Literary Encyclopedia

Northrop Frye

  • Darrell Dobson (University of Toronto)

Northrop Frye (1912-1991), Canadian, was an influential literary critic and scholar. Frye’s major works include Fearful Symmetry (1947), a study of William Blake; Anatomy of Criticism(1957), where Frye defines and describes his literary theories; The Educated Imagination (1963), a discussion of the social role of art intended for a general audience; and The Great Code (1982) and Words with Power (1990), in which Frye applies his literary theories to The Bible.

In Anatomy of Criticism (1957), Frye seeks to establish literary criticism as a discipline independent of other fields of inquiry, with its own critical principles, rather than accepting the practice of

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First published 18 May 2005

Citation: Dobson, Darrell. "Northrop Frye". The Literary Encyclopedia. 18 May 2005

[http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1648, accessed 30 July 2010.]

 

Life, Works and Times

Dates:

  • 1912 to 1991 (Life Span)
  • 1932 to 1947 (Activity Span)

Places:

  • Canada (Birth)
  • Canada (Primary Activity)

Activities:

  • Cultural Theorist/ Critic (Primary)
  • Literary Critic/ Historian (Primary)
  • Literary Theorist (Primary)
  • Clergyman (Other)
  • Teacher/ Professor (Other)