本书由17章组成，以历时的概览和共时的细读相结合，梳理了西方古典文学理论发展的脉络，重点分析了柏拉图、亚里斯多德、贺拉斯、朗吉纳斯、锡德尼、约翰逊、黑格尔、康德、尼采等西方文学理论大家的文学理论观点，并将它们与现代西方文论结合起来。

本书以历时的概览和共时的细读相结合，梳理了西方古典文学理论发展的脉络，重点分析了柏拉图、亚里士多德、贺拉斯，朗基努斯、锡德尼、约翰逊、黑格尔、康德，尼采等西方文学理论大家的文学理论观点。其特色如下：

★力图将西方文学发展史与西方文艺理论发展史结合起采，以主线突出、点面结合，史论并重的形式，在总体框架中凸显文艺思潮演进的主流。

★凝聚作者多年的研究心得，理论上有所创新。对以往不受重视但延续了千余年的中世纪和文艺复兴时期的文论，作青有新的发掘和开拓；对过去似乎已有定见的古希腊和德国古典时期的文论，作音亦有新的闸释和评析。

★逻辑性与可读性强。多视角、全方位地勾勒出西方文艺理论的嬗变过程和演遄脉络。结构上具有哲学的思辨性和系统性，行文中又具有文学的形象性和具体性，他漫长而散乱的西方文艺理论史和文艺理论分析成为一个有机的整体。

Introduction

 1.What Is Theory of Art and Literature?

 2.The Importance of Learning Western Literary Theory

Chapter 1 Literary Theories in Ancient Greece

 1.Social Background

 2.The Literature of Ancient Greece

 3.The Literary Theories Before Plato and Aristotle

Chapter 2 Plato

 1.Life and Works

 2.Plato's Theory of Philosophy and Politics

 3.Theory of Literature and Art

 4.Plato's Influence

Chapter 3 Aristotle's Poetics

 1.Life and Works

 2.Literary Theories in Aristotle's Poetics

 3.Influence of Poetics to Western Criticism

Chapter 4 Literary Theories in Ancient Rome

 1.Social and Cultural Backgrounds

 2.Literature of Ancient Rome

 3.The Literary Theory in Ancient Rome

Chapter 5 Horace's Art of Poetry

 1.Life Career of Horace

 2.The Main Content of Art of Poetry

 3.The Influences of Horace

Chapter 6 Longinus' On the Sublime

 1.About the Author and the Text

 2.The Content of On the Sublime

 3.The Influence of On the Sublime

Chapter 7 Literary Theories of the Middle Ages

 1.Social and Cultural Backgrounds

 2.Literary Works in the Middle Ages

 3.Literary Theories in the Middle Ages

Chapter 8 Literary Theories of Renaissance

 1.A Brief Introduction to Renaissance

 2.Main Literary Theories of Italy during the Renaissance

 3.Literary Criticism in England during the Renaissance

Chapter 9 Philip Sidney's An Apology for Poetry

 1.Life of Philip Sidney

 2.The Reason of Writing An Apology for Poetry

 3.An Apology for Poetry

 4.Poet as the Maker and Feigner

 5.The Significance of Sidney's An Apology for Poetry

Chapter 10 Thomas Hobbes's "Answer to Davenant's Preface to Gondibert"

 1.Introduction to Thomas Hobbes and William Davenant

 2."Answer to Davenant'S Preface to Gondibert"

 3.Evaluation of Hobbes's Poetry Theory

Chapter 11 Literary Theories of the Enlightenment

 1.Literary Background of Enlightenment

 2.Literary Theories of France

 3.Literary Theories of England

Chapter 12 Samuel Johnson's "Preface to the Plays of William Shakespeare

 1.Life Career and Works of Samuel Johnson

 2.The Main Contents of Preface to the Plays of William Shakespeare

 3.Johnson's Influence and Reputation

Chapter 13 David Hnme and His Of the Standard of Taste

 1.Life, Works and Philosophy of David Hume

 2.Of the Standard of Taste

Chapter 14 German Literary Theory of Enlightenment and Neoclassical Period

 1.Social and Cultural Backgrounds

 2.General Features of Literature

 3.Literary Theories

Chapter 15 The Romantic Literary Theory

 1.The Background of Romanticism

 2.Literary Theory of Romanticism in Germany

 3.Romantic Literary Theory in Britain

Chapter 16 William Wordsworth and His Preface to Lyrical Ballads

 1.Life of Wordsworth

 2.Preface to Lyrical Ballads

 3.Comment on Wordsworth's Critical Theory

Chapter 17 Friedrich Nietzsche and His The Birth of Tragedy

 1.Life Career and Ideas of Nietzsche

 2.The Birth of Tragedy

 3.Evaluation of Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy

Ending Chapter

Bibliography