introduction to criticism

8/10/2019 Introduction to Criticism

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Much have I travelled in the realms of gold,

And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;

Round many western islands have I been

Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.

Oft of one wide expanse had I been told

That deep-browed Homer ruled as his demesne;

Yet did I never breathe its pure serene

Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:

Then felt I like some watcher in the skies

When a new planet swims into his ken;

Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes

He stardat the Pacific and all his menLookdat each other with a wild surmise

Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

John Keats (1795-1821)

On First Looking into Chapmans Homer


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Literary works, like Keatsrealm of gold, are

like exotic places we love to visit.

Whether one travels alone or with a

companion, there is always romance invoyaging through strange lands.

To maximize the benefits of these journeys,it is a good idea to travel with anexperienced tourist guide.


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Let me be your tourist guide.

A tourist guide will tell you what you shouldlook for.

A tourist guide will provide you a plan (i.e., amap, an itinerary).

A tourist guide will make sure you have asatisfying, rewarding trip.


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Literary theory and criticism is no different

from the tourist trade in that it brings orderand organization to our experience of theplaces we love to visit, in this sense, literaryworks.

It brings us to focus our attention on therelevant areas.

It allows us to make sense of what we see.


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Critical theories are like the different travelagencies through which the various tour

guides generally work.

Different agencies feature different kinds of

tours.One agency specializes in cultural tours.

Another specializes in historical tours.

Others in cultural and artistic tours. Still some others in religious and spiritual

tours.


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To be a good tourist guide, you need not

only have spent time with yourspecialization but also to have some clearidea of the kinds of tours available.

You must be able to combine and adapt.

In the field of critical theory you must,

therefore, have an understanding of variouscritical theories and practices.


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Is thereone correct

interpretation of a

literary work?


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Just as there

is NO one

best place to

view this

breath-taking

watch tower,

so there is

NO one best

reading of a

literary work.


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Endorsing variety,

however, doesnt

mean that all

opinions are equal.

Just because we

marvel at the

watch tower from

the viewpoints, we

need not also agreethat all vantage

points are

satisfying to all.


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Some vantage

points are

arguably better

than others.

But then:

a. Better for

what?

b. Better for

whom?


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I personally

prefer to be

overwhelmedby the

panoramic

view of the

watch tower.

You may want

to be

impressed by

the skillfullydevised

skyscrapers in

the Metro.


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In matters

of taste,(let there be)no dispute.

introduction to criticism

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