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 38
... face of the deep . And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters . ' " " Auden had used this same device , a parody of the temp- tations of Christ , on other occasions , most especially in the libretto of The Rake's Progress ...
... face of the deep . And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters . ' " " Auden had used this same device , a parody of the temp- tations of Christ , on other occasions , most especially in the libretto of The Rake's Progress ...
Page 287
... face to face with lost Love - my breath is life , the rough , the smooth , the bright , the drear . This is a dense and rich poem about impoverishment , and its first line ( " Belief in God is an inclination to listen " ) con- nects it ...
... face to face with lost Love - my breath is life , the rough , the smooth , the bright , the drear . This is a dense and rich poem about impoverishment , and its first line ( " Belief in God is an inclination to listen " ) con- nects it ...
Page 288
... face to face with lost Love - my breath / is life , the rough , the smooth , the bright , the drear . ” The poem becomes a small allegory at the end . Breath is indeed life for us all , but for Lowell it is also the allegory of the ...
... face to face with lost Love - my breath / is life , the rough , the smooth , the bright , the drear . ” The poem becomes a small allegory at the end . Breath is indeed life for us all , but for Lowell it is also the allegory of the ...
Contents
The Pathetic Fallacy | 3 |
On W H Audens In Praise of Limestone | 27 |
Othello | 51 |
Copyright | |
6 other sections not shown
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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