The emergence of a new theory of literature in the German Romantic period constituted a decisive turning point in the history of criticism. A view of the literary work and the artistic process developed that diverged sharply from the dominant classicist understanding of aesthetics and poetics. It recognized the infinite changeablility of genres, and asserted the rights of genius and creative imagination. Professor Behler provides a new account of this crucial movement, illustrating each theoretical topic with close reference to a characteristic work by a major writer of the period.