ELIOT'S CRITICAL WORKS

T.S. Eliot and New Criticism

T.S. Eliot and New Criticism

Introduction

New Criticism is a stream of literary theory in the twentieth century, originated in the United States. It proposes a careful reading of the text, to pay attention to their ambiguities and proper linguistic and literary internal contradictions. The intention of this criticism is to exclude the components historical and psychological literary studies, in the belief that we need to analyze the work itself, irrespective of the scientific basis. The new criticism was the first school in repudiating the role of the author in the interpretative texts, preferring to focus on the text itself. Despite the many controversies between the schools, almost all agree that the author's work is not inherently more significant than any other interpretation.Discussion

During the modernist period in the twentieth century, T. S. Eliot, was one of the most important poets. He was also a critic of Elizabethan literature. He wrote this article on how Hamlet is lacking the "objective correlative" (Wimsatt & Brooks, 2009). Objective correlative is when an author produces an emotion in the viewer; the artist simply accurately reproduces those things that created strong emotion in himself. Eliot makes some great points, but also, I have to disagree with him on some of his opinion. Eliot considers Shakespeare's Hamlet as an artistic failure owing to its mystification amid the chief plot and the protagonist.

Eliot in his investigation remembers the vocation of other writers who also critiqued the issue of Hamlet. He proclaims that the several critics connected with Hamlet, which caused them leaving behind their own intellect. Such writers consider drama as these authors come to think of the drama as a classic and consequently perceive it as an expansion of their personal, creative aptitude. Eliot goes on to talk about Thomas Kyd, who wrote Spanish Tragedy and Arden of Feversham. Eliot writes "there are verbal…. ….revising the text of Kyd" (Martin, 2006). I did some research on Spanish Tragedy, and Eliot does have a point. I did notice similarities. In both plays, the protagonist has lost loved ones to murder and suicide, and these losses drive them to madness.

Eliot states, "So far from being Shakespeare's masterpiece…. ….in none of the others"(Litz & Menand, 2000). I have to agree and disagree with this statement at the same time. Yes, Hamlet is Shakespeare's masterpiece, but it is not an artistic failure.

Hamlet, the character, goes through many changes during the play, but in real life, if what ...