LL (MAJOR PRELIM)

What foundational concepts did Plato address in his works?

Truth, beauty, goodness, reality, society structure, ontology, epistemology, ethics, and morality.

What is the core of Platonic thought?

Plato's doctrine of essences, ideas, or forms, asserting that ultimate reality is spiritual.

How does Plato describe the relationship between the material world and the ideal forms?

The material world is a shadow or replica of the ideal forms that exist in the spiritual realm.

What role does abstract reasoning play in Plato's philosophy?

It usurps narrative as a method for discovering truth, emphasizing reason over presentational modes.

How does Plato view poets in relation to reality?

He considers them inferior imitators, two steps removed from ultimate reality, and untrustworthy.

What change does Plato make regarding poets in his later works?

He acknowledges the societal need for poets who are good and honorable, allowing them to celebrate state victors.

What is Aristotle's contribution to literary criticism?

He applies scientific methods to literature, particularly in his work 'Poetics', focusing on the elements of a work.

What does Aristotle mean by 'epic poetry, tragedy, comedy' in 'Poetics'?

These are all forms of imitation, differing in how and what they imitate.

What is Aristotle's view on the function of poetry?

Poetry expresses what could happen, making it more philosophical than history, which relates particular events.

What does Horace advocate for poets in his literary theory?

He argues that poets should imitate past poets, particularly the Greeks, and write about traditional subjects uniquely.

What is Horace's famous dictum regarding literature?

'Dulce et utile,' meaning literature should be both sweet and useful.

What is Longinus' focus in literary criticism?

He concentrates on the sublime and defines a literary classic, emphasizing the importance of being well-read.

How does Longinus define the sublime?

As that which bears repeated examination and is difficult to withstand, leaving a strong memory.

What is Dante Alighieri's contribution to literary criticism?

He argues for the use of the vernacular as a beautiful language for poetry in his 'Letter to Can Grande Della Scala.'

What is Sir Philip Sidney known for in literary criticism?

He is considered the first great English critic-poet and authored 'An Apology for Poetry,' defining Renaissance literary theory.

What does Sidney argue about the different literary genres?

He ranks them all as instructive but asserts that poetry excels above all.

What additional requirements does Sidney place on Aristotelian tragedy?

He insists on unity of action, time, and place.

What is the significance of the Academy founded by Plato?

It marked the beginning of philosophical inquiry and abstract thinking in literary theory.

How does Aristotle differentiate poetry from history?

He states that poetry expresses the universal, while history deals with the particular.

What does Horace believe is the poet's ultimate reward?

The adulation of the public.

What does Longinus suggest about the innate capability of readers?

All readers can recognize the sublime, as nature instills a love for elevated and divine concepts.

What was the impact of Dante's advocacy for the vernacular?

It allowed literary works to reach a broader audience.

What does Longinus emphasize about the author in his critical method?

The author must possess a great mind and soul to create a worthy literary work.

What does Plato's doctrine imply about the nature of artistic creation?

Artistic creation is seen as an imitation of an imitation, lacking true originality.

What is the relationship between the reader and the text according to Longinus?

The reaction of a learned audience largely determines the value or worth of a text.

What does Aristotle's analysis of tragedy reveal about his view of human nature?

He sees humans as imitative creatures who find pleasure in imitation.

What genre does John Dryden mock in his works?

He mocks other genres, including tragicomedy.

What are the three unities that Dryden insists on in Aristotelian tragedy?

Unity of action, time, and place.

What literary period does John Dryden represent?

The Neoclassical period.

What is John Dryden's significant contribution to literary criticism?

An Essay of Dramatic Poesy (1668).

According to Dryden, what characteristics should literary works possess?

Politeness, clarity, order, decorum, elegance, cleverness, and wit.

What does Alexander Pope consider the golden age of criticism?

The classical age, represented by writers like Homer, Aristotle, Horace, and Longinus.

What is the chief requirement of a good poet according to Pope?

Natural genius, knowledge of the classics, and understanding of poetry rules.

What poetic structure did Alexander Pope establish as a standard?

The heroic couplet.

What significant shift in literary focus does William Wordsworth advocate?

Focusing on common men and women instead of aristocrats.

How does Wordsworth redefine poetry?

As the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.

What does Wordsworth request from his readers when judging his poems?

To decide by their own feelings genuinely, not by others' judgments.

What new development in literary theory does Wordsworth's approach lead to?

The expressive school, emphasizing individuality of the artist.

What is Hippolyte Adolphe Taine's main contribution to literary criticism?

The historical approach to literary analysis in The History of English Literature (1863).

What four categories of influences does Taine identify in literary analysis?

Race, milieu, moment, and dominant faculty.

What does Matthew Arnold argue is humankind's crowning activity?

Poetry.

According to Arnold, what are the standards of excellence in poetry?

Truth and seriousness.

What does Henry James define a novel as?

A personal, direct impression of life.

What does James believe is the only obligation of a novel?

That it be interesting.

What does James reject from the romantic notion of reading?

The idea that readers should suspend disbelief.

What does modern literary criticism signify after the deaths of Arnold and James?

A splintering and diversification of literary theory.

What is the significance of the expressive school in literary criticism?

It emphasizes the individuality of the artist and reader's experience.

What does Taine mean by 'milieu' in literary analysis?

The surroundings or intellectual and cultural concerns reflected in the text.

What does the term 'moment' refer to in Taine's analysis?

The epoch or time period the text was written, including dominant ideas of that time.

What does Arnold suggest is necessary for achieving the best poetry?

Establishing objective criteria to judge poetry's seriousness.

How does Taine view the relationship between an author and their environment?

Authors share intellectual beliefs and emotions shaped by their race and milieu.

What literary form does Wordsworth emphasize in his poetry?

Common life incidents described in everyday language.

What does Arnold believe poetry can replace in society?

Religion and philosophy.

What does James consider bad novels to be?

Either romantic or scientific, failing to show life in action.

What is the role of the critic according to Pope?

To validate and maintain classical values amidst cultural change.

What does it mean when we say a text is 'difficult'?

It signifies various complexities in understanding, including lexical, grammatical, and cultural challenges.

What is 'Contingent Difficulty'?

The easiest level of difficulty, involving lexical and grammatical items that require looking up.

What does 'Modal Difficulty' refer to?

Difficulty arising from customs, traditions, or norms that are alien to the reader.

What is an example of 'Tactical Difficulty'?

When a writer intentionally obscures meaning to achieve specific stylistic effects.

What does 'Ontological Difficulty' question?

It questions the existential assumptions behind language and literature as a communicative performance.

What is the significance of 'lexical resistance' in poetry?

It guards the poem's meaning from commonalities of prose, enriching its interpretation.

What role do allusions play in 'Contingent Difficulty'?

They require readers to look up references to mythology, historical figures, etc., to fully understand the text.

How does 'imaginative sympathy' relate to 'Modal Difficulty'?

It challenges readers to empathize with experiences presented in literature that may feel alien.

What is the goal of a writer facing 'Tactical Difficulty'?

To infuse language with intense feeling and insight, making understanding provisional.

What questions might arise from 'Ontological Difficulty'?

Questions about the purpose of reading literature and its relevance in a technocratic world.

What does George Steiner mean by 'multiplicity of meaning'?

It suggests that texts often have layered meanings, making them complex and rich.

What is the 'vicarious nature of literature'?

Literature presents diverse experiences that enhance the reader's understanding of life.

What is meant by 'looking things up' in the context of literature?

It refers to the process of seeking clarification on words, phrases, or references that are not immediately understood.

How does the poet enrich the meaning of a word?

By anchoring it in its historical context, adding depth to its current definition.

What is the relationship between difficulty and cultural context in literature?

Cultural gaps can create difficulties in understanding texts that are rooted in different traditions or experiences.

What does Steiner mean by 'the poet as a wordsmith'?

The poet creatively combines words, often reviving old or rare words to enhance meaning.

What does the phrase 'the feedback of clarification' imply?

It suggests that understanding a text is an iterative process, where each clarification leads to deeper comprehension.

What is the 'dynamic mould' of a word's history?

It refers to the evolving meanings and associations a word carries through time.

Why might a writer choose to be obscure?

To create a specific stylistic effect or to provoke deeper thought in the reader.

What does 'lexically constituted and grammatically organized semantic system' refer to?

It describes the structured way language conveys meaning, which can sometimes lead to difficulties in interpretation.

What does Steiner suggest about the nature of poetry?

He views poetry as a complex interplay of words that carries multiple layers of meaning.