January 2009 Archives

"In a peculiar sense he will be aware also that he must inevitably be judged by the standards of the past. I say judged, not amputated, by them; not judged to be as good as, or worse or better than, the dead; and certainly not judged by the canons of dead critics."

Within this statement that Eliot made, I found profound truth. Although creativity in literature is always appreciated and original, it stems from the past literature or dead authors. No matter what you write, you are influenced by the past, historically, culturally and personally. Whether your ideals are similar or your writing style, critics have a right and obligation to look at past literature and "measure (the two works) by each other." I really liked his prospective on this and completely agree with the understanding of a past and a need for new and fresh takes on literature.

While I was reading "Introduction: What is Literature" I found myself stumbling over these three literary devices: metonymy, litotes, and chiasmus. I would like to add that they were flawlessly dropped into the text like I should know them and had me running for my dictionary! After going back over metonymy and litotes I realized I had no problem understanding them, just was not completely familiar with the term. However, I am still struggling with the chiasmus. Luckily, I did a further search and realized how commonly used this literary device is in literature. Even the peppy Band-Aid commercial uses this technique!! " I am stuck on Band-Aid, and Band-Aid's stuck on me."

Chiasmus:(from the Greek word for "criss-cross,") is a FIGURE OF SPEECH in which two successive phrases or clauses are parallel in syntax, but reverse the order of the analogous words.

"Without wrenching the syntax, we can read the final lines as 'Beauty is truth, truth is beauty' in eternity--that is all you know or need to know on earth of eternity." -Allen C. Austin on supporting his thesis that eternity is the most realistic explanation saying that beauty and truth are the same.

In "Toward Resolving Keat's Grecian Urn Ode," I found the entire process of the essay interesting. Austin began the essay looking at the six contending perspectives critics look at while reading the last lines of "Ode on a Grecian Ode." He then evaluated each of the six perspectives and pointed out each of the faults in the critical readings. Towards the middle of the essay, Austin agrees and begins to prove the idea of eternity is the x-factor in understanding truth and beauty being the same. Just like we discussed in class, Keat's personal life and history was a large factor in Austin's supporting evidence to his claim. Keat's letters corresponding with Bailey and in his personal life filled with uncertainty and unhappiness. Austin then suggested that Keat's imagination is an escape where he could imagine an eternal love and happiness. Overall while reading the essay I focused more on the style of writing. I'm not sure if that is right, but I found the format interesting and effective while Austin convinced me of the idea of eternity.

On another note, I have known for some time now that the authors history really interests me and I am glad it was a large part of this essay and analysis.

"Some texts are born literary, some achieve literariness, and some have literariness thrust upon them." Terry Eagleton on the ever changing definition of literature.

After reading the introduction, "What is Literature" I was most influenced by this quote and its cheesy yet truthful definition of literature. Because there is no specific definition of literature the reader has the ability to choose what works they consider literary. A novel may be more relevant when it is first created, or it may grow to become pertinent during a different time or the literary worthiness may be thrust up a novel.

We, as readers, have the ultimate POWER in suggesting what is "good" and "bad" literature. It is all very objective and throughout the ages these terms and definitions are bound to change. To each is own and although we may each individually decide what makes literature good or bad, we cannot personally decide what literature is defined as. Just because I don't like Paradise Lost doesn't give me the ability to say it isn't literature. There is a fine line, which we discovered while reading this chapter and that is what I found most interesting. The difference between our opinion and the objectivity of literature as a whole.