Northrop Frye: The Archetypes of Literature

Northrop Frye: The Archetypes of Literature

• What is Archetypal Criticism? What does the archetypal critic do?

The term Archetype indicates narrative designs, symbols, character, dreams, collective images and myths in literature.  Archetypal critic takes symbols from past event and attaches It to present and from myths to recent theories.

• What is Frye trying prove by giving an analogy of ' Physics to Nature' and 'Criticism to Literature'? 

Physics is an organized body of knowledge about nature but student of physics says that they are learning physics not nature. Criticism to literature Frye tries to prove that ideas of art like nature, that is a methodical study and has to be distinguished from the study itself, literature it to behave like a science, there is surely no reason why criticism, as a systematic and organized study. 

• Share your views of Criticism as an organised body of knowledge. Mention relation of literature with history and philosophy. 

Frye’s ‘Archetypes of literature’ in mention that to history and philosophy that organized body of knowledge which literature relates with history and philosophy. So the history and philosophy help us to connected present ideas and history and philosophy remain with literature.

• Briefly explain inductive method with illustration of Shakespeare's Hamlet's Grave Digger's scene. 

Inductive method means going move further “Particular to general” In Hamlet's grave diging's scene we can deals with inductive method like, Hamlet looks at the Yorick’s skull, then fights with Laertes due to Ophelia’s death and Hamlet’s confesses his love for Ophelia.

• Briefly explain deductive method with reference to an analogy to Music, Painting, rhythm and pattern. Give examples of the outcome of deductive method.

The deductive method deals with general truth to particular truth. Music has rhyming & painting has particular design.Literature has seems to be middle between music and panting. In music we can see the rhythm and in painting we see the pattern.

 Aaya basant hansata gaata,

 rang-birangi phool khilaata. 

 jhoom rahi hai har daali daali,

 kook rahi koyal matwaali. 

 Gun gun gun gun bhanwara gaata,

 titali raani se batiyaata.

 Khush ho bachche patang udaate,

 wo-kaata ka shor machaate.

 sardi kehati ab hai 

• Refer to the Indian seasonal grid (below). If you can, please read small Gujarati or Hindi or English poem from the archetypal approach and apply Indian seasonal grid in the interpretation.  

This poem is about spring season. Here we  see when spring season comes flower becomes full of life and people enjoys this season and sing a song. With this moment branches of trees also dance. Small children also enjoy flying kites.

Coleridge: Biographia Literaria

Coleridge: Biographia Literaria

• Write in your words the difference between poem and prose.

Prose is a creative work which gives us a truth with a simple language written in chain of events . While poem is written in full of rhyme and meter and it is full of imagination. poem is a piece of writing in which the expression of feeling and ideas is given intensity by particular attention to diction, rhythm and imagery.Poem is a form of art in which the skillful choice and arrangement of words achieves desired emotional effect. Poems  only  gives pleasure and joy and poems always created with the help of meter and rhyme or rhythm. And so poetry is totally differ from poems. He says that by modifies the   images ,thoughts and emotions of the poets own mind poems were created.

• Write in your words the difference between poem and poetry.

Poetry has not any kind of rhyme and meter. In poetry we can not find any imagination instead of it we can find history and reality in it. Poems are full of imagination which gives us delight and joy and it is full of rhyme and meter. To defining poetry proceeds to enumerate the charactristics of the imagination. In other words we can say that 'poetry' is an activity of the poet's mind,and a poem is merely one of the form of its expression,a verbal expression of that activity,and poetic activity of the imagination.

 

Wordsworth 's Preface to Lyrical Ballads.

Here i am discussing about Wordsworth 's Preface to Lyrical Ballads.

• What is the basic difference between the poetic creed of 'Classicism' and 'Romanticism'?

The big difference between classicism and romanticism is that classicist follows the rules and regulations but romanticist believes that rules are for fools. This term that what is classicism and what is Romanticism . difference between this is that a romantic poem will be about love towards people while classical will be more old fashioned . 

• Why does Wordsworth say 'What' is poet? rather than Who is poet?

Wordsworth don’t says about who is poet? He gives idea that what is poet? Poet has a greater knowledge of human nature that he can express his feelings towards it. Poet can feel emotions of human nature and share his experience in poetry.

• What is poetic diction? Which sort of poetic diction is suggested by Wordsworth in his Preface?

Wordsworth gave rustic color to the poetic diction .Wordsworth believes that poetry should written in a simple languages that common people can understand it well. His poetry’s subjects are also based on common incidents of life. So, if the poetry is written in rustic languages, it can express its emotions at a higher level.

• What is poetry?

Poetry is for to heighten the imagination of human nature which gives a life a new way of thinking and gives aesthetic delight. ‘ Poetry is the Product of Poet’s mind.’

• Discuss 'Daffodils - I wandered lonely as a cloud' with reference to Wordsworth's poetic creed.

“ I wandered lonely as a cloud ” known as Daffodils is lyric poem written in simple language wordsworth , and that’s why everyone understand his poem . he says that wandering like a cloud ,floating above hills and valleys and he encounter a field of daffodils beside the lake and though the wave of lake danced beside the flower.

Dryden's Essay Of Dramatick Poesie

Here, I am discussing some points of Dryden's essay of Dramatic poesy.

• Do you any difference between Aristotle's definition of Tragedy and Dryden's definition of Play?

yes, I find there is difference between both the definitions.  Aristotle defined tragedy as “the imitation of  an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude , complete in itself, ” in the medium of poetic  language, and in the manner of dramatic rather than narrative presentation , incorporating “ incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions .” so it is natural pleasure in imitation , which is born instinct in men .

Dryden’s definition of Play;

           “Just and lively image of human nature , representing its passion and humorous and the change of fortune to which it is subject, for the  delight and instruction of mankind”

In Aristotle’s definition manner of imitation should be action , not narration as in epic, for it is meant to be dramatic representation , not mere storytelling, in  the case of Dryden , it is not slavish imitation , but imaginative creation that Dryden means by ‘Just’ and ‘ Lively’ image of human nature .

• If you are supposed to give your personal predilection, would you be on the side of the Ancient or the Modern? Please give reasons.

In my opinion Ancient Literature is better than the Modern. the Superiority of Ancients is established by the very fact that  the moderns simply imitate  them, and build on foundations  laid by them. the Ancients are the acknowledge models of the Moderns . Ancients closely observed Nature and faithfully represented their work.  here I would like to  add  that , Ben Johnson , had great admiration for the ancients , he imitated and borrowed heavily from them .

• Do you think that the arguments presented in favour of the French plays and against English plays are appropriate?

 No I am not in the favour of French plays as I love English plays which represents both side of real life like full of happiness and full of sorrows .English plays are full of entertainment and offer an element of surprise which French do not present .If Shakespeare follows the rules of play ,we can not get the great dramatist like him and his great works. Hamlet is the play which has shown death on stage, dual fight and multiple plots still it is famous in whole a world which proves that English plays are best.

• What would be your preference so far as poetic or prosaic dialogues are concerned in the play? 

 I would like to go with prosaic dialogues in the play because it would be untestable for common reader .Poetic dialogues are very hard for common reader to understand.

Discussing about movie Hamlet.

Here, I am discussing some points after watching movie " Hamlet". I am giving my views on following questions.

• How faithful is the movie to the original play?

The movie Kenneth Branagh's "HAMLET" based on William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is according to me faithful to Shakespeare’s Hamlet because the language of the play is same to the movie and as a director Kenneth Branagh had tried to do some changes in the movie. Here in this movie he comes with same dialogue , by watching this movie, we can understand drama very well, but here he made some changes here like background of the stage, character’s costume and the mirror scene is the new idea of the director, but as far as the play is concerned movie is faithful to the play. and yes very well use of Soliloquies.

        " To be or not to be that is the question"

• After watching the movie, have your perception about play, characters or situations changed?

Before watching movie I was thinking that the ghost of Hamlet will directly come and meet Hamlet but in the movie I saw hamlet’s statue first, and then suddenly the ghost comes at the Forrest, and I was little surprised. So, I can say that my perception was changed. and I was confused about the character of Fortinbras but after watching movie I can understand in better way  what is the role of Fortinbras.

• Do you feel ‘aesthetic delight’ while watching the movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no, can you explain with reasons?

At the end I felt aesthetic delight because of Horatio’s love for his friend Hamlet. As he also wants to die after his friend because he loved him so much. It was a very heart touching scene portrayed by director.

• Do you feel ‘catharsis’ while or after watching movie? If yes, exactly when did it happen? If no, can you explain with reasons?

Yes, I also feel catharsis many times in the movie. Exectly speaking I feel sympathy with Ophelia, Hamlet and Gertrude.  And there are some scenes in the movie from we can feel catharsis like when Claudius kills king Hamlet cruelly and than when Hamlet behaves  rudely  with Ophelia in nunnery scene.

• Does screening of movie help you in better understanding of the play?

The screening of the movie, I can say helps me, in better understanding of the play and Hamlet’s character. And secondly I adds that it s also help me to understand the role of Fortinbras.

• Was there any particular scene or moment in the movie that you will cherish lifetime?

the scene that I cherished life time is between two friends Horatio and Hamlet , at the end when Hamlet was dying and request to Horatio not die after him, tell his story to the people. And Horatio very faithful to his friend’s request.

• If you are director, what changes would you like to make in the remaking of movie on Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’?

If I am a director, I will try my best to change Hamlet’s thinking for his mother, and his beloved. And of course I will  give justice for this two characters which are Rosencrantz and Guildinsternarn, both were marginalized in Shakespeare’s original one .

• While studying the play through movie, which approach do you find more applicable to the play? Why? Give reasons with illustrations.

I found many approaches in this movie but most important is that cultural approach that the power of kingship in the Elizabethan era. The characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and also other minor   characters are behind the King and Queen they suffer the power of kingship.

• Which of the above mentioned approaches (in Pre-viewing task) appeals you more than other? Why? Give reasons.

The approach which appeals me more than other is philosophical approach. Because this approach directly shows the condition of Hamlet’s mind. As reader we come to about what exactly is happening in the mind of hamlet.

Orientalism

Here , I am sharing my views on Orientalism which is written by Edward Said. I am depicting here some important points of an essay here.

• Orientalism revolutionized the study of the Middle East and helped to create and shape entire new fields of study such as Post-Colonial theory as well influencing disciplines as diverse as English,History, Anthropology, Political Science and Cultural Studies.
• Said argues that understanding a vast and complex region like the Middle East in this narrow way takes away from the humanity and diversity of millions of ordinary people living decent and humane lives there.
• Well one of the interesting things about the persistence of orientalism ,mean almost when you think about it ,almost astonishing persistence of it ,was the oklahoma city bombing in April of 1995. 
• The central argument of Orientalism is that the way that we acquire this knowledge is not innocent or objective but the end result of a process that reflects certain interests. That is ,it is highly motivated.
• The difference between British and French Orientalism on the one hand and the American experience of the Orient on the other is that the American one is much more indirect, much more based on abstractions. The second big thing, I think that differs in the American Experience from the British and the French of Orientalism, is that the American Orientalism is very politicized by the presence of Israel for which American is the main ally.

Tradition and Individual talent

Here , I am sharing my views on tradition and individual talent essay which is written by T.S. Eliot.

1.How would you like to explain Eliot's concept of Tradition? Do you agree with it?

Yes, I m agree with the Eliot’s idea on Tradition in which he points out that tradition is matter of much wider significance it cannot be inherited .It engage the historical sense. Traditional in Eliot’s sense means to be conscious of the main present of art and poetry.

2.What do you understand by Historical Sense?

Historical sense is significant to the understanding text and writers always conscious for the past and present. Poet must be well aware of the history past literature of his country. And according to him that more the poet will able to understand the mind of his time’s people.

3. What is the relationship between “tradition” and “the individual talent,” according to the poet T. S. Eliot?

Relationship between the tradition and the individual talent is interdependence. Both help each other they are strongly related.

4. "Some can absorb knowledge, the more tardy must sweat for it. Shakespeare acquired more essential history from Plutarch than most men could from the whole British Museum".

Eliot explain that to be a good poet one must have the common sense. It is not necessary for a poet to read all the literary history of the past if we want to read the mind of people we must have common sense.

5. "Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation is directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry"

Eliot Start second part with  “ Honest Criticism and Sensitive appreciation is directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry ”   Here we can says that why person is not important in the poetry ? How things that is important in the poetry ? Poetry is in the center , judge poetry but not goes with poetry.

6. How would you like to explain Eliot's theory of depersonalization? You can explain with the help of chemical reaction in presence of catalyst agent, Platinum.

T.S.Eliot’s  chemical process to explain his theory of depersonalization. When the two gases SO3 + H2O---> Platinum—H2SO4

So3 – Sulphur dioxide = poet’s feelings and emotions
O2 – oxygen = poet’s experience and imaginations
Platinum - = poet’s mind
H2SO4 – sulfuric acid = poetry

It is the relevance of scientific chemical reaction with Arts and Humanities . The combination of oxygen and sulphur dioxide take place only if the platinum is present . 

7. " Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality."

It is  an abstracts things like poetry .
Emotion +Feeling+Experiece= Poetry
As we know that Poet’s mind is catalyst ,without it poetry  is not possible .

In this process poet’s mind play a very important role to create poem and with this kinds of emotions we may find the poetry as a great work of poet but the role of poet it is not important as his poem. 

8.Write two points on which one can write critique on 'T.S. Eliot as a critic'.

For Eliot we can say that yes he was one of the critic that given the theory of Depersonalization . In his essay he was also proves concept of tradition .