Final answer:
Harold Bloom in 'The Western Canon' champions the traditional Western literary canon and the principal works within it, endorsing their perpetuation based on artistic merit, while critiquing the broadening of the canon.
Step-by-step explanation:
In The Western Canon, Harold Bloom argues for the value and significance of the traditional Western literary canon, which consists of what he believes to be the most important and influential works in Western literature. Bloom critiques the expansion of the canon to include a wider range of authors and literatures, expressing concern that this inclusivity may dilute the canon's quality and focus. He suggests that certain works have withstood the test of time due to their inherent artistic merit, and while he acknowledges that the canon has been influenced by factors such as an author's fame or societal acceptance, he contends that the core of the canon should remain based on literary quality.