T. S. Eliot is always considered as the pioneering father and founder of the New Criticism. This paper compares the similarities and differences of T. S. Eliot's relevant theories with those of the New Criticism from two aspects: their viewpoints of the literary works and those of the reader. It concludes that though they share the same belief in the importance of the literary works, the New Criticism is good at the subtle analysis of one text and another. However, Eliot recognizes the reader's function in the appreciation of the works which New Criticism totally objects to, and their responses should be properly considered in the criticism of the works.
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