Editing Kenneth Burke (section)

{{short description|American philosopher and literary critic (1897–1993)}}{{for|the Irish hurler|Kenneth Burke (hurler)}}
{{Infobox philosopher
| name         = Kenneth Burke
| birth_name   = Kenneth Duva Burke
| image        = Kenneth Burke.jpg
| birth_date   = {{birth-date|May 5, 1897}}
| birth_place  = [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date   = {{death-date and age|November 19, 1993|May 5, 1897}}
| death_place  = [[Andover, New Jersey]], U.S.
| institutions = [[University of Chicago]]
| occupation   = Literary theorist and philosopher
}}

'''Kenneth Duva Burke''' (May 5, 1897 – November 19, 1993) was an American [[literary theory|literary theorist]], as well as poet, essayist, and novelist, who wrote on 20th-century [[philosophy]], [[aesthetics]], [[criticism]], and [[rhetoric|rhetorical theory]].<ref>Richard Toye, ''Rhetoric: A Very Short Introduction''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013.</ref> As a literary theorist, Burke was best known for his analyses based on the [[nature of knowledge]]. Further, he was one of the first individuals to stray from more traditional [[rhetoric]] and view literature as "symbolic action."

Burke was unorthodox, concerning himself not only with literary texts, but also with the elements of the text that interacted with the audience: social, historical, political background, author biography, etc.<ref>"Kenneth Burke." ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/85395/Kenneth-Burke] Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013.</ref>

For his career, Burke has been praised by ''The Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism'' as "one of the most unorthodox, challenging, theoretically sophisticated American-born literary critics of the twentieth century." His work continues to be discussed by rhetoricians and philosophers.<ref>"Kenneth Burke." ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/85395/Kenneth-Burke] Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013.</ref>