Literary Criticism (Classical, Western) Course Instructor: Raj Thakur

CLASSSICAL LITERARY CRITICISM ‘a critic is an ideal reader’ Our English word “criticism” comes from the ancient Greek noun krites, meaning to “judge.” Theoria (Theory): contemplation and speculation in Greek thought Literary criticism helps us to understand what is important about the text its structure its context: social, economic, historical what is written how the text manipulates the reader "The life which is unexamined is not worth living.“ (Socrates) The classical period is usually said to end in 323 BC with the death of Alexander the Great. After this is the “Hellenistic” period, witnessing the diffusion of Greek culture

Background: Classical Literary Criticism existed as far back as 4th century B.C. Plato and Aristotle from Greece and Horace and Longinus from Rome- core of classical criticism in ancient time. Classical Works: Plato’s Republic Aristotle: Poetics and Rhetoric Horace: Ars Poetica (Art of Poetry) Longinus: “On the Sublime”

The Classical concept of Mimesis One of the oldest theories of art Mimemata (the basic nature of poetry, painting, sculpture ,music, dance and thetare) to Mimesis Complexity of the term Mimesis, commonly called the theory of ‘Imitation’: mimema (imitation), eikon (image), homoioma (likeness) Mimetic (criticism seeks to see how well a work accords with the real world (is it accurate? correct? moral? ) and Expressive Theory (subjective and personal) of art/liture.

Theoretical takes on the Theory of Mimesis/ Imitation: Plato, the great disciple of Socrates, was the first critic who examined poetry as a part of his moral philosophy. Plato: Ideal vis- a- vis Real, Idea, Ideal State and Ideal Justice Poetry’s falsity: “man made dreams produced for those who are awake”- “Immitation of Immitation”, “shadow of shadows” twice removed from the truth. “Truth value” > pleasure principle of art/ literature

Aristotle- Poetics Aristotle: Stagirite Philosopher and Peripatetic school of thought. Poetics: Answer to Plato’s poetic revulsion – developing in to theory of tragedy- Poet- Greek verb poiein,to make. Develops ‘Imitation’ beyond truth and flase (Platonic idea) dichotomy towards the aesthetic realm. Art differs from each other in terms of : Medium, Object and Manner of Imitation Division of Poetry/Forms of Expression: Purely Narrative(Dithyrambic and Lyrical) Purely Imitative/ Mimetic (Drama) Combines both (Epic) Transforms Mimesis (Imitation) to Mathesis (Undersatnding). Understanding and Pleasure, Representation, appearance and becoming

Aristotelian Tragedy Tragedy imitates ‘action’ (praxis), ‘character’ (ethos) and ‘thought’(dianoia), unlike comedy the actions are serious and unlike epic they are rendered in dramatic form. Constituent Parts of tragedy: Plot (muthos), Character (ethos), Verbal Expression(lexis),Thought or Reasoning (dianoia), Spectacle (opsis) and Song Writing (melos) Medium of tragic mimesis: (verbal expression and songwriting), the Mode: single (dramatic) and the Objects are three: (action, character and intellect)

Action and Plot Tragedy comprises of ordering of (particular) actions (both physical and mental) Tragedy thus fashions a single action out of multitude of acts > such a sequence of action represent the Plot (muthos) of the play Plot- “soul of the tragedy”. Aesthetic beauty for Aristotle was thus a matter of size and order Principle of ‘wholeness’: Plot must be single with beginning, middle and end Aristotelian Unities: Unity of Action, Time and Place.

Simple and Complex Plot Aristotle prefers Complex Plot over Simple Plot The difference lies in use of reversal (peripeteia) and recognition (anagnorisis) peripeteia and anagnorisis facilitate the element of ‘surprise’ in tragedy Textual Example: Oedipus Rex by Sophocles Medea by Ruripedes

Hamartia and Katharsis- “beauty of failure” Hamartia- ‘tragic flaw’, internal flaw in the subject a failure, fault, error of judgment, guilt and sin Contesting cliams as ‘flaw’, better perceived as ‘ignorance’ and ‘in-betweenness’ of the act Beauty of failure- link between peripeteia and anagnorisis Katharsis: origin in orgiastic music and Dionysian cult therapeutic byproduct of tragic process, pity and fear Trans. as purgation, purification and purification

Longinus : On the Sublime “Art is perfect when it seems to be nature, and nature hits the mark when she contains the hidden art within her” Longinus: Greek teacher of rhetoric (1st-3rd century A.D circa) Major concern: effect of good writing Sublime: Art of poetic expression ,elevated or excellent style, “consummate excellence in expression” elevated and lofty language Need for Sublime: Decay in oratory Absence of personal freedom or freedom of speech. As a consequence it became too pompous and unnatural

Sublimity in Literature Prior to Longinus, the function of poetry-instruct, delight or both and if it was prose- to persuade Longinus transformed this idea: Not instruct, delight or persuade but to ‘transport’, capacity to move reader to ecstasy caused by the irresistible magic of speech. Sublime thus excites, moves, elevates and transports Door way to Romanticism and Transcendentalism

Sources of Sublime Revolves around the concern whether sublime is innate or can it be taught? Major Sources: Grandeur of Thought (gift of nature) – “the echo of great soul” Capacity for Strong Emotion (gift of nature) – True emotion in right place, challenge to Plato’s notion of “traffics in virtual” Appropriate use of Figures (gift of art)-origin in oratory and rhetorical question, hyberbation and periphrasis Nobility of Diction (gift of art)- appropriate use of words and figures of speech Dignity of Composition (gift of art)- fine blend of thought, emotion and figure , if scattered sublimity loosens