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 14
... gives a countenance and human quality to his landscape , as might the composer of a paysage moralisé , but that he gives ... give you instead another poetic example , one that when I was a college student in the forties was still able to ...
... gives a countenance and human quality to his landscape , as might the composer of a paysage moralisé , but that he gives ... give you instead another poetic example , one that when I was a college student in the forties was still able to ...
Page 36
... give thee , and the glory of them : for that is delivered unto me ; and to whomsoever I will give it . If thou therefore wilt worship me , all shall be thine . And Jesus answered and said unto him , Get thee behind me , Satan : for it ...
... give thee , and the glory of them : for that is delivered unto me ; and to whomsoever I will give it . If thou therefore wilt worship me , all shall be thine . And Jesus answered and said unto him , Get thee behind me , Satan : for it ...
Page 164
... give and hazard all he hath . " That injunction is the same one Jesus makes ; it is also commercial in its language ( Jesus was ad- dressing it to a rich young man ) and so it is suitable that when Bassanio solves the casket riddle he ...
... give and hazard all he hath . " That injunction is the same one Jesus makes ; it is also commercial in its language ( Jesus was ad- dressing it to a rich young man ) and so it is suitable that when Bassanio solves the casket riddle he ...
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