ENG4U1 ONREVIEWHTTP://FEEDS.FEEDBURNER.COM/PRINCET ONREVIEW? Moral & Philosophical Criticism

Moral Criticism “The best poetry has a power of forming, sustaining, and delighting us, as nothing else can. … More and more mankind will discover that we have to turn to poetry to interpret life for us, to console us, to sustain us. Without poetry, our science will appear incomplete; and most of what now passes with us for religion and philosophy will be replaced by poetry.” - Matthew Arnold, “The Study of Poetry”

Literature An important source of moral guidance and spiritual inspiration A worthy substitute for religion  extreme position  in harmony with critical tradition

Moral Criticism Moral approach has the longest history. The importance of literature  not just its way of saying  but also what it says

Moral Criticism Critics who concentrate on the moral dimensions of literature often  judge literary works by their ethical teachings and by their effects on readers  Literature that is ethically sound and encourages virtue is praised.  Literature that misguides and corrupts is condemned.

Moral Criticism Plato  acknowledged literature’s power as a teacher by believing it capable of corrupting morals and undermining religion  Moralism  Utilitarianism

Moral Criticism Aristotle and Horace  considered literature capable of fostering virtue  Horace  Literature should be “delightful and instructive”

Moral Criticism Samuel Johnson  Function of literature  To teach morality  To probe philosophical issues

Moral Criticism Matthew Arnold  “The Study of Poetry”  Most important thing is the moral or philosophical teaching  Great literary work must possess “high seriousness”  literature (poetry) Important source of moral and spiritual inspiration Would probably replace philosophy and religion

Moral Criticism 20th century moral evaluation  Neo-Humanist  Originally American  Literature as a criticism of life  the study of the technique of literature is a study of means concerned with the ends of literature How it affects the reader

Moral Criticism 1940’s  “Death” of Neo-Humanism  Birth of Christian Humanism (Religious Humanism)  "a philosophy advocating the self- fulfillment of man within the framework of Christian principles.“ (Webster)  Most human beings have personal and social needs that can only be met by religion T.S. Eliot Edmund Fuller Hyatt Waggoner

Moral Criticism Attempts to extract literature from an ethical context are misguided and ultimately unsuccessful.  Faults New Criticism

Moral Criticism Moral approach has become less popular and influential during the last few decades. Why?  It could be due to  the excess of the critics  the deficiencies of the approach itself  the moral laxness of other critics  v-dz v-dz