Literary criticism

1. The Nature and Function of Criticism
Dr. Sarangpani Ramchandra Shinde,
Assistant Professor,
Department of English,
Amdar Shashikant Shinde
Mahavidyalaya, Medha.

2. What the term ‘CRITICISM’ means?
Etymologically, its derived from the Greek word ‘KRITIKOS’, meaning ‘judgement’, used in
the 4th B.C. & a critic is ‘a judge of literature’
Literary criticism is the exercise of judgment on the works of literature
It is the play of mind on a work of literature and its function is to examine its excellencies and
defects and finally to evaluate its artistic worth.
In the 2nd century A. D. the nature of criticism aimed at the interpretation of texts and
commentary on the improvement of the works of the writers in Greek & Latin.
Interpretation Examination Evaluation Judgement
There has been conflicting views, theories and definitions in summarizing the true essence,
nature and function of criticism.

3. Definitions
• Criticism is the play of mind on the aesthetic qualities of literature, having for its object an
interpretation of literary values. -- Atkins
• Criticism is the exercise of judgement in the province of art and literature and the critic is a
person who is possessed with the knowledge necessary to enable him to pronounce right
judgement upon the merit or worth of such works as come within this province.
• They wholly mistake the nature of criticism who think its business is principally to find fault.
Criticism, as it was first instituted by Aristotle, was meant to be a standard of judging well; the
chiefest part of which is to observe those excellencies which should delight a reasonable reader.
• Is the work good or bad? that is the critics domain. -- Victor Hugo

4. • The soul task of criticism is to answer three questions: What has the artist tried to express?
How has he succeeded in expressing it? Was it worth expressing?
-- Spingarn
• Criticism is the art of estimating the quality and character of a work of art, and its function or
work of the critic.
• To set up as a critic is to set up as a judge of values.. -- I. A. Richards
• Criticism is a disinterested endeavour to learn and propagate the best that is known and
thought in the world. -- Matthew Arnold
• Criticism is the commentation and exposition of works of art by means of written words.
-- T. S. Eliot
• The end of criticism is the ‘elucidation of works of art and the correction of taste.
-- T. S. Eliot

5. The Function of CRITICISM
JUDGEMENT
Etymologically, criticism means JUDGEMENT.
The literary critic is therefore, primarily an expert who uses his special faculty and training to
examine the merits and defects of a literary work and pronounce a verdict upon it.
The primary function of a literary critic is to arrive at and pronounce a meaningful judgement of
value.
“To set up as a critic is to set up as a judge of values”. - - I. A. Richards
“Literary Criticism is judgement of books, reviewing and finally the definition of taste, of the
tradition, of what is a classic.” - - Rene Wellek

6. EVALUATION
• When a critic attempts to judge the value of a work of art or literature, he can be said to have
evaluated the work.
• Evaluative, judicial or normative criticism attempts to judge the merits of the literature in
relation to a literary, social, moral or other value system.
• The function of a literary critic is the evaluation of what has been written, in terms of aesthetic
principles appropriate to literature.
- T. G. Wiiliams

7. INTERPRETATIO
N
• If judgement be the real end of criticism, interpretation may be employed as a means to that
end.
• To feel the virtue of the poet or the painter, to disengage it, to set it forth – these are the three
stages of the critic’s duty.
- Walter Pater
• Poetry is a ‘criticism (interpretation) of life. Criticism is an interpretation of that
interpretation.
• The chief function of criticism is to enlighten and stimulate by the proper interpretation of
works of literature.
• Criticism is the art of interpreting art.
- Walter Pater

8. Interpretation
Examination
Evaluation
Judgement