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Name :- Krishna R Khamal
Roll No :- 15
Enrollment no :- PG20170014
Paper no :- 7
Name of the Paper :- Literary
Theory and Criticism
Topic:- I .A Richard's
Figurative Language in selected poems
Dedicated to :- Department of
English, MKBU
~ Preface
I A
Richards is a critic belonged to modern age.He born 1893 and he was educated at
cambridge.He was professor of English Literature. So he started his career as
teacher and critic.His first work written in collaboration with C.K Ogdon,was published in 1922.This was followed
by The Meaning of Meaning also written
in colaboration.One of his major work is The Principle of Literary Criticism in
1924.
The Practical criticism,it show him as an unrivalled
advocate who practice practical criticism,Some of his other works are Science
and Poetry,Mencius of the Mind ,Coleridge on Imagination, The philosophy
of Rhetoric and The Speculative Instruments. He set three aims before
constructing the book as under,
1)
To introduce a
new kind of documantation to those who are interested in the contempory state
of culture whether as critic ,as teacher ,philosopher as psychologist or
curious persons.
2)
To provide a new technique for those who wish
to discover for themselves what they think and feel about poetry,why they
should like or dislike.
3)
To prepare the
way of educational methods more efficient than those we use now developing
discrimination and power to understand what we read here.
~What is figurative
language by I. A Richardson?
The importance of Words
:-
He reveals his gteat interest in
textual and verble analysis in his books Practical Criticism and Meaning of
Meaning. If we ask that how Language made?
So if we want to understand any
literary work so first try to understand Language ,we must understand words.And
after understanding words we can easily understand any works.Words carry four
kinds of meaning or total meaning of a word depends upon four factors as under.
By sense is related with mind or plain literal
meaning of the words.Feelings refers to
emotions, emotionl attitudes,will ,desire,pleasure,unpleasure and the
rest.Words express 'these feeling ,these nuances of interest'. By tone is meant the writer's attitude to his
readers.There is relation between the writers
and his readers.Intention has no object,it is the writer's aim which may
be conscious or unconscious. The purpose modifies the expression.
Significance of Context
Words have different
meaning in different contexts.Words are symbols or signs for example if anyone
say that elephant,so first the picture of elephant comes in our mind not the
spelling of elephant.without context there is no meaning in words for example
the word 'sweet' we use for person or food as under,
-How sweet of you.
-This sweets for my brother
Thus ,we can say that meaning
is dependent on context but the context
may not always be apparent and easily perceptible.for example''Mountain and
squirrel has a quarrel''.
Rhythm and Meter: Their
Significance
Rhythm and meter also give meaning of
the words.Meter is a specialized from of rhythm.Rhythm made poem more
regular and well formed pattern.Richards
remarks that 'Rhythm and its specialized form,meter,dpend upon repetition and expectancy.Equally where what is expected
recurs and where it fails,all rhythmical and meterical effects spring from
anticipation.As a rule ,this anticipation is unconsciouss.Sequence of syllables
both as sound and as images of speech movements leave the mind read of certain
further sequences rather than others. Our momentary organaization is adapted to
one range possible stimuli rather than to another.Just as the eye reading print
unconsciously expects the spelling to be as usual,and the fount of type to
remain the same ,so the mind after reading a line or two of verse or half a
sentence of prose ,prepares itself ahead for same time negatively
incapacitating itself for others,'
It means over all we can say that over
literal reading can say that over literal reading can never convey the total
meaning of poem.
~The Nature of Poetic
Truth:-
if we want to understand the poetic
meaning so successive reading is most important. Poetic truth is different than
scientific truth for example,
Scientific truth:- Mountain
and Squirrel can't talk.
Poetic truth:- The Mountain and the Squirrel had a Quarrel.
After this example we can understand that
what is Poetic truth?It is matter of emotional belief rather than intellectual
belief.It is emotional reaction not versification.
~Metaphors:-
In poetry metaphors are so
important,'A metaphor is a shift, a carring over of a word from its normal use
to a new use'. There are two kind of metaphor as under ,
1)
Sensitive
metaphor
2)
Emotive metaphor
In a sensitive metaphor the shift id due to a
similarity between the original object and the new one.While in emotive
metaphor the shift is due to a similarity between the ''Feelings,the new
situation and the normal situation aroused.''The same word in different context
may be a sense metaphor and emotive metaphor.A metaphor is point which arouses
a different meaning of the line.so metaphor is also a key to unlock the poem.
~ Applying I A.Richards figurative Language in different
poems
Here one poem written by Ralph W.
Emerson,title of the poem is ''The Mountain and Squirrel''.
The Mountain and the
Squirrel
The mountain and the
squirrel
Had a quarrel;
And the former called the
latter''Little Prig''.
Bun replied,
''You are doubtless very
big;
but all sorts of things and
weather
Must be taken in togather,
To make up a year
And a sphere.
''And i think it no disgrace
To occupy my place.
If I'm not so large as you,
You are not so small as i,
And not half so spry.''
Over literal meaning of the poem is that mountain and squirrel
can't speak so how can they quarrel? But here in this context the meaning is
different. Over all meaning of the poem is that everyone has their own
quality.As same in this poem also that mountain has its own and squirrel has
its own qualities.As like sword and needle. So we can say that here poet use
mountain and squirrel as metaphor.
Other poem one is as under
,written by Joyce Kilmer in 1886.
Trees
I think that i shall never
see
A poem lovely as a tree,
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet
flowing breast,
A tree that looks at God
all day
And lifts her leafty arms
to pray;
A tree that may in summer
wear
A nest of robins in her
hair,
Upon whose bosom snow has
lain;
Who intimately lives with
rain,
Poems are made by fools
like me,
But only God can make a
tree.
Over literal reading we say that,
– Tree has no mouth
– Tree has no eyes so how can that looks at God
– Tree has no hair
But here meaning is differ,he
want to say that God made tree ,while poem made by man .so tree is better than
poem.And perheps he is great than god by saying himself as a fool.it is poem so
he can't say directly and that's why he
uses different words with tree.He uses mouth,eyes,hair, as symbol.so here this
is poetic truth ,not scientific truth,because truth is different with different
context.
Here is third poem
about the mother which is written by Elizabeth A. Allen as under ,
My Mother's Garden
Her heart is like her garden,
Old fashioned,quaint and
sweet,
with here wealth of blossom
And there a still retreat.
Sweet violets are hiding,
WE know as we pass by,
And lilies,pure as angle
thoughts,
Are opening somewhere high.
Forget me nots there linger,
To full perfection brought,
And there bloom purpet pansies
In many a tender thought.
There love's own roses
blossom,
As from enchanted ground,
And lavish perfume exquisite
The whole glad year around.
And in that quite garden
The garden of her heart
Song birds are always singing
Their songs of cheer apart,
And from it floats for ever
Sweet as the breath of roses
blown,
The fragrance of her life.
Title is that my mother's garden.It
does not mean that his/her mother has garden of flower,trees ,etc. But as in
first line mother's heart is like her
garden it means that poet uses garden as simile.In last two lines also ,poet
compare fragrance of mother's life with breath of roses.So once again poet uses simile.In this
poem ,poet tries to convey the importance of mother.And that's why poet compare
mother with garden.Through those symbols poet write poem about great figure on
the earth mother.'
Now let's understand some Gujarati poem after understanding English poems.
Here Gujarati poem related with mother as
under,
Jananinijodsakhinahi
jade re lol
Mithamadhunemithamehula re
lol,
Ethimithitemori mat re,
Jananinijodsakhinai jade re
lol.
Prabhuna e premtaniputadi
re lol,
Jag thijuderieni re
Jananinijod....
Aminibharelieniankhadi re
lol,
Vahalnabharelaenaven re,
Jananinijod...
Hath guthelenaheerna re
lol,
Haiyuhemantkerihel re,
Jananinijod...
Devo ne dudh ena dohyala re
lol,
Shashi e sinchel eni sody
re,
Jananinijod....
Jaganoadhar eni angadi re
lol,
Kadaja ma kaikbharyakod re,
Jananinijod....
Chittdu chadel enu chakde
re lol,
Parne bandhel ena pran re,
Jananinijod...
Mungi ashish ure malakti re
lol,
Leta khute na eni lahan re,
Jananinijod....
Dhartimata e hashe dhrujati
re lol,
Achada achuk ek may re,
Jananinijod....
Ganga na nir to vadheghate
re lol,
Madi no megh bare mas re,
Jananinijod...
Chalti chanda ni dise
chandani re lol,
Ano nahi athame ujas re,
Jananinijod...
In this poem we can see that
praise of mother. Poet compare mother with madh and mehula, and he says that
our mother is more sweater than other.Her heart is like ''heamant'. Here poet
use simile in this line.Then once again poet compares love of mother with the
river Ganga.And he says that love of mother is better than holly river.And
'madi' no 'megh' it means noit that our mother's water but her love is like
rain forever.Then in last line that 'eno nahi atham ujas'it not mean that she
gives us sunlight but it means that sun of her love never set.
So we can say that over all meaning
of the poem is about the love of mother.In Gujarati is one proverb ''ma te
ma,bija badha vagadana va''.
Here one other Gujarati poem
written by Shantilal Shah as under,
Ek j dal na pankhi
Ek j dal na pankhi,
Ame sahu ek j dal na
pankhi.
Viharie kadi abha ma unche,
Udi udi kadi avie niche,
Killol karata reheta
umangi..ek j dal na pankhi.
Sukh ma ne dukh ma sathe j
rahi e
Ladie vadhie kadi, judae
thaie,
Toy nirantar reheta
sampi...ek j dal na pankhi.
Dharti ne khole bal ame
sahu,
Karie kudarat gan amesahu
Jivan kera prevasna
sangi...ek j dal na pankhi.
In
general meaning of the poem,
-Poem is about bird
-They live with each other
-They are tourists of
life,etc,
But, in the deep meaning we can see that
poet use metaphor from Nature that is 'bird'.But he tries to talk about human
beings.How they live? They are partner of life.They fight among each other but
they can't live without each other.one famous Gujarati proverb 'bhega vasan
kyarek khakhade pan khara''.
~ Conclusion
Thus, we can say that I.A
Richards gives us wonderful theory.And because of this theory we can easily
understand any poem through observing words.That's why we can say that words
are so much important to understand metaphors,simile,poetic truth,etc.
After understanding of all above poems
,we understand that what the importances of metaphors,simile,etc are.Without
all these things poem is like
'widow'.And so if we can understand to any poem so first understand all these
things which are laying in poetry.So ,this is the theory of I.A Richards.
work citation:-
Internet (some poems Gujarati and English)
New criticism and new Critics -figurative Language
