Analyzing Texts: A New Criticism Quiz

The movement derived its name from John Crowe Ransom's book "The New Criticism." Ransom, a key figure, contributed to the movement's foundational principles. The book outlined New Criticism's emphasis on close reading, self-referentiality, and self-containment in literature, making it a seminal work in the development of the movement.

William K. Wimsatt and Monroe Beardsley challenged the relevance of an author's intention in "The Intentional Fallacy" (1946). The essay argued that analyzing literary works based on the author's intended meaning is erroneous, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the text's inherent qualities for a more objective and effective critical analysis.

New Criticism, a formalist movement, dominated American literary criticism in the mid-20th century. Emphasizing close reading, particularly of poetry, it aimed to unveil a work's self-contained aesthetic objectivity. The movement's name originated from John Crowe Ransom's book, "The New Criticism," outlining its principles of analysis and interpretation.

I. A. Richards, a Cambridge scholar, played a crucial role in New Criticism's development. His works, especially "Practical Criticism," laid the groundwork for empirical scientific approaches to literary analysis. Richards' focus on language and form contributed significantly to the formation of New Critical methodology, influencing subsequent figures like Cleanth Brooks and W. K. Wimsatt.

T.S. Eliot's essays, especially "Tradition and the Individual Talent" and "Hamlet and His Problems," shaped New Criticism. These essays introduced key concepts like the "theory of impersonality" and "objective correlative," influencing the movement's canon and providing a theoretical basis for the critical analysis of literature.

W. K. Wimsatt introduced the idea of intentional and affective fallacy. Wimsatt's emphasis on the work's inherent qualities and autonomy from the author's subjective elements became a foundational aspect of New Criticism.

Cleanth Brooks' seminal text in the New Critical school is "The Well Wrought Urn." This work, divided into eleven chapters, engages in close readings of celebrated English poems. Brooks' exploration of poetry, particularly in the context of "The Well Wrought Urn," emphasizes the importance of understanding the aesthetic qualities and self-contained nature of literary works for effective literary analysis.

Cleanth Brooks argues that paraphrasing a poem is considered "heresy" when attempting to understand its meaning. He contends that reducing a poem to a simple paraphrase oversimplifies its complexity and undermines the nuanced interplay of language and form, advocating for a more detailed and close examination to appreciate the richness of the poetic experience.

"Seven Types of Ambiguity" by William Empson organizes around seven types of ambiguity found in the poetry he discusses. These types delve into the intricate nuances and layers of meaning within poetic language, providing readers and critics with a structured framework for understanding and appreciating the complexity inherent in literary works.

Allen Tate, Cleanth Brooks, and Robert Penn Warren, students of John Crowe Ransom, were instrumental in developing the aesthetics known as New Criticism. Ransom's teachings inspired these scholars, laying the groundwork for the movement. Their contributions, especially in understanding the autonomy of literary works, shaped the core principles of New Criticism.

Eliot's evaluative judgments, such as his condemnation of Romantic poets like Keats and Shelley, greatly influenced the formation of the New Critical canon. Eliot favored the so-called metaphysical poets and insisted on poetry's impersonality, laying the groundwork for New Criticism's emphasis on objective analysis, self-contained aesthetic objects, and a departure from subjective interpretations based on authorial intent or personal emotions.

William Empson published "Seven Types of Ambiguity" in 1930. It was a groundbreaking work that marked the inception of New Criticism. The book became a key foundation for the movement, influencing subsequent New Critics and contributing to the development of a more nuanced and structured approach to literary analysis.

T.S. Eliot introduced the concept of the "theory of impersonality" in his essay "Tradition and the Individual Talent." This idea emphasized the poet's need to transcend personal emotions and experiences, connecting with a broader cultural and historical tradition. The theory underscored the objective and universal qualities of poetry, influencing the New Critical canon and reinforcing the movement's commitment to self-contained aesthetic objects.

The hey-day of the New Criticism in American high schools and colleges spanned from the 1940s to the mid-1970s. The movement gained prominence during the Cold War decades, with works like Brooks and Warren's "Understanding Poetry" and "Understanding Fiction" becoming foundational texts in literature education during this period.

The technique of close reading emerged in 1920s Britain. Pioneered by I. A. Richards, William Empson, and T.S. Eliot, it sought to replace an "impressionistic" view of literature with "practical criticism." American New Critics in the 1930s and 1940s similarly anchored their views in this method, promoting close reading as essential to understanding a work's autonomy and significance.