Paul de Man: Deconstruction and the Critique of Aesthetic Ideology

by Christopher Norris

Paul de Man - literary critic, literary philosopher, American deconstructionist - changed the landscape of criticism through his rigorous theories and writings. Upon its original publication in 1988, Christopher Norris' book was the first full-length introduction to de Man, a reading that offers a much-needed corrective to the pattern of extreme antithetical response which marked the initial reception to de Man's writings.

Norris addresses de Man's relationship to philosophical thinking in the post-Kantian tradition, his concern with aesthetic ideology as a potent force of mystification within and beyond that tradition, and the vexed issue of de Man's politics. Norris brings out the marked shift of allegiance in de Man's thinking, from the thinly veiled conservative implications of the early essays to the engagement with Marx and Foucault on matters of language and politics in the late, posthumous writing. At each stage, Norris raises these questions through a detailed close reading of individual texts which will be welcomed by those who lack any specialised knowledge of de Man's work.

244 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1988

About the author

Christopher Norris is a British philosopher, literary critic, and scholar of deconstruction known for work on Jacques Derrida, continental philosophy, literary theory, and philosophy of science. After completing a doctorate in English at University College London, he pursued criticism and academic teaching before joining Cardiff University in 1991. He later became Distinguished Research Professor in the Cardiff School of English, Communication and Philosophy. Norris has also held visiting appointments at Berkeley, Dartmouth College, Aarhus University, and the City University of New York.