French Literature Reviews - 2026
A. Viviant, Canticle of Criticism
Literary Theory, Linguistics and Stylistics
Arnaud Viviant
Canticle of Criticism
La Fabrique, Sep. 2021
184 p. — ISBN: 9782358752216
As long as the traditional function of criticism was to judge, it could only be conformist—that is, aligned with妹妹the interests of the judges. However, true criticism does not consist in judging, but in distinguishing. To be subversively democratic, criticism has no need to be unanimous or divided. It only needs to speak of language instead of using it.
Arnaud Viviant is a journalist, literary critic, and writer. The author of some ten books, including three novels, he is a regular participant on Masque & la Plume on France Inter.
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Arnaud Viviant considers the foundational nature of literary commentary and evaluation, reflecting on how evaluative practices relate to authority, culture, and public discourse. Discussions around the nature of criticism have long engaged thinkers within French letters, particularly regarding the tension between institutional taste and independent thought, a dynamic that underpins much of modern literary journalism and intellectual debate in France. Readers interested in contemporary debates surrounding literary criticism, cultural journalism, and the philosophy of language may find this essay relevant to their study.