Obbligati: Essays in Criticism"The proper role of criticism [is] as a musical obbligato; that is, a counterpart that must constantly strive to move in strict harmony with and intellectual counterpoint to its subject, and remain always subordinate to the text upon which it presumes to comment." With this declaration, Hecht sets forth the manifesto of this graceful group of essays, implicitly chiding today's academic critics who apply theories to texts. Hecht is particularly elegant and eloquent on contemporary American poetry, from the tension between truth and fiction in Robert Lowell's autobiographical lyrics to the "musicianship" of Richard Wilbur. Hecht's best essay evokes the unique poetic voice of Elizabeth Bishop, and he is equally perspicacious on Frost, Auden, and Dickinson. An extended essay on Marvell's "The Garden" and Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale" offers an unusual comparative reading that captures the energies and langours of both poems. This book offers literary essays of rare quality. The writing throughout is a model of form suiting function--the lucid exposition of well-chosen ideas. |
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Page 42
... appears as " this region / Of short distances and definite places : / What could be more like Mother . . . ” So it appears in the end that it is Mother we are homesick for , the comforts of the womb , short distances and definite places ...
... appears as " this region / Of short distances and definite places : / What could be more like Mother . . . ” So it appears in the end that it is Mother we are homesick for , the comforts of the womb , short distances and definite places ...
Page 217
... appears from Seneca in his tragedies ; whereas comedy introduces harsh complication , but brings its matter to a prosperous end , as appears from Terence , in his comedies . And hence , cer- tain writers , on introducing themselves ...
... appears from Seneca in his tragedies ; whereas comedy introduces harsh complication , but brings its matter to a prosperous end , as appears from Terence , in his comedies . And hence , cer- tain writers , on introducing themselves ...
Page 288
... appears in the first stanza of Spenser's " Epithalamion " : " So I unto myselfe alone will sing , / The woods shall to me answer and my Eccho ring . " Here , in Low- ell's poem , which is the opposite of the marriage hymn Spen- ser ...
... appears in the first stanza of Spenser's " Epithalamion " : " So I unto myselfe alone will sing , / The woods shall to me answer and my Eccho ring . " Here , in Low- ell's poem , which is the opposite of the marriage hymn Spen- ser ...
Contents
The Pathetic Fallacy | 3 |
On W H Audens In Praise of Limestone | 27 |
Othello | 51 |
Copyright | |
6 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
answer Antonio appears Bassanio bear beauty become beginning believe bird body called character Christian clear comes continues course critics death doubt effect example exhibit eyes face fact father feelings figure final follows give given hand hear heart heaven hope human Iago imagination innocent interest Italy Jacob Jesus Jews kind later least less letter lines live look Lord Lowell means mind moral nature never offer once Othello passage perhaps play poem poet poetry Portia present question reason refers regard remarks rich scene seems sense Shakespeare Shylock sort soul speaks speech stand stanza story suggest symbolic tell things thou thought tion truth turn unto virtue whole writes young