University of Virginia Library

Quarterly Isolates Universal 'Essence'

By CHUCK REEDY

Delving perceptively
through the muddles of
literature, the University's New
Literary History is
revolutionary in its approach
to a timeless subject.

In the three year old
publication, literary topics are
examined in their essence by
noted intellectuals.

Edited by Ralph Cohen, of
the University English
Department, the Literary
History is significantly
different from the traditional
approach to literary criticism.

Most literary histories study
works of one author in relation
to the period of time in which
he lived.

The significance of the
emotional, philosophical, or
amusing aspects of a literary
work is judged in relation to
the historically conceived view
of an author's contemporaries,
and the way in which his work
affects them.

It is understandably
difficult to determine the exact
feelings of an Elizabethan, for
example, and reproduce his
reactions to, or interpretations
of Shakespeare's plays. The
Literary Historian ca,
however, strive to reproduce
some of the flavor of any one
period, and interpret the works
of the period in that light.

Dr. Cohen's approach to
Literary History is on a much
higher intellectual plane, and
yet at the same time is
completely revolutionary. The
journal reviews literature with
the intent of drawing out an
"essence" that is inherent in
man, and reveals itself through
the pen.

To call this characteristic an
essence is an abuse of its
nature, because it is
multi-faceted and has so many
implications. It presents many
truths and valuable lessons to
all generations, and hence, has
a sort of timelessness.

Clues are found in language,
or perhaps in the difference of
what writing a sonnet means
to one author as opposed to
another. This nature dees
description save by those
intellectuals of the highest
magnitude, whose literary
contributions fill the pages of
the journal.

These intellectuals come
from all over the world, and
submit their articles in
response to Mr. Cohen's
announcement of a theme for
an upcoming issue. It takes two
years from the announcement
of a theme to the journal's
appearance in copy.

Eighteen scholars from
American and European
universities act as an advisory

board who receive and forward
articles under consideration to
Mr. Cohen and his staff at the
University. He prints only
those articles which embody
the fresh, new innovations in
approach and discussion of
Literary History that the
journal boasts.

It is a unique publication,
recognized as the only one of
its kind, and it politely refers
contributers who do not
measure up to its standards to
the multitude of more
traditionalist literary
publications.

Volume II, 1971, of the
New Literary History, best
conveys its approach: "The
journal has come to be
identified with certain features
unusual in a scholarly
periodical: each issue examines
a theoretical problem which,
while specifically literary, has
ramifications or analogues in
other disciplines."

Every issue has a
commentator in a field other
than literature who uses the
same tools of research and
dissertation in his profession as
the contributers in the issue of
the journal. For example, a
sociologist might critique an
issue whose theme and articles
concerned some aspect' of
man's social behavior as
portrayed in important literary
works.

Themes for each issue, as
mentioned, are chosen by Mr.
Cohen. He looks for areas in
which he sees a need for
intellectual discussion and
enlightenment, or responds to
others who express a desire to
see a particular theme that
they find troubling discussed.

New Literary History has
become quite a success. A
seemingly endless list of noted
international intellectuals have
sung the praises of the journal,
and its is used as a textbook in