How to Judge Dead Geniuses

Publishing private correspondence can revive public debate over a deceased intellectual’s legacy, forcing institutions and readers to weigh major contributions against allegations of misconduct. The piece on Harold Bloom shows this tension: a newly released letters volume spotlights both his theory and troubling personal behaviour, prompting reassessment. — The debate shapes how universities, publishers, and the public preserve or repudiate canonical figures, with consequences for curricula, publishing projects, and collective memory.