Literary Criticism; From Plato to Paul De Man

“For in this way the God would seem to indicate to us and not allow us to doubt that these beautiful poems are not human, or the work of man, but divine and the work of God; and that the poets are only the interpreters of the Gods by whom they are severally possessed.” (Ion by Plato, Page 45)

   Quotation above is footage from Plato’s Ion. In the section when Socrates stated to Ion that good poetry is made by God, good poetry is divine and the work of God, poets are only the interpreters of the Gods and Ion, as rhapsode, along with other rhapsodes, is only the interpreter of the interpreters of Gods. This assumption might be relevant in that era, but if we consider the development of literature in the present time, is the assumption that good poetry is made by God can be a relevant argumentation?

   Different from what Socrates stated on Plato’s Ion, T. S Eliot in Tradition and the Individual Talent stated that good literature works should consider the tradition. One can’t simply value a literature work alone; the comparisons are needed, so the good author or good poet should also look for some similar works in the past time, in order to make a good work in the present time.

   Different from both theories above, Oscar Wilde’s The Decay of Lying emphasizes different point of view about art and literature. This essay emphasizes art never express anything but art itself, or in other words, art for art’s sake. Thus, according to this essay, other things beside the works itself are not necessary to be considered. The author of a piece of literature works is separated with the piece of literature works.

   Coming from many notions and opinions about “good” and “bad” literature and how good literature should be, literary criticism and theories are needed as the measurement about literature works. Literary criticism and theory are needed as the measurement to define literature works by many perspectives and many approaches. Beside as measurement, literary criticism can also function to bridge between the author and the readers. Just like what Northrop Frye said on his essay, The Function of Criticism at the Present Time, “One obvious function of criticism is to mediate between the artist and his public.” (P. 34)

   In his essay The Resistance to Theory, Paul De Man emphasizes notion about method and truth, he stated that the method of theory should deliver the truth as he said, “It is better to fail in teaching what should not be taught than to succeed in teaching what is not true.” (P.95) This essay also said that in the past there is no theory, there is only assumptions, and there are historical, aesthetic, and philological things that should be considered in literary criticism. Paul De Man in The Resistance to Theory also said, “a general statement about literary theory should nor, in theory, start from pragmatic considerations” (P. 95) and other ideology, philosophy, and religions are part of the literature itself as the power of system.

   From above explanation, we can conclude that the standard of “good” and “bad” literature develops along with literary criticism, and the function of its criticism is to mediate between the author and the readers, and also as the measurement of literature works. Those are why literary criticism is needed. 

Works Cited

Eliot, T. S. (n.d.). Tradition and the Individual Talent.

Frye, N. (n.d.). The Function of Criticism at the Present Time.

Man, P. D. (n.d.). The Resistance to Theory.

Plato. (n.d.). Ion.

Wilde, O. (n.d.). The Decay of Lying.