A History of Literary Criticism in the Renaissance by Joel Elias Spingarn traces the development of literary theory during the Renaissance, with particular attention to the influence of Italy on the formation of modern classicism. It examines how scholars revived and reinterpreted classical doctrines of poetry and rhetoric.
The study illuminates the critical ideas that shaped European literature from the sixteenth century onward, including debates over imitation, genre, and the rules of art. It is a foundational work in the history of criticism. This free EPUB edition presents the complete text for readers of Renaissance literature and literary theory.