POETRY EXPLICATION

Subtitled a ""checklist of interpretation since 1925 of British and American poems past and present"", this is a reference book for scholars and critics. As the authors explain in the foreword, ""explication"" is a form of literary criticism, currently highly regarded in certain circles. It does not attempt to relate the work criticized to influences, social background or development of the author, but merely to analyze the parts of a particular work, their relation to each other and their total effect. There seems to be a periodical devoted to this genre of criticism, and many of the articles derive from here. The book is the work of two members of the faculty of the University of New Mexico, and scholars, critics and students will find it useful.