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1) Almost all literary critics praise the skill of Dickens in plot construction. G.B.Shaw calls this novelist the most compactly perfect book of all novels of Dickens. Characters and theme of the novel are connected will. Great Expectations has total of thirty characters, but the story mostly revolves around six major characters like Pip, Magwitch, Miss Havisham, Jagger’s, Joe and Estella. The plot of the novel is structure in a more closely organized manner (way).                  2) The plot is divided into three section of equal length. The first section deals with Pip's childhood in Kent, the second section with his life in London and third part is his attempt to save Magwitch. All these three sections are broadly related to Pip's moral education.  In the first section Pip's seems dissatisfied with his social status, his loneliness, and his contract with socially superior world (Satis house) and with Underworld criminal like Magwitch...

George Eliot as a Novelist: George Eliot was of the leading novelist if Victorian period. She wrote many novels and all of them were greatly appreciated for its amazing features. She had keen interest in psychological realism of her novels characters, her characters belong to the era she belonged to. She wrote and made her novels as a medium to teach morality. Her novels were having philosophical touches too. She also had great skill in characterization, she had both wide and deep awareness of life. 1. Psychological Realism: The most striking quality of the novels of the George Eliot is psychological realism. She tried to do in her novels what browning did in his poetry. She represents in each of her novels the inner struggle of a soul and reveals the motives and impulses and hereditary influences which govern human actions.  It is the development of a soul, the slow growth or decline of moral powers. George Eliot is not content with a picture of human life as it appears. She tries...

Mathew Arnold: (1822-1888)  English poet and Cultural critic.  Belong to Late Victorian period.  He wrote Collection of Essays, "Essays in Criticism" (1865) One of his essay from this book is "The Function of criticism at the present time" 1) Definition of Criticism according to Mathew Arnold “A disinterested endeavor to learn and propagate the best that is known and thought of in the world and this to establish a Current of fresh and true ideas”  Disinterested means Impartial.  Critic needs to be free from two prejudices. 1. Historical prejudice. 2. Personal prejudice.  According to Arnold two things are Important for writing great Literary works.  (1) Power of man. (2) Power of moment, which means climate of great ideas. 2) Three functions/duties of critic:  Critic's first duty is to learn things as they are.  The Second task of a critic is to hand or Convey best ideas to next generation. (The best ideas prevail.)  His third task or duty is to ...

Before going to detail to differentiate poem and poetry, we should first know what is prose, Poem and poetry in general in literature) 1) Prose: Ordinary writing" which is made from a Sentences and paragraphs without  having any metrical (or rhyming) structure. 2) Poem: A verbal composition which is designed (made up) to covey experience ideas and emotion in a Vivid (Clear) and Imaginative way. In poem we use metre, metaphor and rhyme. 3) Poetry: (Greek word which means making). It is a form of Literature that use aesthetic and Rhythmic qualities of language (Sound Symbolism, metre) which evokes meanings. Coleridge’s views on prose, poem and poetry: Both prose and poem contains the same elements. But the difference is between the Combinations of those elements and objects. The difference of the object depends upon its composition. 1. If the object of the poem is simply to memorize things easily, so the poet would make use of certain artificial Arrangement of words with the help o...

Coleridge literary criticism of Wordsworth: OR How Coleridge discuss Wordsworth as a critic:  Coleridge points out that there were many things in the preface with which he (Coleridge) did agree with Wordsworth. Coleridge tries to combine the best in the old to the best in the modern view of poetry.  Wordsworth, on the other hand, completely did away (ignore / avoid) with the old theory of poetry Coleridge says what is valid in the old poetry should not be done away with.  The points on which Coleridge agrees with Wordsworth. 1. Wordsworth’s philosophy of poetry: The first thing with which Coleridge agrees, broadly speaking is the philosophy on which Wordsworth had based his Concept of poetry. He was not a profound philosopher. He had borrowed this bit of philosophical touch from Coleridge. 2. Wordsworth believed that poetry is product of passion: According to Wordsworth’s Poetic theory, poetry is the Product (outcome) of human passions and Imagination. It means poetry is a c...

Sir Philip Sidney moral defense of poetry:  Sidney's defense of poetry is a new response to an old charge (ilzam) against the Legitimacy of poetry levelled against it by Plato in his book "The Republic".  Plato argued that poets were Irresponsible and could deceive and mislead (ghumrah) citizens.  The same concern (gham) Shown during Sir Philip Sidney's time by puritans (a radical religious       group).  Stephen Gosson (a puritan poet and dramatist) wrote an anti- poetic pamphlet “The School of     Abuse”.  Sidney wrote "Defense of poetry” in response to Gosson's booklet. Sidney defended well poetry in his book. He defended poetry on moral grounds. His moral argument in favor of poetry are given below.  Sidney had a natural fondness of poetry.  While speaking about the moral aspect of Poetry, he first explains the role of poets in Society. He added that all great civilizations of the world valued poetry and the works of Poets poetry is a civil...

Samuel Johnson, often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer, poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. He was a devout Anglican and a committed tr (political party in England).  He belong 18th century of English history period.  He belonged to john Dryden school of criticism called judicial criticism.  During 18th century first time Shakespeare’s works were interpreted because Shakespeare’s did not leave any authentic copies of his work after his death.  Shakespeare’s criticism has become a separate branch of criticism. General survey of Shakespearean criticism: 1. During his own period: Being a dramatist he was greatly idealized during Elizabethan period. His contemporaries knew both his merits and weaknesses. 2. Ben Johnson was the junior contemporary of Shakespeare, he greatly admired Shakespeare and called Shakespeare not only the great writer of his age but of all ages and times. Ben Johnson was basically classical and was different...

Longinus as a critic is not only unique but strange. He is matchless in his own world of literacy criticism.  Longinus views regarding literary criticism gives him a total different status than other great critics of literary criticism.  There are difference of opinions about his criticism, whether he is classical critic or belong to romantic group of critics.  Scott James has declared Longinus the first romantic critic in his delightful (interesting) book “The Making of great Literature”. Atkins another great critic call Longinus a true classical in his book “History of literary criticism.  There may be uncertainty about the question whether he was a romantic or classical but, no doubt, he was not a Neo-classical. Because Neo-classic believes: 1. There are universal rules for writing for great writing in literature. They believe rules are eternal and never changing. 2. For greatness they believe we should imitate great writers. 3. They give supreme importance to fro...

It is a movement in art and literature in the 18th century in revolt (reaction) against the Neo-classicism of the previous centuries. The German poet friedrich schlegel, who is given credit for first using the term romantic to describe literature.  He defines romanticism: “Romanticism is a  kind of literature in which poet depicts emotional matter in an imaginative form.” Victor Hugo defines romanticism in these words “Liberalism in literature.” The above two definitions reveal the fact that the focal points of romanticism are: 1. Imagination 2. Emotions 3. Freedom The major characteristics of romanticism are below: 1. Subjectivity 2. Emphasis on individualism 3. Spontaneity 4. Freedom from rules 5. Solitary life rather than life in society. 6. The belief that imagination is superior to reason/logic. 7. Devotion to beauty 8. Love/worship of nature. 9. Fascination with the past especially the myths and mysticism of the middle ages. Main writers/poet of romanticism are: Wordswor...

What is Classicism? Classicism means to show respect and regard to classical period or classical antiquity and to follow their standards (principles) taste which the classical seek to imitate. So art and literature receive inspiration from ancient Greek and Rome is called classicism. characteristic of classicism ; 1. Emphasis on the form (matter/subject matter). 2. Simplicity 3. Proportion. 4. Clarity of structure. 5. Perfection 6. Restrained emotion 7. Appeal to the intellect/ Reason/ Logic. Leading poets/ writers are given below: Homer, Sophocles, Ovid. What is Neo-Classicism? Neo-Classical is the dominant literary movement in England during the late 17th century and the 18th century, which sought to (try to) revive the artistic ideals of classical Greece and Rome. neoclassicism characteristics ; 1. Emotional 2. Order (proportion) 3. Logic 4. Technical precision. 5. Balance 6. Elegance of diction 7. Emphasis of form over content 8. Clarity, Dignity and Decorum 9. Intellect Rather tha...

  Cassius Longinus (213-273 AD)  Longinus was a Greek rhetorician, philosopher, and critic. He was perhaps a native roman Syria. Studied in Alexandria, and taught for thirty year in Athens. He continue to follow the old type of Platonism and his reputation as a literary critic was immense. Rhetoric:  It is the art of persuasion, which along with grammar and logic.  Rhetoric aims to study the teaching writers or speakers utilize to inform, persuade or motivate particular audiences in specific situation.  Taking place in Athens in early 5th century, the people created strategy of effective talking to people in juries, forums and senate. Longinus:  Aristotle belonged to the 4th century Bc. He was the last Greek representation of the glorious age of the Athens. Hellenic age- the classical age of Greece.  This age produced great philosophers, writer, poets and system of democracy.  People in later age looks back to them for inspiration.  After this age new age began. It pio...