HI!Everyone.I Neha Bhatla the creator of this blog extend a warm welcome to all of you .It's just a little effort to boost up the interactive and literary communicative skills of the members.You are welcome to put any point for discussion and we can have a debate over it.All the best to all the members.Our motto is " We make things possible"!God bless all!!!
Along with kids contribution in form of creative writing, we are also going to include common topics of English literature, with a point of view, that they cater to the needs of students who are doing their M.A. in English privately or correspondence.Even if anyone wants to contribute any piece of creative writing i.e poetry,short story,any form of article are most welcome.Wishing you all good luck!and blessings of the Almighty!
The whole splendid history of English literature from Anglo-Saxon times to the close of the Victorian Era,has three specific aims.Firstly,to create or encourage in every child the desire to read the best books and to know literature itself rather than what has been written about literature.The second is to interpret literature both personally and historically,that is,to show how a great book generally reflects not only the author's life and thought but also the spirit of the age and the ideals of the nation's history.Thirdly the study of successive period,shows how our literature has gradually developed from simple songs and stories to its present complexity in prose and poetry.
Various Ages in history of English literature 1.Chaucer to Shakespeare. 2.Jacobean to Restoration Periods. 3.Augustan Age '18th century. 4.Romantic Period. 5.Victorian Period. 6.Modern Period. 7.Contemporary Period.
"Modern" is a term applied to literature since the year 1914 i.e World war1.This period or century was one of the outstanding period in English and American literature.All te major literary genres outshined n this year.The famous poets of this age include-W.B.Yeats,T.S.Eliot,Virginia Woolf,E.M.Foster,Joyce,D.H.Lawerence,the dramatist-G.B.Shaw,Samuel Beckett,I.A.Richards,F.R.Leavis,Lionel Trilling and the new American Critics.
How did society influence the literature of Modern Period?
!.Rural england came to an end and the country moved towards urbanisation. 2.New psychological theories crept in.Freud emphasized that human beings are not so rational as they are supposed to be,their conduct is not guided and controlled by the conscious,rather it is at the mercy of the forces lying buried deep within unconscious. 3.Modern psychology doesnt consider man to be rational in his behaviour. 4.On the other side the rise of scientific spirit and rationalism led to questioning of accepted social beliefs ,conventions and traditions.In matters of religion it gave rise to scepticism and agnoticism. 5.Victorian taboos on sexuality aro no longer operative.Woman has come to her own and the notion of mate superiority has suffered a serious blow. 6.It was an era of revolt against authority. 7.POlitical and religious sceptisim,general disillusionment,cynicism,irony etc,have become the order of the day. 8.Despite the revival efforts of christianity even in the orthodox forms,as in the works of T.S Eliot and Graham Greene,the 20th century under the impact of science and rationalism has witnessed a gradual weakening of religious faith. 9.The first World War resulted in thee search for a :system: or :pattern" in politics and economy.Consequently Marxism and concept of economic planning emerged. 10.It was a period of diminishing of cultural continuity rather than of cultural vigour.
1.New discoveries in psychology ,social and economic fields ,etc have brought about a revolution in critical methods with the result that modern criticism is quite different from criticism in the 19th century.Modern Critics like I.A. Richards,F.R.Leavis,William Empson,have provided entirely new interpretations of old writers,and presented them in an entirely new light. 2.However at the turn there were 2 traditions-Mathew Arnold's and Walter Pater's .Earlier ones emphasised intellectual,abstract or scientific criticism and the latter consisted of aesthetic,impressionistic criticism.
*T.S.Eliot once remarked that we seem still to be living in the critical tradition of Arnold.Pater on the other side,has been a source of inspiration for the "Bloomsbury group"of critics,as E.M.Forster,Virginia Woolf,Clive Bell.
According to these critics,the enjoyment of art and the appreciation of beauty is the greatest good of human life,and art,therefore,must be Freud from the shackles of morality.Their criticism is IMPRESSIONISTIC,they assess a work of literature on the basis of pleasure that it affords them.
4.Literary criticism is the result of work of eminent scholars so its of academic category.Chief scholar critics of the age are A.C.Bradley,Oliver Elton,W.B.Ker.
5.The literary scholars who carry the task of textual emendation are-Furness,Dover Wilson,Gregg.
6.After World War1,English insularity was broken and ideas and influences from Europe began to flow in and affect the courses of literay criticism in England.First,there was the influence of Marx and his concept of class struggle.For example David Daiches in his book Society and Literature shows how economic trends are reflected in literature.
9.There was the influence of expressionism in poetry.Expressionism refers to spontaneously putting in the form of poetry vivid picture continously arising in the mind.
10.Expressionistic writing is given by Italian critic Benedetto Croce.This type of writing is bound to be broken and fragmentary in keeping with the fragmentary and chaotic nature of the vague sensation fleeting through the consciousness of the poet.
11.Closely associated with Expressionism is Surrealism a French theory given by Herbert Read .Surrealism attributes artistic creation of dreams and the influence of spirits who inspire the artist with his forms and images.
12.English criticism is strengthened by the teachings of modern psychology,especially those of Freud,Jung and Bergson.Freud believed that art is a sublimated expression of neurosis.Psychological theories were used for an analysis and interpretations of past writerts and their works.Thus Hamlet has been interpreted in the light of Freud's theory of the Oedipus complex.The motives and processes that lead to a particular work of art were studied and thus new dimensions were added to literary criticism.
13.The impact of literature on the mind of the reader is sought to be explained in Psychological terms.!I.A.Richards is the most outstanding of the critics of the psychological school.According ,to him the pleasure of literature arises from the fact that it brings about a healthy equilibrium between the instincts and impulses of the readers.
14.After the World War II,the most potent single influence was that of the :"New Critics".Its now mainly an American Movement.Its chief exponents in America are T.S.Eliot,I.A.Richards,F.R.Levis,Wiliam Empson etc.
15.The New critics are opposed to the biographical,historical,sociological and comparative approach of conventional criticism.All such considerations are regarded as extrinsic and irrelevant and a work of art is judged solely on its own merits.
The twentieth century poesy is a mixture of modern and traditional values.It is a poetry of revolt against tradition and as such there is much in it that it is experimental.It's described by Roy Campbell as,"an epidemic of intellectual and emotional diarrhoea".The poet turns away from the decadent romantic tradition.This revolt is best exemplified in the poetry of T.S.Eliot.The poet sees life in its naked realism,and even the most prostatic and commonplace subjects are considered suitable.After the war,poems appear in an ever increasing number on the destructive means of warfare.The imagery and vocabulary of the modern poet reflects the influence of rationality of science.Realism in subject matter has led the modern poet to reject the highly ornate and artificial poetic style of the romantics in favour of a language which resembles closely the language of everyday life.Modern poetry is a blend of colloquial diction,speech rhythms and prosaic words.For the modern poet nature is a box of toys which delights his heart and which is very dear to him.A deep feeling of love and joy in nature is a prominent characteristic of such poets as W.H Davis,Walter De La Mare,Edmund Blunden.But the modern poet doesnt spiritualise nature ,like Wordsworth,nor does he intellectualise her,like Shelley.Rather,he is content to render her through these and his rendering of her is remarkable for its realism,and precision in detail,nor does the modern poet love nature alone,he also loves and feels for the lower animals living in the laps of nature.He is moved by heir sufferings and makes a forceful plea for a more humane treatment of the dumb creation.Indeed ,humanitarianism-a deepened sense of pity for the poor and the suffering -is a leading characteristic of Modern poetry.Davidson and Masefield ,etc,are other poets who take pains to glorify and reveal the heroism of the mean ,obscure ,and squalid existence of the have -nots.
The new poetry is realistic and the poet's consciousness of the grim realities of life has shattered all illusions and romantic dreams.The pessimism of the modern poet is more piognant and heart rending as it arises out of the ocontemplation of the stark realities of life,and there is nothing sentimental about it.Eliot regars man as "hollow"and "stuffed".The Crazy-jane poems of W.B.Yeats,"human sorrow becomes an elemental passion,profound,eternal and burning like a flame."As a matter of fact ,the modern poet sees life as a whole,wants to face it squarely,and has no wish to escape from it into the world of fantasy.He looks at life without the spectacle of romance,and paints it as he finds it in all its ugliness,and in all its misery and headache.Nor has he lost his capacity for laughter.Even in the works of pesimism of most of the poets,we find wit,satire,humour,grim jests and jokes.The influence of science and spirit of rationalism not mean that religion is no longer a source of inspiration in the new poetry.In T.S.Eliot and Francis Thompson we find a revival of Christian mysticism.The Everlasting Mercy has a religious theme and there are many devotional lyrics scattered all over his works.Even today there are mystical poets in the tradition of Blake and Wordsworth.Thus D.H.Lawerence has his mystic ,"religion of blood",and speaks of strange dark gods.W.B.Yeats is a mystic visionary in whose poetry the gods and fairies of Celtic mythology live again,and T.S.Eliot finds the still point in the
supernal.There has been a revival of interest in the poetry of Donne and other Metaphysical poets of the 17th century.Grierson's edition of Donne's poems was published in 1912,and ever since English poetry has reflected more and more the intellectual qualities of Donne's poetry.Eliot has done much to bring about this metaphysical revival.Inspite of its stark realism in theme and treatment,there also runs a vein of romanticism in modern poetry.Much of the Georgian and Edwardian poetry is in the romantic strain.We find this strain of romance in the poetry of Walter De La Mare,John Masefield,Edward Thomas,etc...Robert Bridges has left behind him some fine love lyrics,and W.B.Yeats has been called the greatest love poet of the 2oth century.In France,this note of romance is struck by the French symbolists,Laforgue,Verlaine,Mellarme,etc.Under the influence of French symbolists,poets like Yeats and Eliot make extensive use of symbolism to communicate their vision and sensations,often too complex and intricate to be conveyed in any other way.The modern poet is constantly experimenting with new verse forms and poetic techniques.The use of slang and colloquialism has become common,the language and rhythm of poetry with its nearness more and more to those of common speech,the bonds of metre have been loosened,and the use of verse libre has become increasingly common.
Paper-1Module-1 Topic Aristotle (From examination point of view) Important questions
1.Critically examine Aristotle's concept of catharsis or On what grounds can Aristotle's theory of Catharsis be challenged.Give reasons for your answer. or "Theatre is not a hospital", would you agree with this critique of Aristotle's theory of Catharsis.Give reasons. or Answer is common to all above questions hint-Intro 1.Catharsis variety of interpretation; Aristotle has used the term Katharsis,only once ,but no phrase probably in ancient or modern literature,has been handled so frequently by commentators and critics and by poets.
2. The purgation theory
3. Psychological interpretation 4 Ethical view;The ethinical interpretation is that the tragic process is a kind of inner illumination resulting in a more balanced attitude of life and its suffering. 5 Purification theory. 6 The clarification theory and why it was given.The merits of the clarification to be discussed.
7. PUrgation and purification merely incidental. conclusion Note*This just a flow chart which you can refer to while framing your answer.
Q2.Consider the remark of Aristotle that there can be a tragedy without character but not without a plot or"Plot is the soul of tragedy".Comment or Aristotle:s theory of plot is no longer relevant,would you agree?
Ans2. Intro Aristotle regards tragedy made of 6 elements and plot is one..He says that plot is the first principle,the primary thing,the "soul of tragedy". He supports the view tragedy is impossible without a plot. 2.Reasons for the above view would be your answer.hunt in your notes.
Q3.Discuss in your words Aristotle's definition of tragedy as the imitation of an action,serious,complete and of a certain magnitude.
Ans3.Intro Define tragedy. 1.The objects of imitation 2.Its plot. 3.Its Embellishments-means verse and songs .Does Aristotle include these in his definition of tragedy.These r the terms used to beautify work of literature. 4.Functions of tragedy. 5.six formative elements"plot,character,diction,thought,spectacle or Audience,and song. 6.Characterisation of characters. 7.Tragic hero. 8.Plot and character'A comparative study. Aristotle says plot is more important than character.. 9.The unities 10.Sources of tragic pleasure.Show how Aristotle"s concept of tragedy forms a ground for giving pleasure to audience?(Impt-Hunt for it in your notes*) 11.Conclusion such are the main features of Aristotle's theory of tragedy.Since Aristotle knew only Greek tragedy,his conclusions are based entirely on the dramma with which he was familiar,and hence often his views are not of universal application..but,despite all that can be said against it,:Aristotle's theory of tragedy is the foundation on which all subsequent discussion of literary aesthetics has most securely based itself."
Along with kids contribution in form of creative writing, we are also going to include common topics of English literature, with a point of view, that they cater to the needs of students who are doing their M.A. in English privately or correspondence.Even if anyone wants to contribute any piece of creative writing i.e poetry,short story,any form of article are most welcome.Wishing you all good luck!and blessings of the Almighty!
ReplyDeleteHistory of English literature.
ReplyDeleteThe whole splendid history of English literature from Anglo-Saxon times to the close of the Victorian Era,has three specific aims.Firstly,to create or encourage in every child the desire to read the best books and to know literature itself rather than what has been written about literature.The second is to interpret literature both personally and historically,that is,to show how a great book generally reflects not only the author's life and thought but also the spirit of the age and the ideals of the nation's history.Thirdly the study of successive period,shows how our literature has gradually developed from simple songs and stories to its present complexity in prose and poetry.
Various Ages in history of English literature
ReplyDelete1.Chaucer to Shakespeare.
2.Jacobean to Restoration Periods.
3.Augustan Age '18th century.
4.Romantic Period.
5.Victorian Period.
6.Modern Period.
7.Contemporary Period.
Module1-1
ReplyDeleteModern Period
"Modern" is a term applied to literature since the year 1914 i.e World war1.This period or century was one of the outstanding period in English and American literature.All te major literary genres outshined n this year.The famous poets of this age include-W.B.Yeats,T.S.Eliot,Virginia Woolf,E.M.Foster,Joyce,D.H.Lawerence,the dramatist-G.B.Shaw,Samuel Beckett,I.A.Richards,F.R.Leavis,Lionel Trilling and the new American
Critics.
How did society influence the literature of Modern Period?
!.Rural england came to an end and the country moved towards urbanisation.
2.New psychological theories crept in.Freud emphasized that human beings are not so rational as they are supposed to be,their conduct is not guided and controlled by the conscious,rather it is at the mercy of the forces lying buried deep within unconscious.
3.Modern psychology doesnt consider man to be rational in his behaviour.
4.On the other side the rise of scientific spirit and rationalism led to questioning of accepted social beliefs ,conventions and traditions.In matters of religion it gave rise to scepticism and agnoticism.
5.Victorian taboos on sexuality aro no longer operative.Woman has come to her own and the notion of mate superiority has suffered a serious blow.
6.It was an era of revolt against authority.
7.POlitical and religious sceptisim,general disillusionment,cynicism,irony etc,have become the order of the day.
8.Despite the revival efforts of christianity even in the orthodox forms,as in the works of T.S Eliot and Graham Greene,the 20th century under the impact of science and rationalism has witnessed a gradual weakening of religious faith.
9.The first World War resulted in thee search for a :system: or :pattern" in politics and economy.Consequently Marxism and concept of economic planning emerged.
10.It was a period of diminishing of cultural continuity rather than of cultural vigour.
Module 1 continued" Modern Age"
ReplyDeleteLiterary Criticism
1.New discoveries in psychology ,social and economic fields ,etc have brought about a revolution in critical methods with the result that modern criticism is quite different from criticism in the 19th century.Modern Critics like I.A. Richards,F.R.Leavis,William Empson,have provided entirely new interpretations of old writers,and presented them in an entirely new light.
2.However at the turn there were 2 traditions-Mathew Arnold's and Walter Pater's .Earlier ones emphasised intellectual,abstract or scientific criticism and the latter consisted of aesthetic,impressionistic criticism.
*T.S.Eliot once remarked that we seem still to be living in the critical tradition of Arnold.Pater on the other side,has been a source of inspiration for the "Bloomsbury group"of critics,as E.M.Forster,Virginia Woolf,Clive Bell.
According to these critics,the enjoyment of art and the appreciation of beauty is the greatest good of human life,and art,therefore,must be Freud from the shackles of morality.Their criticism is IMPRESSIONISTIC,they assess a work of literature on the basis of pleasure that it affords them.
4.Literary criticism is the result of work of eminent scholars so its of academic category.Chief scholar critics of the age are A.C.Bradley,Oliver Elton,W.B.Ker.
5.The literary scholars who carry the task of textual emendation are-Furness,Dover Wilson,Gregg.
6.After World War1,English insularity was broken and ideas and influences from Europe began to flow in and affect the courses of literay criticism in England.First,there was the influence of Marx and his concept of class struggle.For example David Daiches in his book Society and Literature shows how economic trends are reflected in literature.
9.There was the influence of expressionism in poetry.Expressionism refers to spontaneously putting in the form of poetry vivid picture continously arising in the mind.
10.Expressionistic writing is given by Italian critic Benedetto Croce.This type of writing is bound to be broken and fragmentary in keeping with the fragmentary and chaotic nature of the vague sensation fleeting through the consciousness of the poet.
11.Closely associated with Expressionism is Surrealism a French theory given by Herbert Read .Surrealism attributes artistic creation of dreams and the influence of spirits who inspire the artist with his forms and images.
12.English criticism is strengthened by the teachings of modern psychology,especially those of Freud,Jung and Bergson.Freud believed that art is a sublimated expression of neurosis.Psychological theories were used for an analysis and interpretations of past writerts and their works.Thus Hamlet has been interpreted in the light of Freud's theory of the Oedipus complex.The motives and processes that lead to a particular work of art were studied and thus new dimensions were added to literary criticism.
13.The impact of literature on the mind of the reader is sought to be explained in Psychological terms.!I.A.Richards is the most outstanding of the critics of the psychological school.According ,to him the pleasure of literature arises from the fact that it brings about a healthy equilibrium between the instincts and impulses of the readers.
14.After the World War II,the most potent single influence was that of the :"New Critics".Its now mainly an American Movement.Its chief exponents in America are T.S.Eliot,I.A.Richards,F.R.Levis,Wiliam Empson etc.
15.The New critics are opposed to the biographical,historical,sociological and comparative approach of conventional criticism.All such considerations are regarded as extrinsic and irrelevant and a work of art is judged solely on its own merits.
Module1 continued
ReplyDelete"Modern Age" Poetry
The twentieth century poesy is a mixture of modern and traditional values.It is a poetry of revolt against tradition and as such there is much in it that it is experimental.It's described by Roy Campbell as,"an epidemic of intellectual and emotional diarrhoea".The poet turns away from the decadent romantic tradition.This revolt is best exemplified in the poetry of T.S.Eliot.The poet sees life in its naked realism,and even the most prostatic and commonplace subjects are considered suitable.After the war,poems appear in an ever increasing number on the destructive means of warfare.The imagery and vocabulary of the modern poet reflects the influence of rationality of science.Realism in subject matter has led the modern poet to reject the highly ornate and artificial poetic style of the romantics in favour of a language which resembles closely the language of everyday life.Modern poetry is a blend of colloquial diction,speech rhythms and prosaic words.For the modern poet nature is a box of toys which delights his heart and which is very dear to him.A deep feeling of love and joy in nature is a prominent characteristic of such poets as W.H Davis,Walter De La Mare,Edmund Blunden.But the modern poet doesnt spiritualise nature ,like Wordsworth,nor does he intellectualise her,like Shelley.Rather,he is content to render her through these and his rendering of her is remarkable for its realism,and precision in detail,nor does the modern poet love nature alone,he also loves and feels for the lower animals living in the laps of nature.He is moved by heir sufferings and makes a forceful plea for a more humane treatment of the dumb creation.Indeed ,humanitarianism-a deepened sense of pity for the poor and the suffering -is a leading characteristic of Modern poetry.Davidson and Masefield ,etc,are other poets who take pains to glorify and reveal the heroism of the mean ,obscure ,and squalid existence of the have -nots.
supernal.Module-!continued
ReplyDeleteModern Age:Poetry
The new poetry is realistic and the poet's consciousness of the grim realities of life has shattered all illusions and romantic dreams.The pessimism of the modern poet is more piognant and heart rending as it arises out of the ocontemplation of the stark realities of life,and there is nothing sentimental about it.Eliot regars man as "hollow"and "stuffed".The Crazy-jane poems of W.B.Yeats,"human sorrow becomes an elemental passion,profound,eternal and burning like a flame."As a matter of fact ,the modern poet sees life as a whole,wants to face it squarely,and has no wish to escape from it into the world of fantasy.He looks at life without the spectacle of romance,and paints it as he finds it in all its ugliness,and in all its misery and headache.Nor has he lost his capacity for laughter.Even in the works of pesimism of most of the poets,we find wit,satire,humour,grim jests and jokes.The influence of science and spirit of rationalism not mean that religion is no longer a source of inspiration in the new poetry.In T.S.Eliot and Francis Thompson we find a revival of Christian mysticism.The Everlasting Mercy has a religious theme and there are many devotional lyrics scattered all over his works.Even today there are mystical poets in the tradition of Blake and Wordsworth.Thus D.H.Lawerence has his mystic ,"religion of blood",and speaks of strange dark gods.W.B.Yeats is a mystic visionary in whose poetry the gods and fairies of Celtic mythology live again,and T.S.Eliot finds the still point in the
Module-1 continued
ReplyDeleteModern Age:Poetry
supernal.There has been a revival of interest in the poetry of Donne and other Metaphysical poets of the 17th century.Grierson's edition of Donne's poems was published in 1912,and ever since English poetry has reflected more and more the intellectual qualities of Donne's poetry.Eliot has done much to bring about this metaphysical revival.Inspite of its stark realism in theme and treatment,there also runs a vein of romanticism in modern poetry.Much of the Georgian and Edwardian poetry is in the romantic strain.We find this strain of romance in the poetry of Walter De La Mare,John Masefield,Edward Thomas,etc...Robert Bridges has left behind him some fine love lyrics,and W.B.Yeats has been called the greatest love poet of the 2oth century.In France,this note of romance is struck by the French symbolists,Laforgue,Verlaine,Mellarme,etc.Under the influence of French symbolists,poets like Yeats and Eliot make extensive use of symbolism to communicate their vision and sensations,often too complex and intricate to be conveyed in any other way.The modern poet is constantly experimenting with new verse forms and poetic techniques.The use of slang and colloquialism has become common,the language and rhythm of poetry with its nearness more and more to those of common speech,the bonds of metre have been loosened,and the use of verse libre has become increasingly common.
Paper-1Module-1 Topic Aristotle (From examination point of view)
ReplyDeleteImportant questions
1.Critically examine Aristotle's concept of catharsis
or
On what grounds can Aristotle's theory of Catharsis be challenged.Give reasons for your answer.
or
"Theatre is not a hospital", would you agree with this critique of Aristotle's theory of Catharsis.Give reasons.
or
Answer is common to all above questions
hint-Intro
1.Catharsis variety of interpretation;
Aristotle has used the term Katharsis,only once ,but no phrase probably in ancient or modern literature,has been handled so frequently by commentators and critics and by poets.
2.
The purgation theory
3.
Psychological interpretation
4
Ethical view;The ethinical interpretation is that the tragic process is a kind of inner illumination resulting in a more balanced attitude of life and its suffering.
5
Purification theory.
6
The clarification theory and why it was given.The merits of the clarification to be discussed.
7.
PUrgation and purification merely incidental.
conclusion
Note*This just a flow chart which you can refer to while framing your answer.
Q2.Consider the remark of Aristotle that there can be a tragedy without character but not without a plot
or"Plot is the soul of tragedy".Comment
or
Aristotle:s theory of plot is no longer relevant,would you agree?
Ans2.
Intro Aristotle regards tragedy made of 6 elements and plot is one..He says that plot is the first principle,the primary thing,the "soul of tragedy".
He supports the view tragedy is impossible without a plot.
2.Reasons for the above view would be your answer.hunt in your notes.
Q3.Discuss in your words Aristotle's definition of tragedy as the imitation of an action,serious,complete and of a certain magnitude.
Ans3.Intro
Define tragedy.
1.The objects of imitation
2.Its plot.
3.Its Embellishments-means verse and songs .Does Aristotle include these in his definition of tragedy.These r the terms used to beautify work of literature.
4.Functions of tragedy.
5.six formative elements"plot,character,diction,thought,spectacle or Audience,and song.
6.Characterisation of characters.
7.Tragic hero.
8.Plot and character'A comparative study.
Aristotle says plot is more important than character..
9.The unities
10.Sources of tragic pleasure.Show how Aristotle"s concept of tragedy forms a ground for giving pleasure to audience?(Impt-Hunt for it in your notes*)
11.Conclusion
such are the main features of Aristotle's theory of tragedy.Since Aristotle knew only Greek tragedy,his conclusions are based entirely on the dramma with which he was familiar,and hence often his views are not of universal application..but,despite all that can be said against it,:Aristotle's theory of tragedy is the foundation on which all subsequent discussion of literary aesthetics has most securely based itself."