Synopsis Literary criticism is a current activity practiced by modern writers or literary critics, who write about and analyze important works of fiction. Modern-day criticism may concern contemporary literature or it can be written about historical works of literature.

This work is a treating of the history of literary criticism. And in continuing a survey of the development of literary criticism in England beyond medieval times an attempt is here made in review the critical achievement at the Renascence by ‘stirring the mould about the root of the question’, the aim throughout being to arrive at the ideas of literature then current in England, as revealed in contemporary theorizing and judgment.