Ariel by Sylvia Plath | Structure, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. "Ariel" is a collection of poems by Sylvia Plath, published posthumously in 1965. The title poem, "Ariel," is one of Plath's most famous works and is often interpreted as a powerful expression of transformation and liberation. The poem captures a moment of intense, almost ecstatic experience, as the speaker rides a horse named Ariel at dawn. The imagery is vivid and intense, with a sense of speed, freedom, and a merging with nature. The poem is known for its intense imagery and emotional depth, reflecting Plath's own struggles and her quest for identity and self-expression. The title "Ariel" has multiple connotations, including the name of the horse, the spirit Ariel from Shakespeare's "The Tempest," and the Hebrew word for "lion of God."

Plath's work often explores themes of death, rebirth, and the complexities of the self, and "Ariel" is no exception. The collection as a whole is considered one of her most significant contributions to literature, showcasing her unique voice and her mastery of poetic form. It should be noted that Sylvia Plath had a pet horse named Ariel. In this free verse poem, a speaker sheds her inner burdens on a morning horseback ride, becoming one with the natural force she feels in her horse and the landscape. The speaker's liberating but dangerous ride has often been read as a metaphor for writing, female empowerment, and/or psychological instability.

Structure of Ariel:

The poem is written in free verse, meaning it does not follow a strict rhyme scheme or meter. Instead, its structure is defined by its staccato lines, fragmented imagery, and rapid, breathless pace, which mirror the speaker's experience of riding a horse and the emotional and psychological transformation that accompanies it. The poem follows no strict order, but one can divide it into eleven stanzas. The first ten stanzas contain ten tercets (containing 3 lines each) while the last stanza contains a single line. This sudden change from the established form calls attention to the poem's conclusion—a conclusion that suggests both a gloriously violent ending and a new beginning. While the poem is not explicitly divided into sections, it can be seen as having a three-part structure. The poem begins in stillness ("Stasis in darkness") and quickly moves into motion, symbolizing a shift from inertia to action. In the second part, the speaker describes a merging with the horse and the natural world, suggesting a loss of self and a transcendence of boundaries.  The poem culminates in a moment of ecstatic, almost suicidal intensity, as the speaker becomes "the arrow" flying into the "cauldron of morning." The poet has used metaphor, simile, symbolism, imagery, alliteration, enjambment, juxtaposition, and repetition in the poem.

Summary of Ariel:

Lines 1-3

“Stasis in darkness.
Then the substanceless blue
Pour of tor and distances.”

The speaker describes her surroundings in the beginning lines. It is early morning and the darkness of night still lingers. As she looks into distance, she sees a “substanceless blue / Pour of tor and distances.” The craggy "tor[s]" (or rocky hills) seem to have become misty and immaterial, able to “pour” out in front of her. The imagery here suggests a blurry, dreamlike scene, and gives the impression that the speaker and the horse have moved from "stasis" to a rapid gallop. They were static a moment before, but now the horse is moving at a lightning speed. It should be noted that the speaker hasn’t mentioned a horse yet, but the imagery suggests rapid movement and the poem is about Ariel, the horse which may also allude to the spirit Ariel from Shakespeare’s The Tempest, or the biblical lion of God. The poem depicts a woman riding her horse in the countryside, at the very break of dawn. It details the ecstasy and personal transformation that occurs through the experience. The poet has used juxtaposition in the first stanza, expressing stasis and rapid movement in quick succession.

Lines 4-6

“God’s lioness,   

How one we grow,

Pivot of heels and knees!—The furrow”

The speaker describes the horse as ‘God’s lioness’, suggesting the strength and power of the horse; she is a fearful being. The horse is moving swiftly and the speaker is only able to see flashes of the horse’s movements. She sees the fast “Pivot of heels and knees!” And how Ariel propels her forward, deftly navigating the terrain. 

Lines 7-9

“Splits and passes, sister to   

The brown arc

Of the neck I cannot catch,”

The speaker compares the ‘furrow’ or the foot marks made by the horse on the ground as she runs swiftly to the brown arc (or the horse’s swiftly moving neck). They are like sisters moving together. The speaker also expresses her bewilderment as she finds it difficult to keep a hold on the ‘brown’ neck of the horse. The speaker feels as if she is losing the little control she had over the situation.

Lines 10-12

“Nigger-eye   

Berries cast dark   

Hooks—“

In these lines, the speaker suggests that darkness is diminishing. The horse is taking the speaker away from the darkness. Her mind is still affected by the darkness and its fear as she describes the dark ‘berries’ casting ‘hooks’ into her.

Lines 13-15

“Black sweet blood mouthfuls,   

Shadows.

Something else”

The speaker describes the black berries as ‘black sweet blood mouthfuls,’ offering a sense of dread and danger, as if something sinister is about to happen. This feeling matches with the fact that the speaker is riding a horse that is galloping swiftly, and she has little control over the horse. She sees ‘shadows’ and more flashes as she rides, and there is “Something else.” 

Lines 16-18

“Hauls me through air—

Thighs, hair;

Flakes from my heels.”

That something else is hauling her over the horse as if it is not her choice, she is forced to embark on this chaotic and somewhat terrifying ride on top of Ariel. She describes the power of Ariel as the horse is carrying her wherever it wants. She feels as if her own legs, thighs, hair, are falling like flakes from her heels, as if she is self-transforming into something else.

Lines 19-21

“White

Godiva, I unpeel—

Dead hands, dead stringencies.”

In these lines, the speaker brings contrast by describing herself as ‘white.’ She represents the opposite of darkness, that she has tasted in the dark blue berries. She alludes to herself to Godiva, a historical Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who rode naked on her horse, covered only by her long hair – through the streets of Coventry to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation that her husband, Leofric, imposed on his tenants. By doing so, she proved her loyalty to her husband and her generosity for the tenants. The speaker, amid the ride, can slough off things of no consequence –"dead hands, dead stringencies."  She is shedding the person that she has been and is becoming someone else. 

Lines 22-24

“And now I

Foam to wheat, a glitter of seas.   

The child’s cry”

The speaker views herself as the foam on wheat, as a sparkling of light on the ocean. She discerns a child's cry through a wall, but ignores it. The speaker begins to realize that this ride on Ariel is more than just an accidental brush with disaster; it is a wake-up call, an opportunity to change her way of life. She is changing from “Foam to wheat” and shedding her old self. She is becoming one with the landscape she is flying through. 

Lines 25-27

“Melts in the wall.   

And I

Am the arrow,”

The speaker ignores the child’s cry, her own existence is paramount to her, she is getting rid of her dark past. The child’s cry disappears out of her consciousness; she is part of nature with no need to dwell on the past. Like an arrow, she is speeding away from the darkness that is her past. Now, she is one with Ariel, the horse.

Lines 28-30

“The dew that flies

Suicidal, at one with the drive   

Into the red”

She compares herself to the dew that is quickly vanishing. She describes herself as ‘suicidal’ suggesting that she is ready and willing to forget or kill her past. The speaker, and her horse Ariel are one now, and they know where they are driving. She is no more afraid of the horse, or the ride, or the changes she has to go through, she is one with the horse now and she is confident of her destination. The speaker's suicidal impulse is paired with a sense of unity and purpose, creating a tension between destruction and transcendence.

Line 31

“Eye, the cauldron of morning.”

The speaker can see a new, intense, burning light at the end of her tunnel, and she, Ariel, is heading straight for it. This is where she will find her new life.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of American English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards! 

Sonnet: To the River Otter by Samuel Taylor Coleridge | Structure, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. "To the River Otter" is a sonnet written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a prominent English poet, literary critic, and philosopher of the Romantic era. The poem reflects Coleridge's deep connection to nature and his nostalgic longing for the landscapes of his youth. The River Otter, located in Devon, England, was personally significant to Coleridge, as it was near his childhood home. The speaker of the poem remains unnamed, but it is assumed that the poet is the speaker himself. In this poem, Coleridge reminisces about his childhood experiences by the River Otter, expressing a yearning to return to the innocence and simplicity of his youth. The imagery of the river, the stones, the willows, and the sand evoke a vivid picture of the natural world that left a lasting impression on him. The poem captures the Romantic ideal of finding solace and inspiration in nature, as well as the bittersweet nature of memory and the passage of time. The poem was possibly written in 1793 and was published in Sonnets from Various Artists in 1796.

Structure of To The River Otter:

Sonnet: To the River Otter is a fourteen line poem in a single stanza containing an Octave and a sestet joined by a volta. It follows traditional Petrarchan and Shakespearean sonnet. Coleridge adopted a rhyming scheme of ABBA ABBA for the octave and CDE CDE for the sestet. This division creates a clear separation between the octave, which introduces the theme (nostalgia for childhood and nature), and the sestet, which reflects on and resolves the emotional response to that theme. The volta, or thematic turn, occurs between the octave and the sestet. In this poem, the volta shifts from the vivid description of the river and childhood memories (octave) to the poet's emotional response and longing to relive those moments (sestet). The poem is written in iambic pentameter, a common meter for sonnets. Each line consists of five iambs (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable), giving the poem a rhythmic and musical quality. Coleridge uses vivid natural imagery (e.g., "wild Streamlet," "willows grey," "bedded sand") to evoke the beauty of the River Otter and its connection to his childhood. The tone is nostalgic and reflective, with a sense of longing for the innocence and joy of youth. Coleridge has used Apostrophe, Personification, Alliteration, Enjambment, Metaphor, and Hyperbole, in the poem.

Summary of Sonnet: To the River Otter:

Lines 1-4

“Dear native Brook! wild Streamlet of the West!
How many various-fated years have past,
What happy and what mournful hours, since last
I skimmed the smooth thin stone along thy breast,”

The speaker begins with an Apostrophe, directly addressing the River Otter, personifying it as a dear friend or companion, which emphasizes his emotional connection to the river. He says that numerous years have passed since he spent his time along the stream and made the lovely childhood memories. Now, he looks back and remembers the sweet memories. He used to walk there, and skim the “smooth thin stone along thy breast.” Here again, the poet uses personification,  comparing the river’s surface to someone’s chest. The river's surface is metaphorically described as a "breast," suggesting tenderness and intimacy. He’s been happy since then, he’s also been sorrowful since then, a statement that represents the broader nature of the long time that has passed. Alliteration has been used in the first line (wild Streamlet of the West) with repetition of ‘w’ sound. In the second line, Enjambment has been used to create a flowing, conversational tone, mirroring the movement of the river and the stream of memories. In the third line, Anaphora has been used with repetition of ‘what.’ He reminisces about the years that have passed since he last skipped stones across its surface, recalling both happy and sorrowful moments from his past.

Lines 5-8

“Numbering its light leaps! yet so deep imprest
Sink the sweet scenes of childhood, that mine eyes
I never shut amid the sunny ray,
But straight with all their tints thy waters rise,”

In these lines, the speaker happily remembers the old times when he used to stroll and watch the stones skip along the river’s surface. It was a good time in his life, marked by the sweetness of childhood. He was filled with youth then, and with all the aspirations a child holds in their mind and heart. The River Otter symbolizes childhood innocence, joy, and the passage of time. It serves as a conduit for the poet's memories and emotions.

Lines 9-4

“Thy crossing plank, thy marge with willows grey,
And bedded sand that veined with various dyes
Gleamed through thy bright transparence! On my way,
Visions of Childhood! oft have ye beguiled
Lone manhood's cares, yet waking fondest sighs:
Ah! that once more I were a careless Child!”

Coleridge describes the vivid and enduring memories of his childhood by the river. He recalls specific details, such as the "crossing plank," the "willows grey," and the "bedded sand" that gleamed through the water. These images are deeply imprinted in his mind, and they rise before his eyes whenever he thinks of the river.

The speaker reflects on how these childhood memories have comforted him in his adult life, often easing his cares and bringing fond sighs. However, the memories also evoke a deep yearning to return to the carefree days of his youth. The poem ends with an emotional exclamation: "Ah! that once more I were a careless Child!"—expressing his longing to relive the innocence and joy of childhood.
So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

The Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. Amitav Ghosh is a renowned Indian author known for his works of fiction and non-fiction that often explore themes of history, migration, identity, and the environment. Born on July 11, 1956, in Kolkata, India, Ghosh has gained international acclaim for his richly detailed narratives and profound storytelling. He won the 54th Jnanpith award in 2018, India's highest literary honor. Some of his most important works include The Glass Palace (2008), a historical novel that spans several generations and countries, focusing on the impact of colonialism in Burma, India, and Malaysia; The Ibis Trilogy, a series of historical novels set in the 19th century, which include Sea of Poppies (2008), River of Smoke (2011), and Flood of Fire (2015). The series explores the opium trade between India and China and its far-reaching consequences. The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable (2016) is a non-fiction work examining literature and history's role in understanding climate change.

The Shadow Lines (1988) is one of the most successful novels by Amitav Ghosh that delves into the complexities of memory, history, and the partition of India. The novel is set against significant historical events, including the Partition of India in 1947 and the communal riots in Calcutta and Dhaka in the 1960s. The story is narrated by an unnamed protagonist who reflects on his childhood and family history, particularly focusing on his cousin Tridib and their shared experiences. The narrative moves fluidly between different periods and locations, including Calcutta, London, and Dhaka, weaving together personal and collective histories. Ghosh's writing is characterized by its intricate structure and rich, evocative prose. The narrative shifts between different periods and perspectives, creating a mosaic of interconnected stories. This non-linear approach mirrors the fragmented nature of memory and history. The Shadow Lines has been widely acclaimed for its literary merit and depth of insight. It won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1989 and has been praised for its nuanced portrayal of historical events and their impact on individual lives.

Characters of The Shadow Lines:

The protagonist is an unnamed narrator, a young boy born and raised in Calcutta. He narrates the events of his early life, leaping back and forth in time. He adores his uncle, Tridib, and enjoys his stories about history and foreign places. His journey to understand the past, particularly the death of Tridib, drives much of the narrative. Tridib is the narrator’s uncle. He is a sensitive and worldly person. He is a dreamer and storyteller who profoundly shapes the narrator's worldview. As a child, he lived in London with the Price family while his father received medical care. He develops romantic feelings for May Price as they engage in an exchange of letters. Tridib's death during the 1964 communal riots in Dhaka becomes a pivotal event in the novel, symbolizing the fragility of human connections across borders. May Price is a family friend of Tridib and the narrator. She is a professional oboist with a British orchestra. She develops a close epistolary friendship with Tridib and eventually finds herself falling in love with him. She represents the intersection of cultures and the complexities of cross-cultural relationships. Her relationship with Tridib is both tender and tragic, reflecting the novel's themes of love and loss. Th'amma is the narrator's grandmother. Originally born in Dhaka, she becomes the headmistress of an all-girls school in Calcutta and moves there earlier in her life. She is respected within the community and by the narrator's family and is portrayed as patient and strong-willed. Her experiences during the Partition and her deep attachment to her ancestral home in Dhaka highlight the themes of displacement and belonging. She embodies the struggles of a generation caught between tradition and the upheavals of history. Ila is the narrator's cousin. The narrator is romantically interested in her from a young age and frequently feels hurt by her flippant treatment of him. When he inadvertently reveals his feelings, she expresses sympathy. She shows an inclination to be dishonest at times, fabricating stories that make her life seem more glamorous. She comes from a wealthier background than the narrator and, seemingly as a result, treats Indian places with casual boredom. Later in life, she shows a strong preference for Western culture, as she believes India is stifling her freedom. She marries Nick Price and stays with him even after he cheats on her with multiple women. Nick Price is the younger brother of May and a friend of the narrator's family, Nick is a somewhat enigmatic figure. He marries Ila, who treats him with reverence throughout the book. The narrator expresses jealousy and frustration towards him. It is later revealed that he is engaging in multiple affairs, though the marriage still continues. Mayadebi is Tridib's mother and Th'amma's sister. She is described as decisive and strong. Shaheb is Tridib's father. He is characterized as being thoroughly Europeanized in a way that the narrator's grandmother finds distasteful. She repeatedly describes him as useless. Jethamoshai is Th'amma's uncle. She describes his efforts to care for her family in her youth. She travels to Dhaka to "rescue" him, only to cause his death at the hands of a violent mob. Robi is Tridib's younger brother. He is a more practical and grounded character compared to Tridib.

Summary of The Shadow Lines:

The story is divided into two parts. The first part is titled ‘Going Away’ and it begins in London in the early 1980s. The unnamed narrator recounts a series of stories and memories to his cousin Ila and his uncle Robi. The stories and memories belong to the narrator; his uncle Tridib; and his grandmother, Tha'mma. He describes Tridib's various habits, including his somewhat distant manner with other people and frequent visits to a tea stand in Gole Park. He informs that in 1902, Tha’mma’s father and her uncle Jethamosai alienated and began practicing their feudal duties (Jamindari) separately in Dhaka, British India. The two split their huge house and farm in two parts and raised a wall between them. The two families stopped talking to each other. Tha’mma’s younger sister Mayadebi got married to Saheb who was the son of Justice Chandrashekhar Chaudhuri, a friend of Mayadebi’s father. After their marriages, Tha’mma and Mayadebi lost all contacts with Jethamoshai’s family. Tha’mma becomes a reputed teacher and she actively takes part in processions against the British India government. The narrator’s father was still a child during that period. Saheb becomes a wealthy diplomat of British India. In 1939, he falls ill and it is advised that he must go to London for better medical treatment. When Mrs. Price, the daughter of Lionel Treswason, a British friend of Tha’mma’s and Saheb’s fathers, came to know about Saheb’s illness, she invited him to her home in London. Tridib was nine years old when he accompanied Saheb and Mayadebi to London while his elder brother Jatin stayed in Dhaka. Tridib comes close to Snipe, Mrs. Price’s husband, and he was hugely inspired by Alan Treswason, Mrs. Price’s brother. In 1940, during World War II, a bomb hit killing Alan and his friends. After that, Saheb and his family return to Dhaka. After Partition in 1947, Tha’mma’s and Mayadebi’s family moved to Calcutta.

In India, Mayadebi gives birth to her third child, Robi, while Tha’mma’s son also marries and his wife gives birth to their son, the narrator. Jatin also marries and becomes the father of a daughter named Ila. Mrs. Price, whose daughter May was an infant when Tridib was in London, has a son named Nick. Ila's parents are wealthy, and she spends her childhood traveling around the world for her father's work. The narrator, on the other hand, never gets far outside of Calcutta. Instead, he spends his time listening to Tridib tell stories about London and other faraway lands. Tridib teaches the narrator to use his imagination and explains that the world in one's imagination can be just as real as the outside world. Meanwhile, Jatin moves to London with his family where he lives with the Price Family. Ila gets enamored with Nick, son of Mrs. Price. They often visit India and Tha’mma is not happy as she finds that Ila is too much westernized. She wears western clothes, smokes and drinks alcohol. In 1959, May Price begins writing letters to Tridib and they develop a romantic relationship. Meanwhile, Ila develops a relationship with Nick whom she loves. The narrator describes a time when Ila, Robi, and the narrator were all back in Calcutta from their respective colleges, and Ila came to visit, wearing blue jeans and asking to go out to a club. Robi is hesitant, but Ila calls him a hypocrite, as he drinks when he is at school. They go to a club with music and a burlesque show. Robi wants to leave and Ila tries to dance with some businessmen, but Robi violently intervenes. Upset and angry, Ila screams at the narrator and Robi, saying she is only free when she is not in Calcutta. The narrator informed Tha’mma about the incident and she got very upset and never spoke to Ila again. The day before she dies, she sends a seething letter to his school saying that he should be expelled for visiting brothels. He finds her letter particularly disturbing as he did in fact go to those places, and had no idea how she knew. Since his childhood, the narrator fantasizes about Ila. After graduation, the narrator visits Mrs. Price’s house in London. Ila flippantly comments that life means very little outside of London and Europe at large, which angers the narrator. They have dinner at the Prices' home and May reveals that Nick lost his job because he was accused of embezzlement. The narrator and Ila go upstairs to sleep and he inadvertently reveals his feelings for her. She expresses sympathy, but prefers Nick over him.

The second part is titled ‘Coming Home’.

Tha’mma retires as a respected head teacher of her institute and struggles against the boredom of retirement. After settling in Calcutta, she never visited Dhaka, her birthplace, again. Now she begins missing her childhood memories. She informs the narrator about her childhood and their huge house in Dhaka and how their family split apart. One day while taking a walk, she meets an elderly man who informs her that her uncle Jethamosai is still alive in Dhaka. The narrator’s father feels nervous and uncomfortable when Tha’mma expresses her strong will to visit Dhaka and rescue her uncle. Meanwhile, Tridib continues his pen friendship with May. In a letter, he recounts how he saw a couple having sex in a home with a hole in it. She is upset by the letter but also feels overcome with emotion for him.

During the same time, Saheb gets a promotion and is transferred to the Indian embassy in Dhaka. When the narrator’s father informs Thamma about this, she decides to go to Dhaka with Saheb and Mayadebi. In London, Ila decides to marry Nick and the narrator feels heartbroken. During their wedding, Tridib drinks alcohol and under its effect he tries sexual advances on May who resists. The next morning, Tridib apologizes and May forgives him. After a few years, the narrator meets Ila at a concert at St Martin's-in-the-Field. Ila is too disturbed and begins crying. The narrator tries to comfort her and asks what happened. Ila informs that Nick has been cheating on her and he has many extramarital affairs. However, she insists that she will continue the marriage because she truly loves him.

Tha’mma prepares to leave for Dhaka with Tridib, Roni, and their parents. The narrator informs that it was the last time he saw Tridib. He then recounts his memories of riots. One day, when he was at school, he heard gunshots and a roar of the mob. In Dhaka, Tha’mma notices that everything has changed. Their old huge house is dilapidated now and has been turned into a bike mechanic shop. When she inquires about Jethamoshai, she comes to know that he is still living. A mechanic named Saiffudin takes her, Tridib, and May to Jethamoshai’s current address. Tha’mma is shocked after seeing Jethamoshai and her cousin in such poor condition. Jethamoshai is too old and cannot remember anything. He fails to recognize Tha’mma. Tha’mma asks her cousin to come with her and live a better life. While her cousin is willing, Jethamoshai refuses to go with them. Somehow they trick him to get into their car. Soon they leave his home, but at the same time, a riot breaks out and they encounter a violent mob standing by a fire. During their struggle against the mob, Tridib gets murdered.

The narrator recounts the violent riots in Dhaka and Calcutta during that period and how both the governments of the two nations tried to ignore the suffering of common people. He informs how the death of Tridib affected the whole family. Once Ila took the narrator and Roni to a faux Indian restaurant in London, and the owner asked them about Dhaka. Robi storms out when the owner starts praising a certain neighborhood, as it is where his brother Tridib was murdered. Outside the restaurant, he then tells the narrator and Ila that he has a recurring nightmare about the scene. One night when the narrator was having dinner with May, he asked her about Tridib’s death. She informed that when they were trying to take Tha’mma’s uncle to Saheb’s house, they were trapped by the violent mob. The mob asked them to leave Jethamoshai and they wished to kill him. Tha’mma intervened and tried to protect him. Tridib stepped in to save Tha’mma and was killed in the process.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of Indian English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards.

R.P. Blackmur | A Critic’s Job of Work | Summary, Analysis

 

R.P. Blackmur | A Critic’s Job of Work | Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. R.P. Blackmur was an American literary critic and poet particularly associated with the New Criticism movement. His full name is Richard Palmer Blackmur. He taught creative writing and English literature at Princeton University, New Jersey, USA.

In 1935, Blackmur published his first significant work titled The Double Agent: Essays in Craft and Elucidation. He analyzed works of various poets including E. E. Cummings, Ezra Pound, and Wallace Stevens. He emphasized the importance of understanding the craft behind literary works, advocating for a close reading of texts. In 1952, Blackmur published the collection of all his previously published essays and some new ones in the book Language as Gesture. It is a pivotal work that delves into the intricate relationship between language and poetry. In his essays, Blackmur advocates for a close reading of texts, encouraging readers to appreciate the nuances of language. He critiques simplistic interpretations of poetry, arguing for a more sophisticated understanding that considers the context and subtext of literary works.

One of the essays in Language as Gesture is A Critic’s Job of Work which is a fascinating exploration of the role and responsibilities of a critic in the literary world. Blackmur, as a New Critic, emphasizes that a text should be viewed as an autonomous whole, that is, the text is complete in itself. He argues against seeking meaning outside the text, advocating for a close reading that focuses on the words and structure within. He believes that criticism is a serious endeavor that requires thoroughness and dedication. A critic's job is not merely to summarize or interpret but to engage deeply with the work, illuminating its complexities without doing the reader's work for them. Throughout his essays, Blackmur is particularly concerned with the nuances of language. He believes that understanding the precise use of words is crucial to grasping the essence of a literary piece. The effectiveness of criticism, according to Blackmur, often lies in the technique employed in analyzing examples. He stresses the importance of how examples are handled to convey deeper meanings.

According to Blackmur, a critic’s job is to judge a writer’s work objectively independent of any attention of the author or reader. A critic should not think about what feelings the text would evoke in the reader or what was the author’s intention. A true critic objectively judges the text, he explores the internal properties of the text such as symbols, irony, paradoxes, and ambiguity, and finds out the meaning. Blackmur distinguishes an amateur critic, a person who is learning how to critique, and a professional critic. An amateur critic is not an expert. This kind of critic works not for money but for their interest to pass criticism. They are not giving constructive criticism. Such critics are independent of any kind of influence. Contrary to this, professional critics are experts and they work for certain institutions and are confined by the propagation of their school of thought. Blackmur suggests that an amateur critic is better than a professional critic. The new critics are fresh with ideas and they do not stick with the established norms. He supports amateur critics because they are independent of any kind of influence or biases. Whereas a professional critic is already an expert and has an established way of working, confined by his school of thought and feelings and they are going to critic in the same way. Professional critic attaches themselves to a particular doctrine and murders their insight. According to him, a critic must reduce his intense purpose. If the critical purpose is narrowed down during criticism, the result appears beautiful. When a critic tries to criticize a work on a purpose, that he is determined to show certain aspects of his own school of thought in the given text, then he won’t be able to unbiasedly analyze the text. However, if he decides to analyze the text with a free mind, giving up all his predetermined notions, he will be able to actually analyze the good and bad points of the text. If a critic analyzes a work with the intent to praise it, irrespective of its quality, he will deliberately ignore the weaker points and that is not constructive criticism. Blackmur says that an amateur critic uses his honest intuitive power to analyze a work while a professional critic uses his predetermined or set intensive purpose to analyze the same text.

“Like walking, criticism is a pretty nearly universal art; both require a constant intricate shifting and catching of balance; neither can be questioned much in process; and few perform either really well. For either a new terrain is fatiguing and awkward, and in our day most men prefer paved walks and some form of rapid transport, some easy theory or overmastering dogma.” (R.P.Blackmur, “A Critic’s Job of Work”)

Blackmur compares walking with criticism because he considers both the ‘arts’ of a similar kind that call for attention to detail and utmost care. He suggests that professional critics prefer tried and tested approaches for much the same reason as ‘walkers’ would look for paved walks and rapid transport. A professional critic would not try to do something unique while criticizing a work just like people who walk, they try to look for a paved path to ease their movement.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss literary theory and literary criticism. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards.