Literary Terms

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Smt. S. B. Guardy Department of English

Written by: Poojaba G. Jadeja

Roll No.: 22

Year: 2014, semester 2 

Topic: Literary Terms: Psychoanalytical criticism, New criticism and Diaspora   

Psychoanalytical Criticism:

To understand psychoanalytical criticism, we have to understand, psychological criticism. Psychological criticism deals with a work of literature primarily as an expression, in an indirect and fictional form, of the state of the mind and the structure of personality of the individual author. In easy words, we can say that, psychological criticism studies psychology of author through their work.

Psychological approach emerged in the early decades of the 19^th century, as part of the Romantic replacement of earlier mimetic and pragmatic views by an expensive view of the nature of criticism.

There are three types of the critical procedures that are based on the assumption that the details and form of a work of literature are correlated with its author’s distinctive mental and emotional traits. These are...

1.       Reference to the author’s personality in order to explain and interpret a literary work.

2.       Reference to literary works in order to establish, biographically, the personality of the author. And

3.       The mode of reading a literary work specifically in order to experience the distinctive subjectivity of its author.

Since 1920s a widespread type of psychological literary criticism has come to be psychoanalytical criticism. Its premises and procedures were established by Sigmund Freud.

Freud had developed the dynamic form of psychology that he called “psychoanalysis” as procedure for the analysis and therapy of neuroses, but expanded it to account for many development and practices in the history of civilization, including warfare, mythology, and religion, as well as literature and other arts.

Freud gives many theories which are known as psychoanalytical criticism’s major theories and basic ideas for that criticism. Theories like, neuroses, sublimate, three stages of human mind and many other are very famous even today. 

Freud’s concepts and theories:

Freud’s brief comment on the workings of the artist’s imagination set forth the theoretical framework of “classical” psychoanalytic criticism. Freud proposes that literature and the other arts, like dreams and neurotic symptoms, consist of the imagined or fantasised, fulfilment of wishes that are either denied by reality or prohibited by the social standards of morality and propriety.

The forbidden wishes come into conflict with the ‘censor’ and are repressed by the censor into the unconscious realm of the artist’s mind, but are permitted to achieve a fantasised satisfaction in distorted forms that serve to disguise their real motives and objects from the conscious mind.

The chief mechanisms that affect these disguises of unconscious wishes are (1) condensation (2) displacement and (3) symbolism. The disguised fantasies that are available to consciousness are called by Freud the MANIFEST CONTENT of dream or work of literature; the unconscious wishes that find a semblance of satisfaction into the disguised expression he calls the LATENT CONTENT.

Freud also asserts that artists process special abilities that differentiate them radically from the patently neurotic type of personality. And so, arts make them capable of satisfying the unconscious desires that other people share with the individual artist; to meld an artistic medium into a faithful image of the creatures of his imagination, as well as satisfying artistic form.

This outline of Freud’s theory of art in 1920 was elaborated and refined, but not radically altered, by later developments in his theory of mental structures, dynamics and processes. Freud’s model of the mind is having three functional aspects:

(1) The Id: which incorporates libidinal and other innate desires.

(2) The Superego: the internalization of social standards of morality and propriety.

(3) The Ego: which tries as best it can to negotiate the conflict between the insatiable demands of the Id, the impossibly stringent requirements of the Superego, and the limited possibilities of gratification offered by reality.

Freudian critics, in a mode suggested by Freud’s later writings on the role of “ego psychology” in elaborating the manifest content and artistic form of the work of literature; that is on the way that the ego, in contriving the work, consciously  manages to mediate between the conflicting demands of Id, the superego and the limits imposed by reality.

Fredrick C. Crews (literature and psychology), James Thrope, and Norman Holland these and many other writers and critics try to explain and follow “psychoanalytic criticism” and Freudian concepts and theories about it. Psychoanalytic criticism tries to connect psychology and literary criticism. 

New Criticism:  

The term ‘New Criticism’ made current by the publication John Crowe Ransom’s ‘The New Criticism’ in 1941, came to be applied to a theory and practice that remained prominent in American literary criticism until late in the 1960s.

The movement derived in considerable part from elements in I. A. Richard’s ‘Principles of Literary Criticism’ (1924) and ‘Practical criticism’ (1929) and from the critical essays of T. S. Eliot.

In this criticism critics opposed a prevailing interest of scholars, critics, and teachers of that era in the biographies of authors, in the social context of literature, and in literary history by insisting that the proper concern of literary criticism is not with the external circumstances or effects or historical position of a work, but with a detailed consideration of the work itself as an independent entity.

New Criticism differed from another in many ways. These are given below... 

According to new critics,

(1) A poem should be regarded as an independent and self-sufficient verbal object. The autonomy of the work itself as existing for its own sake New Critics warn the reader against critical practices which divert attention from the poem itself.

(2) The principles of the New Criticism are basically verbal. That is literature is conceived to be a special kind of language whose attributes are defined by systematic opposition to the language of science and of practical and logical discourse, and the explicative procedure is to analyse the meanings and interaction of words, figures of speech and symbols. The emphasis is on “organic unity” of its overall structure with its verbal meanings.

(3) The distinctive procedure for a New Critic is explication, or close reading, the detailed analysis of the complex interrelationships and ambiguities of the verbal and figurative components within a work.

(4) The distinction between literary genres does not play an essential role in the New Criticism. The essential components of any work of literature, whether lyric, narrative or dramatic, are conceived to be words images and symbols rather than character, thought and plot.

These linguistic elements are often said to be organized around a central humanly significant and to manifest high literary value to the degree that they manifest ‘tension’, ‘irony’ and ‘paradox’ in achieving ‘reconciliation of diverse impulses’ or an ‘equilibrium’ of opposed forces. The form of work, whether or not it has characters and plot, is said to be primarily a “structure of meanings” which evolve into an integral and freestanding unity mainly through a play and counter play of “thematic imagery” and “symbolic action”.

The basic orientation and modes of analysis in the New Criticism were adapted to the contextual criticism of Eliseo Vivas and Murray Krieger.       

Critics of New Criticism:

Notable critics of this criticism were the southerners Cleanth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren, whose work ‘Understanding Poetry’ and ‘Understanding fiction’ did much to make the New Criticism the predominant method of teaching literature.

Other prominent writers of that time were Ransom, Brooks, Allen Tate, R. P. Blackmur and William K. Wimsatt, F. R. Leavis, Anne Samson. These are some New Critics who introduce method of New Criticism. The works “The Well wrought Urn”, “The Verbal Icon” and many other are related to the New Criticism.

Thus, New Criticism introduces new method of criticism with only studding work as a whole. They opposed external background studies and study of author and his historical, social background.

Diaspora: 

In literature, this term is used differently. It is a Greek word which means a scattered population with common origin in a smaller geographic area. In literary sense the meaning is different. Today, Diaspora literature becomes important for world literature.

The definition of Diaspora can be found in 1993 edition of shorter Oxford. Now, Diaspora refers to ‘anybody of people living outside their traditional homeland’.

Diaspora literature involves an idea of a homeland, a place from where the displacement occurs and narrative of journeys undertaken on account of economic compulsions.

Basically Diaspora is a minority community living in exile. The dispersal signifies the location of a fluid human autonomous space involving a complex set of negotiation and exchange between the minority and majority, being spokes persons for minority rights and their people back to home and significantly transecting the contact zone a space changed with the possibility of multiple challenges.

The term ‘Diaspora’ or ‘Exile alienation’ are synonymous and possess an ambiguous status of being both a refugee and an ambassador. The two roles being different, the Diasporic writers attempt at doing justice to both. These people migrating to another country in exile home living peacefully immaterially but lost home forever.

Looking at the diasporic literature in a broader perspective it is seen that such helps in understanding various cultures, breaking the barriers between different countries, localizing the global and even spreading universal peace.

Diasporic writings occupy a place of great significance between countries and cultures. Theories are generated and positions defined in order to construct new identities, which further negotiate boundaries and confines that relate to different temporary and special metaphors. This movement causes the dislocation and location of cultures and individuals harp upon memories.

Diasporic writers are often pre-occupied with the elements of nostalgia as they seek to locate themselves in new culture.  They write in relation with the culture of their homeland and at the same time adopt and negotiate with the cultural space of the host land.

Diasporic writers live on the margins of two countries and create cultural theories. These writers attempt to doing justice with both his duty, as refugee, he seeks security and protection and as an ambassador projects his own culture and help enhance its comprehensibility.  

The chief characteristic features of the Diasporic writings are the quest for identity, uprooting, insider and outsider syndrome, nostalgia, nagging sense of guilt etc. That’s way; Diasporic writing has its own place in literatures. Diaspora, Diasporic writings give vast contribution in literature which is very important and famous today.    

'Sense and Sensibility' as a serial

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University Bhavnagar

Smt. S. B. Guardy Department of English

Written by: Poojaba Jadeja 

Roll No.: 22

Year: 2014, semester: 2

Paper: The Romantic Literature

Topic: "'Sense and Sensibility' as today's serial"

 

 

'Sense and Sensibility' as today’s serial

           'Sense and sensibility' power point presentation

 

Today, serials become most popular art of our society. Serials are stand for entertainment, refreshment and delight of common human beings.

Jane Austen was one of the supreme artists in fiction. “Sense and Sensibility” is a famous novel by her. Because of its characteristics, we can connect this novel with today’s serials. As serials are the most popular program for television, the novel “Sense and Sensibility” can be compared with serials.

“Sense and Sensibility” has many elements which are similar to serials. With that comparison we can easily comment on the culture of England of Victorian age and Jane Austen’s way of presentation of such an English culture and feminine world in her novel. Some characteristics which are similar to the serials are given below.

Feminine world:

Generally, serials are for women, most of the viewers are women. In the serial we can find easily that the story is about women and focus is on women. It always related with the life of women.

“Sense and Sensibility” is a novel about two women characters. It is said about Jane Austen that, ‘The stories at all events are told from a women’s point of view.’  In the novel, general feminine world is described. Most of the characters are women and the stories of female characters are glorified more than male characters.

Not only in characterisation but also in story element, plot, themes, events, we can find that the novel is full of female and related to feminine world. Major characters are female. The story is about the three Dashwood sisters and their mother. They are Miss Elinor Dashwood, Marianne Dashwood, and Margaret Dashwood. Their life, their suffering from economic problems, their love, and feelings are described well in the novel.   

In the novel theme is of ‘marriage’, which is very common, feminine subject. Women characters, like Mrs. Jennings are always matching pairs between any lady and man. The struggle of choosing or getting life partner is also written in the novel. The novel also ends with marriage of the two Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne.

As the title suggests “Sense and Sensibility”, the novel also describes the sensible feelings of females and their sufferings because of this sensibility, very soft feelings. With this novel author Jane Austen make satire on sensible nature of women through the character of Marianne. That’s way novel is on women’s world. And there is a monopoly of females and marginalization of male characters and other issues.

Theme:

Today, serials are made for getting popularity, so, the director chooses the theme of the serial which is more emotional and heart-touching. In the serials, real society is reflected which people can find in their surroundings. Like today’s serials, Jane Austen describes real world. In the novel, story is realistic, common and regular so that readers can also feel that emotions.

Theme of the novel is of love and marriage. Other subjects are economic stability, love, romance, break-ups; family relations are mentioned in the novel. As a serial, ‘Sense and sensibility’ has theme of love and romance. Because of the romantic scenes of major characters serial becomes popular. Because of that theme, the story becomes very common like daily serials.

As a common theme, the characters of the novel are neither of with very high morality nor very low estate, and they have no great adventures. Because of the realistic theme, a picnic, dance, party, amateur theatricals, or at the most an elopement are describes in the novel. These events we can also find in our nowadays serials.

In the theme of the novel, we find lack of passion. The novel does not present stormy passions and high tragedy of emotional life, but only primarily concerned with the comedy of domestic life. High issues are absent in the novel.

Even there is scarcely any feeling for external nature in this novel and there is little passion in the picture of life in the story. Any social problem is not raised in the novel. All stories in the novel turn on personal relationships between friends, between parents and children, between men and women in love.

The ordinary commonplace incidents and day to-day life-experiences become theme of this novel.

Jane Austen lived through the French revolution and the Napoleonic wars, but no shadow of this storm is allowed to confuse the firm bright clarity of her novels, no abstract ideas, no death scenes.

The novel is written in very light mood. Theme is well-selected that the novel can delight the viewers or readers. Serials are always presented with light issues, they are for entertaining the viewers, so, the director intentionally does not put any high or serious, thoughtful issues. And if he will put issues like that, simple – common people cannot enjoy it. Same way there is not any political issues or social problems are described and the novel also does not deal with philosophical ideas and it can also not try to give any high moral message. That’s way, without philosophical and moral ideas, political and social issues, the novel becomes very simple as serials, and common female viewers can easily enjoy this for purpose of entertainment.

Characters:

 

  

Characters are very important feature in narrating story. In the serials, the director has to expand the story, so he creates different stories of different characters. We can find numbers of characters and stories of those characters in the serials.

In the novel ‘Sense and Sensibility’, numbers of character are portrayed. Story is of Dashwood family, but their relatives are also characterised in the novel. Serials are ‘for women’ and ‘on women’; at the same manner we also feel that ‘Sense and Sensibility’ is a serial because of its female characters and feminine world.

It is said that, “two men are never left together in Jane Austen’s novels, there are always ladies present. The stories at all events are told from a woman’s point of view.”

We always find different characters with different nature in the serials. Some characters have negative attitude and some characters are good. In this novel also, there is a different nature of women characters are presented.

As title suggest, ‘Sense and Sensibility’ the story is of two sister of different nature. Elinor-the eldest sister is very practical and realistic. Another sister Marianne is very emotional and sentimental woman.

There are also characters of negative attitudes in the novel like Mrs. Fenny, who is very selfish and powerful women. She did not want to give enough money to Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters. Mrs. Jennings is like marriage burro that always goes on matching pairs and makes absurd jocks. And Lucy, who is very selfish and jealous woman in the novel. With presenting variety of characters, the writer shows different nature of women and human nature in society.

In the serial all characters are interrelated and the story is about one family and their relatives. (Generally story is of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.) Because of that connectivity, viewers can see the serial as one story with different stories. Harmony is created because of that inter-relation of characters.

In ‘Sense and Sensibility’, the characters are interrelated. Like Edward, who is brother of Mrs. Fenny, married with Elinor, who is sister-in law of Mrs. Fenny John Dashwood! That’s way many interrelations are created in the novel.

The characters of Jane Austen are minutely portrayed and accurately described. All the characters are live. All the characters are not types but individuals. Male characters have certain softness for temper, but female characters are almost perfect. Jane Austen infuses in characters life and vitality, so that they ever remain fresh alive and active in her world. Time does not wither them. They are universal, she does not repeat them. Her heroines are touched with the comic point of view. They are with essential human nature.    

Plot:

Serials are always very long narration. The director is going on expanding the story. Same way, ‘Sense and Sensibility’ is also long novel written in three volumes. Because of the long narratives and expansion, serials have not any single story or major plot. But the structure of the serial is made by many stories and many events.

In the novel, ‘Sense and Sensibility’ like popular serials, there is not a single story or plot but many subplots are there. There is not unity of time, place and action in the novel. It is a long narration so; unity of time is not followed. Because of so much sub plots unity of action is broken. Different stories of different characters are described, so, viewers do not feel any one plot of major story.

Unity of place is totally absent in the novel. In the novel, three sisters and their mother Mrs. Dashwood lived at Norland Park at the beginning. After some time, they went to live Mr. Middleton at Barton. They also visited London. Thus, their journeys of different places are there in the novel.

In this novel, regular events are taking place. The novel is about the domestic elements of women society. It would be recognised as ‘domestic’ or ‘the tea-table’ novel, because of the plot of so much domestic life. The story of two sisters and their nature and feelings are described. Marianne’s love with Willoughby and break-up with him, then marriage with Colonel Brandon is one of the major stories of the novel. Same manner, Elinor’s and Edward’s love story, their departure, Edward’s engagement with Lucy and Elinor’s suffering from that secret and at last Elinor’s marriage with Edward is another part of story.

Though there are not unities. Still, plot is constructed with great skill. Plot is simple but pervasive, and all the incidents that are introduced have their particular meaning. Stories are meticulously integrated, not a character, not an episode but makes it necessary contribution to the development the plot.

Conclusion:

The purpose of the serials are to delight and entertain viewers, not arouse tension but make audience tension-free and give enjoyment. ‘Sense and Sensibility’ is also like today’s serial, delight reader in light mood, entertain reader with simple domestic story. And make tension-free with happy endings and pleasurable love stories.

With these characteristics and elements, one can prove that ‘Sense and Sensibility’ is like today’s serial.

Sir Walter Scott writes about Jane Austen that,

“That young lady had a talent for describing the involvements, feelings and characters of ordinary life...”

Perhaps, because of the novel ‘Sense and Sensibility’ Jane Austen is called as ‘pure novelist’ and remembered even today.