Paul Fry (professor)

Paul Fry is a literary critic and professor of English at Yale University. He is known for his work on Romanticism, literary theory, and aesthetics.

Biography

Fry received his B.A. from Swarthmore College and his Ph.D. from Yale University. He joined the Yale faculty in 1973 and has been teaching there ever since. He has held numerous fellowships, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Work

Fry's scholarship is primarily focused on the Romantic period, particularly the works of William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron. He is also a significant figure in the field of literary theory, with contributions to discussions on deconstruction, psychoanalysis, and hermeneutics. His work often explores the relationship between literature, philosophy, and aesthetics.

Key Publications

• The Reach of Criticism: Method and Perception in Literary Theory (1983)
• Wordsworth and the Poetry of What We Are (1989)
• A Defense of Poetry: Being the Unofficial Argument Offered Therefor (1995)
• Against Essentialism: A Theory of Culture (2010)
• Age of Feeling: Romanticism and Aesthetic Experience, 1789-1830 (2023)

Influence

Fry's work has been influential in shaping the study of Romanticism and literary theory. His lectures and writings are known for their clarity, rigor, and intellectual depth. He has mentored many prominent scholars in the field.