literary criticism

 DISCUSS THE MAIN FIGURES OF MEDIEVAL/CLASSICAL CRITICISM AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE MODERN LITERATURE: Records qualify the earliest period of literature criticism as Classical to represent both the literature of excellence from the record and historical period of flourishing art/literature in the civilization of ancient Roma/ Greek(5th -1st Century BCE),the Renaissance (14th -17th centuries) as the period of art/literature /ideas extensive studies. Its main figures are Plato, Aristotle, Horace and Longinus who elaborated rules and models that still have relevance to modern literature content and form with regards to influential man's tastes ,values and ideas keep changing. Classical critics tend to be legislative or prescriptive for fact that they had to lay down rules that govern a work of art productions. In their literature work To different degrees They were either moralistic or aesthetic in approaches as two folds to wrap the product of art and at the same time different lenses through which that product value is evaluated .  Figure-critical theory-application to literary work 1. PLATO -Moral approach(The Republica) As one of the oldest literature approach ,it was developed by Plato,a Greek philosopher one of the greatest Greek literature figures whose Aristotle was a disciple. His literature and art considerations were applied to the life of the Republic. His contributions are: promotion of poet value in the society, Power of literature to the audience Proper function of literature Nature of artistic imitation and its real world concerns. This approach defines poets only as Imitators who copy images of virtues and the other themes of their poetry with no contact to the truth. Plato advises to retrieve moral lessons from the work of art attention to artists and accuses art to be dangerous to the society by fact that it can mislead people who are not yet experienced it .He argues artist to be cautious not to misguide the community since art is simply illusion of life very far from the reality, ideal to exist in the form of intelligence ,that art/poetry represent the lower and less rational position of the mind. He stresses that all good and ideal is from God that cannot be the source of evil. He discouraged dramas by saying that whoever plays or watches(actor, audience, reader) them can consequently be led to imitate habits of nonexistent characters who may be bad models. In his the Republica Plato would only allow sound literature, music, dance and drama as moral ,worthy to serve the state . 2. ARISTOTLE Ethical approach(The Poetics) Aristotle introduces the literary analysis terms by considering poetry and drama as means to an end(audience enjoyment)He drew guidelines (organizations and methods)for artists to produce effective poetry and dramas (Principles of dramatics) by paying attention on elements like language to determine its user ,language rhythm ,harmony as well as plot character ,orderly arrangement of events and incidents for the overall quality of the work. 3. HORACE'S Theory to literary work(admiration by the public) a Latin lyric and satirist poet (65-8 CE)Many youth were inspired and advised on poetry writing by the values they got from reading his works Through principles he advocated: • Poet say both suitable and pleasant just short lesson with aim to either amuse or help the reader; • Not only moral lessons and ethical consideration poetry is ranked by audience intrinsic merits; • Aesthetic quality comes from the step of intensive reading, revision ,careful order of the poetry work before publication; • Poetry unfolds at the same time simplicity in unity so better not to start an ambition that won't satisfy its requirement; • Literary theory must work hand in hand with the excellence to produce beautiful literary works; • The freedom of choosing the Proper words to express yourself by neology, terminology ,coinage; • Good artists are made not only by their nature but altogether with guidance, reference, model studying to make their work better. 4. LONGINUS 'S Theory to literary work(Sublimity) A product is only great if it interests, attracts by its SUBLIMITY, able to charm ,to evoke feeling, emotions . According to Longinus a work should assign right role to appropriate character like not an ancestral role to a young girl. Artists need to adopt a strategy that makes their public to feel missing their product by not taking more their time than enough . His comment is that the choir content should contribute to the plot. CONLCUDE that Classical criticism shed model light to literature works in ancient period as well as in actual literature critical theories .The main key stones are Ethical, Aesthetical that is the content that necessarily needs the form so as to attract the followers who will after all grasp the core OF THE WORK. It shows that life and literature works are co-walkers ,that literature has its pioneers who contributed a lot for the success of literature in the society by bringing to people what fit their need. Modern literature throne is the form that was shaped by classical literary criticism. References: Lecturer's Handout LITERARY CRITICISM year IV Course notes ETHICS&INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPY year I