Page 19 - DENG501_LITERARY_CRITICISM_AND_THEORIES

Unit 1: Aristotle: The Poetics—Introduction to the Author and the Text

Self-Assessment Notes
1. Choose the correct options:
(i) The relationship between criticism and creativity is as illusive as ............... .
(a) Tree and fruit (b) Hen and egg (c) Art and life
(ii) The critic of ............... is given independent place and it differs from all other kind of
criticism.
(a) Architecture (b) Gardening (c) Art and literature
(iii) The renowned Elizabethan playwright Ben Jonson is of the view that:
(a) Judge of poets is only the faculty of poets; and not of all poets, but the best.
(b) Not every critic is born a genius, but every genius is born a critic of art. He has within
himself the evidence of all rules.
(c) Both from Heaven derive their light; These born to judge, as well as those to write.
(iv) True criticism may be defined as:
(a) The corruption of a poet is the generation of a critic.
(b) The art of judging the merits and demerits of creative composition.
(c) The art of finding faults in creative composition.
(v) No critic can ever be a good critic unless:
(a) He possesses the artist's vision and has capability of artistic sensibility
(b) He vehemently lashes at the work of art.
(c) He glorifies the work of art.

1.6 Summary

“The book is of permanent value as a mere intellectual achievement ; as a store of information
about Greek literature ; and as an original or first-hand statement of what we may call the
classical view of artistic criticism. It does not regard poetry as a matter of unanalysed
inspiration : it makes no concession to personal whims or fashion or ennui. It tries by rational
methods to find out what is good in art and what makes it good, accepting the belief that
there is just as truly a good way, and many bad ways in poetry, as in morals or in playing
billiards. This is no place to try to sum up its main conclusions. But it is characteristic of the
classical view that Aristotle lays his greatest stress, first on the need for Unity in a work of
art, the need that each part should subserve the whole, while irrelevancies, however brilliant
in themselves should be cast away ; and. next, on the demand that great art must have for its
subject the great way of living. These judgments have often been misunderstood, but the
truth in them is profound and goes near to the heart of things. In short, ‘the Poetics’ is not only
the first thoroughly philosophical discussion of literature; but the foundation of all subsequent
discussions.

1.7 Key-Words
1. Komos : A festive procession with all kinds of ritual exhuberance.
2. Maenads : Feminine worshippers of the cult of Dionysus, who gathered in the woods outside
the city and did not allow any man to participate in the rituals.
3. Phallika : A ritual song-dance held during the rural festivals of Dionysus celebrating the
male organ.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 13