ABSTRACT

Paul de Man's work is key to the American deconstruction movement and to the so-called political turn in critical theory. Seventeen years after his death, his works continue to arouse violent reactions among critics. This book explains why de Man is such an important voice, detailing his critical position, exploring his intellectual and historical contexts, tracing the influence of his work and enabling readers to undertake independent study of his criticism.

chapter 1|18 pages

Literary language and misreading

chapter 2|18 pages

Rhetoric, reading and deconstruction

chapter 5|16 pages

Politics, philosophy and the figural

chapter 6|30 pages

Responsibility and authorship: De Man’s wartime journalism

De Man’s wart ime journal ism