I. A. Richards : The figurative language
Topic : Figurative Language by
1926
That period he wrote three of his most influential books:
I. A.Richards
Name: Kumarkhaniya Diya g.
MA Semester :-2
➢Paper No: 109 Literary Theory & Criticism.
Enrollment No: 5307250005
Kumarkhaniyadiya@gmail.com
➢Submitted To: Department of English
Maharanishree nadkuvrba mahila arts and commerce college.
Figurative Language
by I. A .Richards
➢Introduction:
Ivor Armstrong Richards (26 February 1893– 7 September 1979), known as I. A. Richards, was an English educator, literary critic, poet, and rhetorician. His work contributed to the foundations of New Criticism, a formalist movement in literary theory which emphasized the close reading of a literary text, especially poetry, in an effort to discover how a work of literature functions as a self-contained and self-referential æsthetic object.
➢Born :- Ivor Armstrong Richards
26 February 1893
Sandbach, Cheshire, England
➢Died :- 7 September 1979 (aged 86)
Cambridge, England
➢Occupation:- Educator
➢Alma mater:-Magdalene College, Cambridge
➢Period:- 20th century
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I.A Richards, Who’s full name was Ivor Armstrong Richards, who was one of the most influential figure among the critics of the 20th Century. He was born on February 26, 1893, Sandbank, Cheshire, England and also died on September 7, 1979, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, lived very long time and did also very notable things in the history of English Criticism. He was an English critic and poet. While a lecturer at Cambridge, Richards wrote influential works, including Principles of Literary Criticism (1924), in which he introduced a new way of reading poetry that led to the New Criticism. A student of psychology, He took education at Cambridge. In fact, T.S. Eliot and I.A.Richards are considered to be the pioneers in the field of New Criticism. They differ a lot in the views. Critics like
John Crowe Ronsom, Kenneth Brooke, cleanth Brooks, R.P.Blackmur, and Robert Penn Warren William Empson were in debted to I.A.Richards.
That period he wrote three of his most influential books:
The Meaning of meaning (1923) a pioneer work on semantics and Principles of Literary Criticism (1924) and Practical Criticism (1929), companion volumes that he used to develop his critical method. The latter two were based on experimental pedagogy: Richards would give students poems in which the titles and authors’ names had been removed and then use their responses for further development of their close reading skills. Richards is best known for advancing the close reading of literature and for articulating the theoretical principles upon which
these skills lead to “practical criticism,” a method of increasing readers’analyticpowers.
A student of psychology and philosophy along with literary forms, Richards concluded that poetry performs a therapeutic function by coordinating a variety of human impulses into an aesthetic whole, helping both the writer and the reader maintain their psychological well-being. He valued poetry of inclusion that was able to contain the widest variety of warring tensions and oppositions.
I.A Richards is remembered today for his notable works as enlisted below:
1. The Meaning of Meaning- 1923 |
2. The Practical of Criticism – 1929
3. The Principles of Literary criticism-1924
I.A.Richards differs from the New Critics in one important respect, while the New Critics limit themselves rigorously to the poem under consideration, I.A.Richards also take into account its effect on the readers. For him, the real value of a poem lies in the reaction and attitudes it creates weather or not it is conductive to greater emotional balance equilibrium, peace and rest in the mind of the readers. For him the value of a work of art lies in its power to harmonies and organizes complex and warring human impulses into patterns that are lasting and pleasurable.
In his work I.A. Richards discusses about the figurative language as well as metaphorical language, which was an orthodox advocate of a close textual and verbal study and analysis of work of verbal study and analysis of work of art. According to Richards there are three objectves to write The Practical criticism.
➢Four kinds of meanings:
➢Sense: What is said; the literal items being referred to.
➢Feeling: The emotional attitude of the writer toward the subject.
➢Tone: The writer's attitude toward their audience.
➢Intention: The writer’s aim or the effect they intend to produce
➢Metaphor as "Pseudo-statements":
He regarded poetic language as "pseudo-statements" that, while not strictly verifiable as true or false, are crucial for ordering our minds and communicating complex experiences.
➢Scientific vs. Emotive Language:
Richards distinguished between the "scientific" use of language (referential, factual, precise) and the "emotive" use (evoking emotions, attitudes, or desires).
Richards emphasized that to understand a work of art, one must analyze how these four factors interact through figurative language.
➢Significance of Rhyme and Rhythm:
Rhythm and Metre are organic and integral and important parts of any integral and important parts of any poem because they determine the meaning of the words used by the poets Rhythm, meter and meaning cannot be separated they from together a single system. Rhythm and its specialized form, meter, depend upon repetition and expectancy. Equally where what is expected recurs and where it fails, all rhythmical and metrical effects spring from anticipation.
➢The Nature of poetic Truth:
Metaphorical language is important purpose of communication. The Nature of poetic Truth is very much important but it differs from the scientific truth.“It is evident that the bulk of poetry consists of statements which only the very foolish would think of attempting to verify.very special combinations so as to correspond to the ways in which things actually hang together, can be either true or false and most references in poetry are not knit together in this way.
➢Source of Misunderstanding in Poetry:
In practical criticism a study of literary judgment, I.A.Richards has given the theory of Figurative language. He starts discussion first on sources of misunderstanding in poetry. He says that it is very difficult to find the source which creates misunderstanding. Further, he says that there are four sources of misunderstanding as far as are poetry is concerned. According to I.A. Richards there are four sources of misunderstanding of poetry. It is difficult to diagnose with accuracy and definiteness, the source of some particular mistake or misunderstanding of the sense of poetry. It arises from inattention, or sheer carelessness.
➢The Value of Figurative Language:
Sometimes it is possible that figurative language may create some misunderstanding in any literary work. Therefore it is necessary to identify the figures of speech. It is difficult to turn poetry into logical respectable prose. Is combining with recognition of the liberties which are proper for a poet, and the power and value of figurative language.There are various comments on the above piece of the hyperbole of the sea-harp. The only concrete simile in the octave is the likening of the sea to a harp- surely a little extravagant.
➢The Value of Personification
Personification is the best way to express the idea of poet.Bacause personification adds more colours into the language of poetry. Sometimes it looks like very ornamental language. Personification comes naturally to us. Personification may not express sense but it expresses the feelings of the poet towards what he is speaking about. Personification enables the poet to clear and comprehend the difficult work.
Now about value of Personification I.A Richards comments
There are indeed very good reasons why poetry should personify. The structure of language and the pronouns, verbs and adjectives that come most naturally to us constantly invite us to personify. And to go deeper, our attitudes, feelings, and ways of thought about inanimate things are moulded upon and grow out of our whys of thinking and feeling about one another.
➢Conclusion:
In this way we can say that according to I.A Richards a proper understanding of figurative language required close study of the poem. Reader should read the poem into the context of close reading. its literal since must be carefully followed, but such literal reading must not come in the way of imagination appreciation of it judicious balance must be struck between literalism and imaginative freedom .and it provide the way of analysis poem and study of words and metaphor .this kind of Richards’s work provide theory of study poem.
Twentieth
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