THE THE NEOCLASSICAL NEOCLASSICAL

LITERARY LITERARY CRITICISM:CRITICISM:

HORACE & LONGINUSHORACE & LONGINUS

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IntroductionIntroductionPlato and Aristotle are succeeded

by a number of Roman literary critics.

There are some who expand upon Plato’s and Aristotle’s thought, such as Plotinus.

There are others who strive to study other aspects of literature, such as Horace and Longinus, whose works concern aspects of literature not yet described by Plato and Aristotle. 2

NEOCLASSICISMNEOCLASSICISMThere are four tenets of neoclassical

criticism:1. : the neoclassical critics have a

desire to imitate the classical age and classical writers.

2. : the neoclassical critics attempt to assess why the classical writers were so successful.

3. : the neoclassical critics attempt to revive the glories of the ancient classical literature.

4. : the neoclassical critics attempt to systematize the rules for writing good poetry.

To Imitate

To Systematiz

e

To Revive

To Assess

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HoraceHoraceHorace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) is more

interested in how the poet may delight and instruct an intelligent reader than he is in defining what a poem is or what literature is.

This is connected to his famous catchphrase “utile et dulce” which means that literature must be both enjoyable and useful.

Horace’s Art of Poetry also contains a number of catchphrases that influence particularly the neo-classical movements of the seventeenth century in France and England.

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HoraceHoraceHorace’s version of imitation differs from

that of Plato’s and Aristotle’sIt recognizes the importance of copying

natureBut, it emphasizes imitation of the

methods of the great classical writers. This emphasis is echoed by neoclassical

writers like Dryden and Pope

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HoraceHorace Horace emphasizes decorum, by which

he means the rightness of each part to the whole.

His concept is also influential in the neoclassical movements.

His most influential work remains the Art of Poetry, which summarizes entirely his critical thoughts and influence many neoclassicist writers.

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Horace: Artist as a Horace: Artist as a CraftsmanCraftsman

Horace was the classicist who established the classical sets of belief rules and orders, restraint and correct expression.

He wished that ◦ The writer should choose correct and right

words; ◦ He should use meters maintaining their

appropriateness; ◦ He should be able to choose a proper subject;◦ He should make use of proper poetic diction;◦ He should follow the rules of ancient arts.

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Horace: The Rules of Horace: The Rules of DecorumDecorumFor Horace:

◦ A writer must choose a subject within his power and appropriate to his gifts;

◦ He must say at any given moment what needs to be said, and no more.

◦ He must choose vocabulary, meter and form that are right for his subject, whether noble, exciting, erotic or joyous.

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Horace: The Rules of Horace: The Rules of DecorumDecorum

Horace warns against extravagant improbability and inappropriateness.

Indeed the prevailing emphasis throughout is on the need for consistency, coherence and decorum.

It is the writer's business to refine and polish his text that the highest standards of propriety and artistry are maintained.

However, Horace demands a craft man’s skill in an artist;

he does not utterly neglect the role of natural talent in art.

In fact, he is insisting on a complementary relationship between learned artistry and genius.  9

Horace: Horace: Art for poetry Art for poetry His Art for poetry can also he read as a

useful advice to the perspective writers.It remained an influential document for

the Neoclassical writers.He equates poetry with painting:

◦ In poetry, words are like various colors that are put beautifully.

He focuses on decorum in poetry:◦ the rightness of each part to the whole. ◦ There should be the harmony of each parts of

poetry to the whole. These ideas become laws for neo-

classical writers. 10

Decorum: Elements of Good Decorum: Elements of Good PoetryPoetry

He outlines the following rules of decorum to be in good poetry so that the pragmatic effect of poetry (Teach and delight) can be achieved:

Unity and simplicity of forms:◦ Simplicity refers to clarity that is everyone

understands.◦ Unity is the perfect combination of

beginning, middle and ending. ◦ Everything should be matching so that it

creates decorum and the sense of propriety. (Correctnes + Suitable)

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Elements of Good PoetryElements of Good PoetryForm and content matched: Form and content matched: 

◦ The style should be proper. ◦ By proper, he means that the trivial and

serious matters should not be written in grand style.

◦ And in the same way, the treatment of serious matter should not be in trivial form.

◦ Therefore, from and content should be matched.

◦ Poets and painters should not create monotony by showing dolphin in the forest and elephant in the sea.

◦ Such unnatural combination fails to teach and give the delight.

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Elements of Good PoetryElements of Good PoetryAppropriate use of words:

◦ The words come and go like the leaves of a tree.

◦ The words need to be used in proper places according to the nature of the words.

◦ Cliché should not be used and the language of common people should be magnified.

◦ Poets should use familiar words in quite different way.

◦ If characters want to speak words then it is okay but it should have its origin in Greek.

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Elements of Good Elements of Good PoetryPoetry

Appropriateness of meter:◦ Horace prefers Virgil's opinion that to follow

Homer is to follow nature.◦ Homer says it is appropriate to use

hexameter in epic, iambic pentameter in tragedy and hexameter and iambic pentameter in elegy.

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Elements of Good Elements of Good PoetryPoetry

Consistency of characters:◦ The characters should be consistent and

life like.◦ His views on characters are identical to

Aristotle.◦ Character traits should be based on age,

there should not be any exaggeration, that is which is not possible to the character must not be presented.

◦ Therefore, characters should be convincing, probable and consistent.

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Elements of Good Elements of Good PoetryPoetry

Style (Starting and ending):◦ The writer can take one of the following

techniques to present the content: Prolepsis (flash back): What happened before the

action takes place. Analepsis (foreshadowing): What happens next

to on going action.  Anachronistic (random): Mixture of all

techniques.

 

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Elements of Good PoetryElements of Good PoetryWhatever the technique there is, the end

of poetry should teach and delight.To teach, actions should be physical

than verbal because whatever people see, they are likely to believe.

Therefore, it is better to perform everything. But scenes of murder, violence etc should not be shown on the stage.

Deus ex machina (God from the machine) is to be hidden.

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Longinus Longinus How does Longinus define the

"sublime”?

How is the "true sublime"

differentiated from the “false

sublime"?

What according to him are the

sources of the "sublime"?

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Definition of SublimeDefinition of Sublime     Longinus defines sublime as

◦ a kind of greatness and excellence in language raising the style of the ordinary language.

◦ Sublimity springs from a great and lofty soul, thereby becoming " one echo of a great soul".

◦ It should not only be distinct and excellent in composition.

◦ It should move the readers along with the effects of pleasure and persuasion.

◦ Such effects should be subtle, flashing at the right moment, scattering everything before it like a thunder bolt and at once displaying the power of plentitude.

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Definition of SublimeDefinition of Sublime◦ sublime is lofty and excellent poetic creation with

power to please, persuade and move the readers

through lifting up their souls.

◦ Sublimity is thus the aesthetic improvement or

refinement of the soul through the reconciliation of

the (innate) poetic inspiration and

(acquired/learned) rhetorical mastery of the writers.

◦ Longinus believes that sublimity is achieved by a

clever handling of Nature (innateness) and Art,

(learning) which is inborn genius and learned skills.

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The Five sources of the The Five sources of the SublimeSublime

◦The five sources, Longinus mentions for the sublime, are either innate or acquired

◦Two innate sources are related to the author and three acquired sources are related to the poem. 1. Power of forming great conceptions.2. Vehement and inspired passion.3. The due formation and use of figures

of speech4. Noble diction5. Dignified and elevated composition

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1. Power of forming great 1. Power of forming great conceptions: conceptions:

◦ It is concerned with the grandeur of thought in writers.

◦ It is the first essential source of sublime. ◦ Lofty and natural expression is possible when

there are noble and lofty thoughts.◦ The great thoughts come from the imagination

of a great creative genius and from a sound interpretation of the imitation of nature and of the great predecessors.

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2. Vehement and inspired 2. Vehement and inspired passion: passion: ◦The second source of sublime is the

genuine emotion.◦The emotion should be strong and

natural expressed in lofty and elevated language.

◦So, it can move the readers with pleasure and persuasion.

◦It should match with the grandeur of subject, thought and lofty style.

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3. The Use of Figures of 3. The Use of Figures of Speech:Speech:

The third source of sublime is the poetic use of language.

The formation and use of figures help the elevated expression if they are properly used.

Such a use of figures should not be mechanical and forceful.

They should be used genuinely and as per the demands of the contextual environment.

Example◦ The proper use of rhetorical question makes an immediate

appeal to the emotions.◦ It is a statement in question form that suggests its own

answer. 24

4. Noble diction4. Noble dictionThe fourth source of sublime is dictionIt includes choice and arrangement of

words.Longinus says that the use of proper and

striking words captivate (hold attention) the hearers.

The words, to him, should be noble corresponding to the subject matter and emotion.

So as to convey grandeur and beauty, giving breath in to dead things.

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5. Dignified and elevated 5. Dignified and elevated composition: composition:

The last source of sublime is the dignified and elevated arrangement of the diction for the grandeur of composition.

The verbal order should be rhythmic and harmonious which helps pull off persuasion and pleasure.

Such a composition appeals to the soul and enables the readers to participate in the emotions of the author.

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The Factors of the False The Factors of the False SublimeSublimewhile discussing the sources of true sublime,

Longinus also deals with the factors of the false sublime or what is not sublime.◦ To him, the vices of the sublime emerge out of the

lack of passion sincerely and inadequacy of communication caused by faulty techniques.

◦ The following factors are described to mention how they cause sublime to be false: Bathos or bombast: all that overwrought, pseudo-tragic

clap-trap (trivial and unbelievable talk) associated with melodrama

Inflated and hyperbolic Language: that is used, inappropriately, to heighten subjects that do not deserve such a treatment

Fashionable expressions and fanciful images: especially when sincerity is sidelined in favor of the obsession for fashionable style

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