Introduction 1
1．What Is Theory of Art and Literature? 1
2．The Importance of Learning Western Literary Theory 5
Chapter 1 Literary Theories In Ancient Greece 7
1．Social Background 7
2．The Literature of Ancient Greece 8
3．The Literary Theories Before Plato and Aristotle 12
Chapter 2 Plato 17
1．Life and Works 17
2．Plato's Theory of Philosophy and Politics 18
3．Theory of Literature and Art 21
4．Plato's Influence 31
Chapter 3 Aristotle's Poetics 33
1．Life and Works 33
2．Literary Theories in Aristotle's Poetics 34
3．Influence of Poetics to Western Criticism 44
Chapter 4 Literary Theories in Ancient Rome 47
1．Social and Cultural Backgrounds 47
2．Literature of Ancient Rome 49
3．The Literaiy Theory in Ancient Rome 51
Chapter 5 Horace's Art of Poetry 55
1．Life Career of Horace 55
2．The Main Content of Art of Poetry 56
3．The Influences of Horace 64
Chapter 6 Longinus' On the Sublime 67
1．About the Author and the Text 67
2．The Content of On the Sublime 68
3．The Influenee of On the Sublime 79
Chapter 7 Literary Theories of the Middle Ages 83
1．Social and Cultural Backgrounds 83
2．Literary Works in the Middle Ages 85
3．Literary Theories in the Middle Ages 86
Chapter 8 Literary Theories of Renaissance 95
1．A Brief Introduction to Renaissance 95
2．Main Literary Theories of Italy during the Renaissance 97
3．Literary Criticism in England during the Renaissance 109
Chapter 9 Philip Sidney's An Apology for Poetry 119
1．Life of Philip Sidney 119
2．The Reason of Writing An Apology for Poetry 120
3．An Apology for Poetry 122
4．Poet as the Maker and Feigner 125
5．The Significance of Sidney's An Apology for Poetry 128
Chapter 10 Thomas Hobbes's"Answer to Davenant's Preface to Gondibert" 131
1．Introduction to Thomas Hobbes and William Davenant 131
2．"Answer to Davenant's Preface to Gondibert" 133
3．Evaluation of Hobbes's Poetry Theory 140
Chapter 11 Literary Theories of the Enlightenment 143
1．Literary Background of Enlightenment 143
2．Literary Theories of France 145
3．Literary Theories of England 157
Chapter 12 Samuel Johnson's Preface to the Plays of William Shakespeare 183
1．Life Career and Works of Samuel Johnson 183
2．The Main Contents of Prefce to the Plays of William Shakespeare 184
3．Johnson's Influence and Reputation 192
Chapter 13 David Hume and His Of the Standard of Taste 195
1．Life,Works and Philosophy of David Hume 195
2．Of the Standard of Taste 196
Chapter 14 German Literary Theory of Enlightenment and Neoclassical Period 207
1．Social and Cultural Backgrounds 207
2．General Features of Literature 209
3．Literary Theories 211
Chapter 15 The Romantic Literary Theory 259
1．The Background of Romanticism 259
2．Literary Theory of Romanticism in Germany 261
3．Romantic Literary Theory in Britain 279
Chapter 16 William Wordsworth and His Preface to Lyrical Ballads 297
1．Life of Wordsworth 297
2．Preface to Lyrical Ballads 298
3．Comment on Wordsworth's Critical Theory 309
Chapter 17 Friedrich Nietzsche and His The Birth of Tragedy 311
1．Life Career and Ideas of Nietzsche 311
2．The Birth of Tragedy 314
3．Evaluation of Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy 329
Ending Chapter 333
Bibliography 337