I.A. Richards

About the Author

I.A. Richards was a pioneering literary critic and educator whose innovative approaches to textual analysis revolutionized the study of literature in the twentieth century. Born in 1893, Richards emphasized the psychological dimensions of reading and interpretation, advocating for close reading techniques that stripped away preconceptions to engage directly with the text. His seminal works laid the groundwork for the New Criticism movement, influencing generations of scholars and teachers. As a professor at Cambridge University and later at Harvard, Richards championed practical methods for fostering critical judgment, blending linguistics, psychology, and aesthetics to deepen appreciation of poetry and prose. His enduring legacy continues to shape literary pedagogy worldwide.