefer not to get it second hand for all that) and perhaps a little bit too redundant at times.
However- and this is a big however- most of the book is brilliant. He is well-versed in what he diagnoses and criticizes and he can illustrate his points with wonderful, clearly-wrought imag...more
Being a theorist – cultural, literary, or anything else – could be intimidating if you’re doing it after the impressively productive years of the ‘60s and ‘70s. These were the acme years of people like Habermas, Derrida, Bourdieu, Foucault, Lyotard, Rorty, Jameson, and several others who played a major role in completely reshaping what theory means inside and outside of academic discourse. In “After Theory,” Eagleton confronts a world where many of these people’s ideas, once considered controver...more
There is a lot to like about Eagleton. He is generally careful in his judgments and has fresh ideas that at times bother both the left and the right. He is an engaging and often witty Brit. I thought his chapters at the end about death and fanaticism had keen insights.
The one thing I didn't like was his treatment of America. Clearly he doesn't like us - or at least the 2003 Bush White House incarnation of us. That's fine - there's a lot not to like about us. What I mind is that he seems to leave...more
The one thing I didn't like was his treatment of America. Clearly he doesn't like us - or at least the 2003 Bush White House incarnation of us. That's fine - there's a lot not to like about us. What I mind is that he seems to leave...more
Having unfortunate to be in college during the "cultural critique" era of the 80's, I had lots of fun with but ultimately useless (except as good training for reading and writing and thinking) literary theories. Eagleton is a must read. As with all (post)collegiate life, one sheds these ideas as one dispose the mullet, the soul patch, and the MC Hammer pants. Here Eagleton brings the urgency of politics and chastise the culture vultures for having lost the original vision of the purpose of criti...more
Although I don't always agree with Terry Eagleton, this book was a great read. Eagleton's writing allows the everyman access to artistic theoretical views. Informative and humorous, Eagleton makes theory much less boring
Oct 16, 2008
Richard
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Amateur Philosophers/Literary Critics
Recommended to Richard by:
Dr Ording.
Eagleton takes on the previously verboten topic of ethical living in day to day for politically progressive left wing people. Believing that the good life is more than material satisfaction, but something best defined by living a life that allows one to flourish in a society that allows others to fulfill themselves as well.
Eagleton is reacting against Post-Modern and relativist scorn of morality, ideology, and clear thinking, "grand narratives."
So too, does Eagleton think America is overrun...more
Eagleton is reacting against Post-Modern and relativist scorn of morality, ideology, and clear thinking, "grand narratives."
So too, does Eagleton think America is overrun...more
After Theory, Eagleton’s cogent and often hilarious critique of postmodernism, in the end amounts to a post-postmodern defense, or, more accurately, re-assertion, of socialism. He traces the major strains of philosophic thought and literary theory down through the ages, rather like a gun barrel tracking a clay pigeon, and finally sets his sites on postmodernism in general and Cultural Studies in particular, which he then peppers with salvo after salvo of intellectual buckshot. His most damaging...more
What strikes me most is that Eagleton writes extensively on religion! Lately, he published a book which I couldn't find in Hong Kong -- Jesus Christ: The Gospels (Revolution). Eagleton reframed the four gospels in order to bring out a theme -- Jesus is a revolutionary at his time.
Back to After Theory, he touches on some core values of religion in general. One of the highlights, which I think we Christians should give a serious thought, is that "the religionists" cannot accept contingency. They H...more
Back to After Theory, he touches on some core values of religion in general. One of the highlights, which I think we Christians should give a serious thought, is that "the religionists" cannot accept contingency. They H...more
Terry Eagleton is an extraordinarily skilled close reader with great depth and breadth of knowledge and the unusual ability to write for the "general" (non-academic, non-specialist) reader without dumbing things down. "After Theory" is an excellent example of this.
Much more transparent than "Theory" itself -- but maybe, just for that reason, doesn't quite capture the mystifying power of what has become a hegemonic discourse (as a theorist might say...)
As usual, Eagleton is lively and provocative. Even if you disagree with some or much of what he argues--and it's almost impossible not to--After Theory is a valuable read.
I am not reviewing this because I read it before I joined GoodReads. My reading was recent enough that I am just comfortable enough to rate this book generally.
Eagleton can eat a bag of dicks. He has a martyr complex about being the "last living marxist". If you want to read a smart marxist, read Jameson. Yawn.
Este libro me introdujo a mi tiempo, y me hizo entender que mucho de lo que consideramos academia, realmente ha caído en el peligro de la especulación.
Jul 30, 2011
William West
added it
Eagleton can write, and the man is witty. I grant him those things. I just wish he knew what the fuck he was talking about... which he doesn't.
One of the most satisfying philosophy books I've read in a long time. Eagleton's critique of cultural theory, his construals of objectivity and morality, his defense of socialism and even his anti-US diatribes, are not merely clever and playful, but deeply humane.
Terry Eagleton tackles capitalism and postmodernism all the while positing some good ol' Marxism and even Aristotelian ethics and how it interacts with Marxism. His writing is humorous and light-hearted, readable for those not so savvy in terms of philosophy. He makes some questionable criticisms toward Derrida and Foucault but ultimately his judgments are spot on.
Great book for students of theory; Eagleton offers an astute synthesis of the "big metaphysical questions" that often go overlooked because of disciplinary boundaries....
Okay, I just finished this book. I was having a hard time getting through the last pages because Eagleton relies so heavily on theory, but then I got to the PostScript and it made the book worth it. Don't read this book if you're conservative, it will make your head spin. If you have even a moderately progressive bent to your po...more
Okay, I just finished this book. I was having a hard time getting through the last pages because Eagleton relies so heavily on theory, but then I got to the PostScript and it made the book worth it. Don't read this book if you're conservative, it will make your head spin. If you have even a moderately progressive bent to your po...more
This was my first Eagleton book and I appreciated it. Here he is writing about how his fellow critics have to get beyond postmodern lightweight concerns and start dealing with some meaty issues, like poverty, the fate of the earth, the impact of the form of capitalism that’s reigning supreme currently, etc. He wasn’t out to solve anything, just to offer a post-9/11 interesting, insightful and humorous discussion to direct the conversation. I liked it quite a bit, it was informative just to liste...more
I'm not sure if I should talk about what Eagleton wrote in this book - or how I felt reading it?
And I think it's just that kind of intellectual laziness that's affected (P)ostmodern writing for some time now - maybe from it's inception. I love how Eagleton love to quash our PoMo heros, while not totally throwing out the baby with the dishwater. Of course I don't agree with or like all of what was said here, but it was stated and argued beautifully, and I'm glad he's stoggy enough to say the thin...more
And I think it's just that kind of intellectual laziness that's affected (P)ostmodern writing for some time now - maybe from it's inception. I love how Eagleton love to quash our PoMo heros, while not totally throwing out the baby with the dishwater. Of course I don't agree with or like all of what was said here, but it was stated and argued beautifully, and I'm glad he's stoggy enough to say the thin...more
Here Eagleton takes us from the start of theory to where he thinks it should head. He points out where current critical theory falls short and states where it should go. Eagleton while being scathingly whitty argues that critical theory has become less aware of serious problems, I.E. poverty, while becoming more likely to write essays on American Idol. He promotes the notion that we need to realign our focus, to a more critical one, and change how we respond to virtue, suffering, death, politics...more
Amazing.
Eagleton certainly can be snarky, and he's often not as funny as he thinks. Also, the chapters are somewhat confusingly organized -- he rambles a fair bit and doesn't have as much to say about specific theorists as I would like. That said, he's a very intelligent writer and many of his general comments about postmodernism's intellectual bankruptcy and Marxism's continuing relevance are quite apt.
I really hated this book. I got halfway through, tried to read the rest about four times, and finally am adding it to my "abandoned" shelf. Eagleton's representations of postmodern theory are shallow, overly pessimistic, and often just plain wrong. Very disappointing considering his standing and his rather engaging writing style.
Eagleton's a good stylist, but often it feels like he's tilting at windmills... his critiques of "theory" would have been far more compelling if he'd actually linked the theoretical ideas he's criticizing to particular theorists. Still, he's probably right in arguing that "theory" fails to address a lot of Big Questions.
I found this book a great tonic. Very readable and filled with passion. Eagleton has some serious theoretical chops, but here he's trying to both make clear the stakes and also urge, in non-jargon, greater engagement with the world from our Postmoderns and our Left.
Postmodernism does not equal relativism.
Postmodernism does not equal relativism.
Don´t know if I should admit i´m reading this book or not. It´s good for an introduction into the work of critical literary theory, with some good ideas that i´m not up to criticizing right now.
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British literary critic
He is a British literary theorist widely regarded as Britain's most influential living literary critic.
Eagleton currently serves as Distinguished Professor of English Literature at the University of Lancaster, and as a Visiting Professor at the National University of Ireland, Galway.
Formerly Eagleton was Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxf...more
More about Terry Eagleton...
He is a British literary theorist widely regarded as Britain's most influential living literary critic.
Eagleton currently serves as Distinguished Professor of English Literature at the University of Lancaster, and as a Visiting Professor at the National University of Ireland, Galway.
Formerly Eagleton was Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxf...more
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