Structural stylistic essays

The various articles in the collection reviewed present an interrogation of the domain of stylistics and an attempt to objectify the methods of that field, bringing together facets of Riffaterre's views formerly accessible only in various journals. The points raised constantly provoke the reader to define his own position. The first part of the work is concerned with questions of principle, advancing guidelines for stylistic analysis and setting the basis for structural stylistics, and a methodology is proposed. The second presents direct applications of method, as in the analysis of cliche. A third part of the book condemns French structuralism, examines one of Malraux's works, and attacks the linguistic analysis of Baudelaire. One major defect of the book is the absence of a concluding chapter. J. McGuire