The Empirical Study of Literature and Literary Evaluation

It is explained why value judgments may be tolerated and analyzed in an empirical study of literature. The foundation of literary value judgments is anyhow based on an unavoidable inclusion of the reading subject, i.e., the factual reading process must be considered. Hence it follows that the theory of literary valuation must be constructed as a mixed system of descriptive and prescriptive sentences. Examples are provided to point out how, by this means, all aspects of analysis, which have been developed for criticism of norms and purpose strategy analysis, can be applicated productively for the theory of literary valuation. This includes likewise criticism of literary-didactical demands on the reader of literary texts. unknown unknown