This book, Voices of Critique: Literary Thought from Antiquity to the 15th Century, offers a journey through the foundational ideas and figures that have shaped the landscape of literary criticism in the Western tradition. From the earliest poetic expressions of the 6th century BC to the dawn of Renaissance humanism, the chapters in this volume trace how literature was understood, judged, and valued across time.
This book does not aim to be exhaustive, but rather foundational—an accessible yet rigorous guide to the early stages of literary criticism. It is designed for students, scholars, and curious readers seeking to understand how literature has been read, questioned, and appreciated through the ages. The voices presented here speak across centuries, reminding us that the act of critique is as old as literature itself.
