Assignment of Literary Theory and Criticism : I.A .Richards Figurative language

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Paper : 7 : Literary Theory and Criticism 

Prepared by : Gohil Jyotiba M.

Roll No : 15

Assignment  : I. A Richards Figurative language. 

M.A (English) : Sem -2 

Enrollment No: 2069108420180016

Batch : 2017-19

Email  ID: jyotibagohil96@gmail.com

Submitted to : Smt .S. B Gardi , Department of English, MK Bhavnagar University.

●》 I.A. Richards Figurative language : 

● Introduction: 

I.A .Richards was a  poet, dramatist, speculative  philosopher, psychologist is among the first of the 20th century critics to bring to English criticism a pscientific precision and objectivity. He is often referred to as the ‘critical consciousness’ of the modern age.He is a pioneer of New criticism.  New Criticism and the whole of modern poetics derive their strength and inspiration from the seminal writings of Richards such as Principles of Literary Criticism, Practical Criticism, Coleridge on Imagination, The Foundation of Aesthetics and The Meaning of Meaning .

His path Breaking Works are : 

1) The meaning of meaning : 1923 

2) The principles of Literary Criticism : 1924 

3) The practical Criticism : 1929 

● Practical Criticism : 

Practical Criticism is like formal studies of English Literature. It began into 1920 with a series of experiments by the Cambridge Critic I.A.Richards. He gave poems to his students without any information about who wrote them , when they were written and what is the title of the poem .

In the practical criticism of 1929. He reported on and analysed the result of his experiments. The main objective of his work was to encourage students to concentrate on the words on the page rather than dependent on the preconceived or received belief about the text. It is for  responding to all the currents of emotion and meaning in the poems and passages of prose which they read the students were to achieve what Richards called an organised response. This meant that they would clarify the various currents of thought in the poem and achieve a corresponding clarification of their own emotions.

1) Four kinds of Meaning 

2) Two uses of Language 

3) Figurative language 

●  1) Four kinds of Meaning : 

Practical Criticism is first focus on The Meaning of Meaning and The Philosophy of Rhetoric. Richards advocates a close textual and verbal analysis of poetry. In this language is important Language is made up of words and the study of words is of the paramount importance in the understanding of a work of art. According to Richards the words communicate four kinds of meaning : Sense, Feeling, Tone and Intention. So the Poetry communicates through the interplay of these four types of meanings.The metaphorical meaning arises from the inter-relations.

1) sense : Sense is that which is communicated by the plain literal meanings of the words.

2) Feeling : Feeling refers to the feelings of the writer or speaker about these items, about the state of affairs he is referring to.Feeling refers to emotions. Emotional attitude, will, attitude, desire, pleasure, displeasure.

“The sound of a word has much to do with the feeling it evokes.”

He has an attitude towards it some special interest, some personal flavour or colouring of it  and he uses language to express these feelings. In poetry the sense and feeling have a mutual dependence. So In the poetry sense and feeling both have matual connection.

3) Tone : 

Tone means the attitude of the writer towards his readers. The writer or the speaker chooses and arranges the words differently as his audience depending on his relation to them.

4) Intention : 

Intention refers to the effect one tries to produce, which modifies one’s expression. It controls the emphasis and shapes the arrangement. So understanding of all these aspects is the part of meaning of poetry. 

Generally sense predominates in the scientific language and feeling in the poetic language. The figurative language used by poets conveys emotions effectively and forcefully. Words also acquire a rich associative value in different contexts. The meaning of words is also determined by rhythm and metre. 

● Two uses of Language : 

Richards in his “Principles of Literary Criticism” expounded a theory of language, and distinguished between the two uses of language:  

1) Scientific 

2)  emotive 

1) Scientific use of language : 

In the scientific statement may be used for the sake of reference, which may be verified as true or false.  This is the scientific use of language. But it may also be used for the sake of the effects in emotions and attitudes produced by the reference.

2) Emotive Use of language : 

In  the emotive or poetic use of language. The poet uses words emotively for the purpose of evoking emotions and attitudes considered valuable by him. For example the word ‘fire’ has only one definite scientific reference to a fact in the real world. But when poetry uses it in a phrase such as ‘heart on fire’ the word evokes an emotion that of excitement. 

So the science makes statements and the  poetry makes pseudo-statements that cannot be empirically tested and proved true or false. Poetry communicates feelings and emotions. poetic truth is different from scientific truth. It is a matter of emotional belief rather than intellectual belief. Poetry not give us knowledge. Poetry is not speaks to mind but it comes from inner voice or impulses. So poetry is on the experiences of poet.

●  Three objectives to write The Practical Criticism:

1.)To introduce a new kind of documentation to those who are interested in the contemporary state of culture as critics, philosophers, as teachers, as psychologists or merely as curious persons.

2 )To provide new technique for those who wish to discover for themselves what they think and feel about poetry and why they should like or dislike it.

3.)  To prepare the way for educational methods more efficient than those we use now in developing discrimination and the power to understand what we hear and read.

● Four misunderstanding of language : 

1. Misunderstanding of the sense of poetry: Careless, intuitive reading (rhyme or irregular syntax).

2. Over-literal reading – prosaic reading.

3. Defective scholarship.

4. Difference in meaning of words in poetry and prose.

So during the read text or poem  reader may fail to understand the sense of the poet because he is ignorant of poet’s sense. The more serious cause of misunderstanding is the failure to realise that the poetic use of words is different from an assumption about  the language that can be fatal to poetry. So the Literary is one serious obstacle in the way of a right understanding of the poetic words.so it creates the misunderstanding in the poetry.

● Mixed use of Metaphors : 

“A metaphor is a shift, a carrying over of a word from its normal use to a new use”.

1.Sense Metaphors

2. Emotive Metaphors

1) Sense Metaphors : 

In the  Sense Metaphor the shift is due to a similarity between the original object and the new one. 

2) Emotive Metaphors : 

In the Emotive metaphor the shift is due to a similarity between the feelings the new situation and the normal situation arouse.

● 3)  Figurative language : 

• Smilies : 

Similes occur in both poetry and prose and they may be short and simple or long and extended. They provide an important indication of an author or speaker’s Tone and  that is implied attitude towards the subject. As with a Metaphors it the means is to use a comparison that reflects some key quality of the literal subject.

The use of figurative language can create problems. It is difficult to turn poetry into logical respectable prose. So in the figurative language use for enjoyment and understanding of the best poetry. It  requires a sensitiveness and discrimination with words, a nicely, imaginativeness and deftness in taking their sense which will prevent the poem in question in its original form receiving the approval of the most attentive readers.

Example :       

                      Solemn and grey...

“Solemn and gray, the immense  clouds of even

Pass on their towering unperturbed way

Through the vast whitness of the rain-swept heaven.

The moving pageants of the waming day.

Heavy with dreams, desires, prognostications.

Brooding with sullen and Titanic crests.

They surge, whose mantles’ wise imaginations.

Trail where Earth’s mute and langurous body rests.

While below the Hawthrons smile, like milk splashed down.

From Noop’s blue pitcher over mead and hill

The arrased distance is so dim with flowers.

It seems itself some coloured cloud made still.

O how the clouds this dying daylight crown.

With the tremendous triumph of fall towers.”

Analysis of poem :

   In this poem poet uses many Figurative language. Many things are happens in this poetry and that can't be happen in reality for example : 

• A cloud cannot have ‘desires.’

• A mantle cannot have ‘imaginations.’

• ‘Imaginations’ cannot ‘trail.'

• ‘Milk’ does not ‘smile.’

• ‘Dim with flowers’ is rather weak, for flowers are bright thing

•‘Tall towers’ do not ‘triumph’ so far as I know, As how I never saw one doing it! Might be an interesting sight!.’

        So there are many things that shows the use of Figurative language in the poetry. The poetic figures creates the problem or misunderstanding during the reading of poem.it is also enhance the charm of poetry but many time it difficult to understand poem.

Conclusion :    

So  in the last in  a very simple words and language describe figurative language.we can say that it is based on the  close study of the words. It can be read as only text without any background, history, writer, but just as an individual text by  interpret in our own understanding. It can also  lead a reader to misunderstanding too but even it can never be wrong because not a single thing, single interpretation in poetry can be wrong because every poetry has numbers of interpretations because a work of art has numbers of interpretations. Interpretations are based on mind, mentality, background, brought up, and society of reader. It may be leads reader to misreading of poetry but then even can be original. It is not just only based on the assumptions but it is also  based on words, emotions, intention and scientific methods. 

Work sited :

• http://dilipbarad.blogspot.in/2014/12/ia-richards-figurative-language.html?m=1
• https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/classroom/pracrit.htm
• http://pritibagohil1416.blogspot.in/2015/02/iarichards-view-on-language-of-poetry.html?m=1