What are the functions of criticism according to arnold?
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Arnold starts his essay by saying, “Of the literature of France and Germany, as of the intellect of Europe in general, the main effort, for now, many years, has been a critical effort; the endeavour, in all branches of knowledge, theology, philosophy, history, art, science, to see the object as in itself it really is.” and adds, “false and malicious criticism had better never been made.”
Here Arnold explains the basic task of any critic. According to him, a critic must perceive any object (work) as it is, without thinking about the other conditions. Thus for him, the text should be the whole and a critic should never take the help of any other text for its explanation.
In the next line, he condemns the false criticism (which is not original and is biased). Arnold believes that the creator of a text is greater than its critic because“creative activity is the true function of man”, however, it is the critic who draws the true meaning of that particular work of literature.
According to Arnold, for a production of a great literary work, “the power of man” and “the power of moment” i.e. climate of great ideas must concur. If anyone of them is absent then a great work of literature will never be produced.
To explain this, Arnold takes the example of two poets- Goethe and Byron. Both Goethe and Byron had great productive power yet the work of Goethe is more productive than that of Byron because the former had a rich cultural background which the latter lacked. Similarly, Shakespeare was not a deep reader. His fame and glory were only because his age had a climate of great ideas.
Next, he says that French Revolution, with its writers like Rousseau and Voltaire, was more powerful than the English Revolution of Charles (of great ideas of Renaissance). However the English Revolution is though practically less successful than the French Revolution yet it is better than the letter as it “appeals to an order of ideas which are universal, certain permanent”.
French Revolution quitted intellectual sphere and rushed into the political sphere, thus losing its universal application. French Revolution was followed by “Epoch of Concentration”(period of single-mindedness) which could not live long and was followed by“Epoch of Expansion” (period of creative ideas). The works written on the French Revolution (like that of Burke) are though great and well appreciated yet they are biased as they combine politics with thought.
Here Arnold explains the basic task of any critic. According to him, a critic must perceive any object (work) as it is, without thinking about the other conditions. Thus for him, the text should be the whole and a critic should never take the help of any other text for its explanation.
In the next line, he condemns the false criticism (which is not original and is biased). Arnold believes that the creator of a text is greater than its critic because“creative activity is the true function of man”, however, it is the critic who draws the true meaning of that particular work of literature.
According to Arnold, for a production of a great literary work, “the power of man” and “the power of moment” i.e. climate of great ideas must concur. If anyone of them is absent then a great work of literature will never be produced.
To explain this, Arnold takes the example of two poets- Goethe and Byron. Both Goethe and Byron had great productive power yet the work of Goethe is more productive than that of Byron because the former had a rich cultural background which the latter lacked. Similarly, Shakespeare was not a deep reader. His fame and glory were only because his age had a climate of great ideas.
Next, he says that French Revolution, with its writers like Rousseau and Voltaire, was more powerful than the English Revolution of Charles (of great ideas of Renaissance). However the English Revolution is though practically less successful than the French Revolution yet it is better than the letter as it “appeals to an order of ideas which are universal, certain permanent”.
French Revolution quitted intellectual sphere and rushed into the political sphere, thus losing its universal application. French Revolution was followed by “Epoch of Concentration”(period of single-mindedness) which could not live long and was followed by“Epoch of Expansion” (period of creative ideas). The works written on the French Revolution (like that of Burke) are though great and well appreciated yet they are biased as they combine politics with thought.
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he thought cricket and room be where an organised way to teach English boy discipline the importance of LED see the skills the code of honour and the leadership qualities that helped them Bolt and turn the British Empire
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