How did Harold Bloom defend the Western literary tradition in The Western Canon?

In his influential work The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages, Harold Bloom defended the Western literary tradition by championing the aesthetic and intellectual superiority of canonical authors, such as Shakespeare, Dante, Chaucer, and Cervantes.1

Bloom explicitly rejected the rise of multiculturalism in late 20th-century academia, characterizing it as a movement driven by resentment that promoted inferior work. He argued that the great authors of the Western tradition provide essential intellectual and spiritual value that transcends institutional belief or organized religion. According to Bloom, these foundational texts serve to "reform our minds," making them stronger and more vital by revealing truths that readers could not otherwise access.1

While his defense of the canon was celebrated by some for its passion, it also drew significant criticism. Detractors argued that his focus on a predominantly white, male list of authors marginalized other voices and that he advocated for their superiority too forcefully at the expense of broader, more inclusive literary perspectives.1