English literature and linguistics with ASMA SHEIKH: “Poetry is the criticism of life, governed by the ...

English literature and linguistics with ASMA SHEIKH: “Poetry is the criticism of life, governed by the ...: Arnold Study Poetry: ☘️�������� “Poetry is the criticism of life, governed by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty. Discuss... Matth...

“Poetry is the criticism of life, governed by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty. Discuss...

Arnold Study Poetry: ☘️💐🍁👇🌿

“Poetry is the criticism of life, governed by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty. Discuss...

Matthew Arnold (1822-1888), the Victorian poet and critic, was 'the first modern critic' , and could be called 'the critic's critic', being a champion not only of great poetry, but of literary criticism itself. The purpose of literary criticism, in his view, was 'to know the best that is known and thought in the world, and by in its turn making this known, to create a current of true and fresh ideas', and he has influenced a whole school of critics including new critics such as T. S. Eliot, F. R. Leavis, and Allen Tate. He was the founder of the sociological school of criticism, and through his touchstone method introduced scientific objectivity to critical evaluation by providing comparison and analysis as the two primary tools of criticism. Arnold's evaluations of the Romantic poets such as Wordsworth, Byron, Shelley, and Keats are landmarks in descriptive criticism, and as a poet-critic he occupies an eminent position in the rich galaxy of poet-critics of English literature. T. S. Eliot praised Arnold's objective approach to critical evaluation, particularly his tools of comparison and analysis, and Allen Tate in his essay Tension in Poetry imitates Arnold's touchstone method to discover 'tension', or the proper balance between connotation and denotation, in poetry. These new critics have come a long way from the Romantic approach to poetry, and this change in attitude could be attributed to Arnold, who comes midway between the two schools.

The Future of Poetry

In The Study of Poetry, (1888) which opens his Essays in Criticism: Second series, in support of the future of poetry. He writes, “THE FUTURE of poetry is immense, because in poetry, our race, as time goes on, will find an ever surer and surer stay. There is not a creed which is not shaken. But for poetry the idea is everything; the rest is a world of illusion, of divine illusion. Poetry attaches its emotion to the idea; the idea is the fact. The strongest part of our religion to-day is its unconscious poetry.”

We have to turn to poetry to interpret life for us, to console us, to sustain us. Without poetry, our science will appear incomplete; and most of what now passes with us for religion and philosophy will be replaced by poetry. Science is incomplete without poetry.

Wordsworth truly calls poetry ‘the breath and finer spirit of all knowledge’; poetry ‘the impassioned expression which is in the countenance of all science’

After giving this importance to poetry, he moves ahead to define canon for good poetry. To say in his own words, “But if we conceive thus highly of the destinies of poetry, we must also set our standard for poetry high, since poetry, to be capable of fulfilling such high destinies, must be poetry of a high order of excellence.”

Quoting from an anecdote (Napolean and Sainte-Beuve) he writes, “charlatanism might be found everywhere else, but not in the field of poetry, because in poetry the distinction between sound and unsound, or only half-sound, truth and untruth, or only half-truth, between the excellent and the inferior, is of paramount importance”. For Arnold there is no place for charlatanism in poetry. To him “poetry is the criticism of life, governed by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty”. It is in the criticism of life that the spirit of our race will find its stay and consolation. The extent to which the spirit of mankind finds its stay and consolation is proportional to the power of a poem's criticism of life, and the power of the criticism of life is in direct proportion to the extent to which the poem is genuine and free from charlatanism.

Thus he is of the view that, “the best poetry is what we want; the best poetry will be found to have a power of forming, sustaining, and delighting us, as nothing else can”.

In this essay he also cautions the critic that in forming a genuine and disinterested estimate of the poet under consideration he should not be influenced by historical or personal judgements, historical judgements being fallacious because we regard ancient poets with excessive veneration, and personal judgements being fallacious when we are biased towards a contemporary poet. If a poet is a 'dubious classic, let us sift him; if he is a false classic, let us explode him. But if he is a real classic, if his work belongs to the class of the very best . . . enjoy his work'. He observes: “But this real estimate, the only true one, is liable to be superseded, if we are not watchful, by two other kinds of estimate, the historic estimate and the personal estimate, both of which are fallacious.

Arnold explains these fallacies in detail. He writes, “a poet or a poem may count to us historically, they may count to us on grounds personal to ourselves, and they may count to us really. The course of development of a nation’s language, thought, and poetry, is profoundly interesting; and by regarding a poet’s work as a stage in this course of development we may easily bring ourselves to make it of more importance as poetry than in itself it really is, we may come to use a language of quite exaggerated praise in criticizing it; in short, to overrate it.

So arises in our poetic judgments the fallacy caused by the estimate which we may call historic.” He quotes words of M.Charles, editor of magazine, to prove his point. M.Charles wrote, ‘the cloud of glory playing round a classic is a mist as dangerous to the future of a literature as it is intolerable for the purposes of history’. As examples of erroneous judgements he says that the 17th century court tragedies of the French were spoken of with exaggerated praise, until Pellisson reproached them for want of the true poetic stamp, and another critic, Charles d' Hricault, said that 17th century French poetry had received undue and undeserving veneration. Arnold says the critics seem to substitute 'a halo for physiognomy and a statue in the place where there was once a man. They give us a human personage no larger than God seated amidst his perfect work, like Jupiter on Olympus.'

He further writes, “then, again, a poet or poem may count to us on grounds personal to ourselves. Our personal affinities, likings and circumstances, have great power to sway our estimate of this or that poet’s work, and to make us attach more importance to it as poetry than in itself it really possesses, because to us it is, or has been, of high importance. Here also we overrate the object of our interest, and apply to it a language of praise which is quite exaggerated. And thus we get the source of a second fallacy in our poetic judgments—the fallacy caused by an estimate which we may call personal”.

So to judge a good poetry wherein our estimate is not affected by fallacies, we should look for following attributes in the poetry:

1. The matter and substance of the poetry, and its manner and style. Both of these, the substance and matter on the one hand, the style and manner on the other, have a mark, an accent, of high beauty, worth, and power.

2. Only one thing we may add as to the substance and matter of poetry, guiding ourselves by Aristotle’s profound observation that the superiority of poetry over history consists in its possessing a higher truth and a higher seriousness . Let us add, therefore, to what we have said, this: that the substances and matter of the best poetry acquire their special character from possessing, in an eminent degree, truth and seriousness.

Thus, the superior character of truth and seriousness, in the matter and substance of the best poetry, is inseparable from the superiority of diction and movement marking its style and manner.

So, a poet’s criticism of life may have such truth and power that it triumphs over its world and delights us.

Later in the essay he adds, for supreme poetical success more is required than the powerful application of ideas to life; it must be an application under the conditions fixed by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty. Those laws fix as an essential condition, in the poet’s treatment of such matters as are here in question, high seriousness;—the high seriousness which comes from absolute sincerity.

*The Tempest Short Questions*

*The Tempest Short Questions*

Is Shakespeare's description of this storm technically accurate?

Yes, undoubtedly. On Shakespeare's description of the management of the ship in the storm the second Lord Mulgrave, a distinguished naval officer, says:

🌟The first scene of The Tempest is a very striking instance of the great accuracy of Shakespeare's knowledge in a professional science, the most difficult to attain without the help of experience. He must have acquired it by conversation with some of the most skilful seamen of that time.

What does Ariel do for Gonzalo?

He prevents Gonzalo from being killed while asleep by Antonio and Sebastian, by singing in his ear and waking him.

What is the dramatic purpose of this humorous scene?

To contrast with the tragic; it temporarily relieves the mental and emotional strain of the spectators of the drama. The final result is to make the tragedy more effective by means of contrast.

What task does Prospero impose upon Ferdinand?

The task of removing and repiling several thousand logs.

Compare the love scene of Miranda and Ferdinand with that of Romeo and Juliet; in what are they alike; how do they differ?

The love scenes of Miranda and Ferdinand and Romeo and Juliet are alike in that all four fall in love at first sight; that their fathers are enemies; that both girls are very young and childlike; that they profess their love at once. The scenes differ in that Miranda does not recognize her feeling for Ferdinand because she has never heard of such a thing as love; while Juliet recognizes her feeling for Romeo at once, — her mother has already discussed marriage with her. The love of Ferdinand and Miranda adds brightness and light to the play while that of Romeo and Juliet bursts forth with a passion which portends tragedy.

Why is there no real suspense in the play 'The Tempest'?

Firstly, "The Tempest" is an autobiographical play. Prospreo is a self-portrait. His abjuration of art is effectively Shakespeare's. Secondly, Shakespeare is bored writing drama, and may perhaps have preferred to have written this instead as a narrative poem. So there is no real suspense in the play.

List four elements the four romances have in common.

The four romances of Shakespeare include "Cymbeline", "The Winter's Tale", "Pericles" and the "Tempest". These romances were written at the end of Shakespeare's career. These plays have elements of comedy and tragedy. There are elements of magic and the fantastic in these plays. The most important element of these romances is the obsession with the concept of loss and recovery.

What do you know about Ferdinand?

Ferdinand is the son of the king of Naples, Alonso. He is drawn to Prospero and Miranda by Ariel's music. "He is gentle and not fearful." He falls in love with Miranda immediately.

Give as good a description as you can of Caliban.

Caliban has the body of a beast and the head of a deformed dwarf; he crawls upon all fours rather than walks upright. His passions are bestial, yet he sees the beauty in nature with a poet's mind.

Where is the scene of this drama placed?

Scene i is on board a ship at sea; the rest of the action is on Prospero's Island.

Can you give a reason why Shakespeare begins this play with a storm?

Because he wished to draw the enemies of Prospero to his island in an apparently natural manner. This storm was caused by Prospero. Scene ii, lines 194 to 208. Some commentators suggest that the storm was intended to recall the foul play by which Prospero was robbed of his dukedom. In the author's day the elements were supposed to be in very close sympathy with human joys and sorrows.

What do you learn about Ferdinand?

Ferdinand is a son of the storm-wrecked king; of "brave form"; is drawn to Prospero and Miranda by Ariel's music; "he is gentle and not fearful" (line 467); and falls in love with Miranda immediately.

🔲What expression of the Realistic, the Romantic, and the Supernatural does Shakespeare give in this act?

The conversation of the sailors, and the love between father and child are examples of Realism. Ariel's account of his part in the storm, and the bewitching of Ferdinand are examples of the Supernatural. The love of Ferdinand and Miranda for each other is an expression of Romance.

What was happening in Shakespeare's career when he wrote 'The Tempest'?

"The Tempest" is most likely the last play written entirely by Shakespeare in 1611. The forty-seven year old Shakespeare was purposely slowing down his professional theatre work to spend more time in his hometown of Stratford, tending to real estate and investments, seeing to the marriages of his daughters, and looking to a new phase of his life.

What two distinctions does 'The Tempest' have among Shakespeare's plays?

The Tempest" is most likely the last play written entirely by Shakespeare, and it is remarkable for being one of the only two plays by Shakespeare (the other being Love's Labor's Lost) whose plot is entirely original. The extraordinary flexibility of Shakespeare's stage is give particular prominence in "The Tempest".

What description of the island does Gonzalo give?

"Here is everything advantageous to life." "How lush and lusty the grass looks! how green!"

How does the action of the play progress in this act?

Ferdinand's labors are rewarded by the gift of Miranda's hand, while Caliban, Stefano, and Trinculo are punished.

How does the author bring Prospero to release his prisoners?

Prospero, through study and reflection, resolves to release his prisoners if they show penitence for the past.

What do you think of Prospero?

A matter of personal opinion. He is calm, dignified, and scholarly, typifying a gentleman.

How does he present Ferdinand to his father again?

Alonzo looks into Prospero's cell, discovering Ferdinand playing chess with Miranda; then Ferdinand tells his father of his engagement to Miranda.

Why is it not a good play to be acted?

Because of the difficulty of presenting the supernatural on the stage and its unreality.

What do you learn from the epilogue?

Various interpretations are given this speech. The actor who took the part of Prospero makes a speech in words which seem to apply to the play, but in reality plead for the friendly judgment of the audience.

Did the storm described in the first scene suggest the title of the play?

Yes, undoubtedly. I. As an actual tempest; actual, not in the sense of having really occurred, but of being conceived and portrayed as a real storm. II. As a metaphorical or allegorical tempest, representing the calamities and disasters of human life.

Why is Gonzalo sure that Boatswain will not die of drowning?

Gonzalo prognosticates that Boatswain is born to be hanged because he has hanging look in his features. Thus Gonzalo is sure that Boatswain will die of drowning in the storm. He will survive in order to be hanged later on. 

What are the three things associated the Prospero's magical power?

Prospero's magic staff (Ariel and other spirits) and his books represent his power. With his magical power, he can alter weather, put on a dazzling wedding entertainment, bully his servants, manipulate his enemies, and orchestrate his daughter's marriage to the Prince of Naples.

Who is Miranda?

Miranda is the only female character to appear on stage in "The Tempest" by Shakespeare. She is the daughter of Prespero. She was banished to the Island along with her father at the age of three. In the subsequent twelve years she has lived with her father and their slave, Caliban. She falls in love with Ferdinand immediately.

Give a description of Caliban.

Caliban has the body of a beast and the head of a deformed dwarf; he crawls upon all fours rather than walks upright. His passions are bestial, yet he sees the beauty in nature with a poet's mind.

Why does Shakespeare begin this play with the description of a storm?

In ancient times, and in Shakespeare's day as well, the elements were supposed to be in very close sympathy with human joy and sorrow. It was believed that Nature, both animate and inanimate, was profoundly disturbed by impending disaster.

"Thou see'st the heavens, as troubled with man's act

Threaten his bloody stage.

The storm with which this play opens is intended to recall the foul play by which Prospero was robbed of his dukedom, and he and Miranda were heaved hence out of Milan, and to what was hoped by his enemies would be a cruel death. It is intended, also, to be a punishment upon the doers of that wicked deed.

What further dramatic function does the storm now have?

It gives Prospero an opportunity to relate to Miranda all the circumstances which have caused her and himself to be in this island. These circumstances are the causes of the action of this drama. It is necessary the spectators of the drama should be thoroughly informed of them. The dramatic purpose of this recital of them is to convey to the spectators that necessary information.

What does Prospero's mantle symbolize?

His power as a magician. His art by means of which he controls nature and spirits.

Why does he lay his mantle aside when he begins to relate to Miranda the circumstances of their previous lives?

Because he temporarily ceases to exercise his function as the Enchanter, the Magician, which is his function in this drama, and assumes his other character - viz., that of her Father, the Duke of Milan.

What is the dramatic purpose of the quarrel between Prospero and Ariel?

To give Prospero an opportunity, when chiding Ariel, to inform the spectators of the drama of Ariel's history, which information it is absolutely necessary they should have in order to appreciate Ariel's part in the action of the drama. II. To give an opportunity for the revelation of the characters of Prospero and Ariel.

Who is Sycorax?

The witch Sycorax, whom Prospero refers to as "blue-eyed hag" is the mother of Caliban. She was born and banished from Argier (the older form of Algiers). She is mentioned in 1.2 and 5.1. Ariel was her servant but punished him for disobedience (Ariel was "too delicate/To act her earthy and abhorr'd commands"), trapping him in a cloven pine for a dozen years, during which time she died.

Sycorax's use of magic for evil purposes is in sharp contrast to Prospero's use of magic for good.

Who is sycorax and why does she lock Ariel in a tree for 12 years?

Sycorax is a vicious and powerful witch, and the mother of Caliban. She locks Ariel in a "cloven pine". Ariel is left in the "cloven pine" for 12 years because the old witch, Sycorax, dies in the meantime.

Who is the most eloquent character in the play 'The Tempest'?

Caliban speaks some of the most beautiful and eloquent poetry of the play. Caliban's first words on stage are a raucous curse and a loud accusation: "This island's mine....which thou tak'st from me." If Caliban represents raw, unchecked instinct, he also represents one of the most eloquent voices in the play.

Interpret "Good wombs have borne bad sons."

This line is spoken by Miranda when her father Prospero asks her if Antonia can be called a brother. She says that it would be wrong for me to think poorly of my grandmother because good women sometimes give birth to bad sons.

What has Shakespeare accomplished in Act I of The Tempest?

He has introduced every important character in the drama, and given all necessary information about them. II.He has described in detail all the causes of the action of this drama. III. He has foreshadowed that action: a. Prospero's retribution (cf . I. 2. 177-184); b. The love affair of Ferdinand and Miranda.

Who is Claribel? What dramatic purpose is attained by the references to Claribel?

Claribel is the daughter of the King of Naples. Her marriage was the indirect cause of the disasters which have happened to Alonso and his friends (cf. II. 1. 102-130). To give the spectators this information, which is so necessary to an intelligent appreciation of the plot, is the reason of this reference to her.

In what way does Caliban manifest his mental and moral degradation?

By ingratitude toward Prospero. II. By his choice of the degraded and drunken Stephano as master, in preference to Prospero. His mind sympathizes with his ugly body. Cf. lines 190, 191; V. 1. 290.

Why does Shakespeare introduce here the game of chess?

At the time this play was written chess was very popular in Naples, of which place Ferdinand was a prince. With this fact Shakespeare was doubtless familiar. It probably suggested to him the use of the game in this play.

Of what is he the personification?

Primarily, of Wisdom. Secondarily, of the Power that can execute justice; rewarding the Right, punishing and circumventing the Wrong; and in so doing can use as his ministers supernatural beings and Nature.

What is the nature and function of Ariel? Why is he invisible to every one in the play except Prospero?

Fire. He is moody. Prospero calls him malignant thing. His function in the drama is to represent the intellectual, the spiritual, and to execute Prospero's commands. He is the link between earth and the higher and better world. He is invisible because he is the executant of Prospero's orders. If he were visible, it might interfere with that work.

In The Tempest and A Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare portrays man in connection with the supernatural. What is the principal difference between the plays so far as they relate to this subject?

It is accurately summarised by Victor Hugo as follows "A Midsummer Night's Dream depicts the action of the invisible world on man; The Tempest symbolizes the action of man on the invisible world."

Who was in charge of the ship during the storm at sea?

The Ship–master was in charge of the Boatswain and the mariners.

Why did Alonso, the king, interfere with the Boatswain’s work in securing the ship during the storm?

The king was accustomed to being the supreme authority.

Where did the Boatswain tell the king and his courtiers to go?

The Boatswain told the king and his courtiers to go to their cabins below.

Who were the first to go to their cabins below the top deck?

Alonso, the king, and Ferdinand, the prince, were the first to go below and pray.

What joke does Gonzalo tell concerning the Boatswain?

Gonzalo’s joke implies that the Boatswain was born to be hanged and need not fear drowning.

Why doesn't Alonso believe his son might still believe?

Alonso is so depressed that he doesn't even want to believe his son Ferdinand is still alive. Twelve years ago, he helped Antonio usurp the Dukedom of Milan from his brother Prospero. He thinks the death of his son is the result of this mean act.

Why does Ariel put everyone but Antonio and Sebastian to sleep?

Ariel's music quickly charms all but Antonio and Sebastian to sleep so that Antonio can persuade Sebastian to kill his sleeping brother, Alonso. Antonio argues that Ferdinand is surely drowned, and the Claribel, the next heir, is too far away to make an effective claim. Thus by murdering his brother, he would become the King of Naples. 

What is the origin of 'Setebos', the name of Sycorax's god?

Setebos, the deity purportedly worshiped by the witch Sycoras, was originally the god of Pantagonians. He was explicitly mentioned in Pigafetta's journal, which was also carried forth into Eden's book, and picked up by Shakespeare.

How does this joke affect the rest of the passengers and crew?

If the Boatswain does not drown, the rest of the passengers and crew will also be spared.

How do Sebastian and Antonio react to the Boatswain?

Sebastian and Antonio curse the Boatswain and call him names.

How does the Boatswain respond to Sebastian’s and Antonio’s insulting remarks?

The Boatswain responds with “work you then” if they don’t like the way he is handling the job.

How does Antonio decide to die in the storm at sea?

Antonio wants to sink into the sea with the king.

How loyal is Sebastian to his brother, the king?

Sebastian wants to leave the king when he thinks the ship is sinking.

Why does Miranda ask her father to calm the storm at sea?

Miranda knows that he has raised the tempest with his magic and he also has the power to calm the storm.

How does Prospero comfort Miranda’s fears about the suffering people on the ship?

Prospero tells Miranda that there has been “no harm done.”

Does Miranda remember anything about her life before she came to the island?

Miranda remembers that several women waited on her in Milan.

How old was Miranda when they arrived on the island?

Miranda was not yet three when they arrived on the island.

In what way did Antonio dispose of Prospero and Miranda after he had usurped his dukedom?

Prospero and Miranda were put on a “rotten carcass of a butt” without a sail and left on the sea to drown.

Why did Antonio spare the lives of Prospero and Miranda?

Prospero was well loved by his people and Antonio wanted to stay in their good graces as the new Duke of Milan.

Why did Antonio put Prospero and Miranda on an old boat without a sail?

Antonio wanted their deaths to look like an accident.

Where did Prospero and Miranda get their supplies for the island?

Gonzalo, the king’s councilor, felt sorry for them, stocking their leaky vessel with water, food, clothing, and Prospero’s books.

Why did Prospero raise the storm at sea with his magic?

It had been his good fortune to have his enemies arrive off the shore of the island, and this was his chance to regain his dukedom.

How long had Prospero and Miranda lived on the island?

Prospero and Miranda had lived on the island for the past 12 years.

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