I.A. Richards examines the shortcomings of old criticism, emphasizing the importance of psychology in understanding poetry and its value. He differentiates between symbolic and emotive language, highlighting how poetry reflects human experiences and emotions rather than merely providing factual statements. Richards argues that effective poetic communication relies on the alignment of the poet's experiences with those of the reader, establishing a deep psychological connection.

1. I.A.Richard

2. •I.A. Richards, in this essay examines the
lapses of old criticism or discusses what
old criticism missed.
•‘what kind of activity is poetry and what
is its value’ almost untouched. This is
due to the absence of the availability of
psychological information for the critic.
Psychology is ‘the indispensable
instrument’ for any inquiry concerning
art, because of its influence and impact
on the reader and society.

3. Richards explains the psychological
component in criticism. He writes on
the various forms of distinction
between the symbolic and the emotive
language, as well as that one between
statements (conveyed by science), and
pseudo-statements (conveyed by
poetry, which impresses not through
the “truth” it contains, but through its
structural coherence).

4. Richards’ emphasis on metaphor as a
constitutive element of language, and
on the determining role of irony and
tension in poetry was also extremely
influential with the New Criticism.
High poetry is characterized, according
to him, by a balanced poise - an
equilibrium of opposite factors always
in a state of tension; irony, for instance,
brings them into the poem as
contending, complementary impulses.

5. Human psychology and poetry
•Richard examines the working of human
mind to explain the nature of poetry.
•There are moments in a man’s life when
mind has a life’s experience.
•Poetry is a representation of this uniquely
ordered state of mind. Poetry is not only
verse but all imaginative literature, which is
also the product of the same state of mind.
•A poet is not conscious of embodying any
thought in his work. He records the happy
play of impulses on a particular occasion.

6. Communication and poetry
•A poet makes something which is beautiful in
it or satisfying to him personally-something
expressive of his emotions or of himself -
personal and individual.
•The extent to which a work accords with a
poet’s experience can be known only by the
extent to which it arouses the same experience
in reader. If it fails to do so, the experience
has not been accurately embodied in the
work.
•Thus communication becomes inseparable
from poetic experience.

7. The two uses of language
(kind of language poetry uses)
Referential or scientific: the way of science in using
words. It is the usage of words for the sake of the
references.
e.g. Using the word ‘fire’ in this way is no more
than a reference to a corresponding object in
life.
Emotive: using words for the sake of attitudes and
emotions which ensue.
e.g. Word fire may denote ‘with heart on fire’,
where ‘on fire’ means ‘in an excited state’.
The word stands to evoke an emotion.

8. ‘statements’ (in science)
A statement says something and ‘is justified by its
truth’. It can always be verified by a reference to its
original, outside it.
‘pseudo-statements’ (in poetry)
The statement is not literally true. Therefore, in the
normal sense of a word, a pseudo-statement says
nothing at all.
Poetry speaks not to the mind but to the impulses.
Experience results from the play of impulses The
mind unconsciously decides which impulses are
valuable for it should therefore be satisfied to the
full, and which are not valuable and should
therefore be suppressed.

9. Two Kind of Impulses
Appetencies: Hunger. e.g. Eating,
drinking etc
Aversions: desires and dislikes.
The normal satisfaction of the
impulses therefore is involved in
almost all the greatest goods of life.

10. The language of criticism
•Criticism uses the language of science.
The making of literature is a scientifically
analyzable activity.
•There is a clearly definable reason for
every aspects of literature.
•Through a serious scientific exploration,
‘mysteries’ of literary art will be
mysteries no more.
•Psychology can unearth the secrets of
literature is psychology.