A study of poetry.doc.doc

Title:AStudyofPoetryAuthor:BlissPerryReleaseDate:June,2005EBook#8221Yes,wearemorethanoneyearaheadofscheduleThisfilewasfirstpostedonJuly3,2003Edition:10Language:EnglishCharactersetencoding:ASCII*STARTOFTHEPROJECTGUTENBERGEBOOKASTUDYOFPOETRY*ProducedbyEricEldred,CharlesBidwellandtheOnlineDistributedProofreadingTeamASTUDYOFPOETRYbyBLISSPERRY_ProfessorofEnglishLiteratureinHarvardUniversity_AuthorofASTUDYOFPROSEFICTION,WALTWHITMAN,THEAMERICANMIND,etc.TOM.S.P.PREFACEThemethodofstudyingpoetrywhichIhavefollowedinthisbookwassketchedsomeyearsagoinmychapteronPoetryin_CounselUpontheReadingofBooks_.Myconfidencethatthegeneticmethodisthenaturalwayofapproachingthesubjecthasbeensharedbymanyloversofpoetry.Ihope,however,thatIhavenotallowedmyinsistenceuponthethreefoldprocessofimpression,transformingimagination,andexpressiontohardenintoasetformula.Formulashaveacertaindangeroususefulnessforcriticsandteachers,buttheyareaverysmallpartofonestrainingintheappreciationofpoetry.Ihaveallottedlittleornospacetothespecificdiscussionofepicanddrama,asthesetypesareadequatelytreatedinmanybooks.Ourowngenerationispeculiarlyattractedbyvariousformsofthelyric,andinPartTwoIhavedevotedespecialattentiontothatfield.WhileIhopethatthebookmayattractthetraditionalgeneralreader,Ihavealsotriedtoarrangeitinsuchafashionthatitmaybeutilizedintheclassroom.Ihavethereforeventured,intheNotesandIllustrationsandAppendix,tosuggestsomemethodsandmaterialfortheuseofstudents.IwishtoexpressmyobligationstoProfessorR.M.Alden,whose_IntroductiontoPoetry_and_EnglishVerse_IhaveusedinmyownHarvardcoursesinpoetry.HisviewsofmetrehaveprobablyinfluencedmineevenmorethanIamaware.Thelastdecade,whichhaswitnessedsuchanextraordinaryrevivalofinterestinpoetry,hasproducedmanyvaluablecontributionstopoetictheory.IhavefoundProfessorFairchilds_MakingofPoetry_particularlysuggestive.Attentioniscalled,intheNotesandBibliography,tomanyotherrecentbooksonthesubject.ProfessorsA.S.CookofYaleandF.B.SnyderofNorthwesternUniversityhavebeenkindenoughtoreadinmanuscriptcertainchaptersofthisbook,andDr.P.F.BaumofHarvardhasassistedmemostcourteously.Iamindebtedtoseveralfellow-writersfortheirconsenttotheuseofextractsfromtheirbooks,particularlytoBranderMatthewsforapassagefrom_TheseManyYears_andtoHenryOsbornTaylorforapassagefromhis_ClassicalHeritageoftheMiddleAges_.Iwishalsotothankthepublisherswhohavegenerouslyallowedmetousebriefquotationsfromcopyrightedbooks,especiallyHenryHolt&Co.forpermissiontouseaquotationanddrawingfromWilliamJamess_Psychology_,andTheMacmillanCompanyforpermissiontoborrowfromJohnLaFargesdelightful_ConsiderationsonPainting_.B.P.CONTENTSPARTIPOETRYINGENERALI.AGLANCEATTHEBACKGROUNDII.THEPROVINCEOFPOETRYIII.THEPOETSIMAGINATIONIV.THEPOETSWORDSV.RHYTHMANDMETREVI.RHYME,STANZAANDFREEVERSEPARTIITHELYRICINPARTICULARVII.THEFIELDOFLYRICPOETRYVIII.RELATIONSHIPSANDTYPESOFTHELYRICIX.RACE,EPOCHANDINDIVIDUALX.THEPRESENTSTATUSOFTHELYRICNOTESANDILLUSTRATIONSAPPENDIXBIBLIOGRAPHYINDEXASTUDYOFPOETRYPARTIPOETRYINGENERALSidneyandShelleypleadedthiscause.Becausetheyspoke,mustwebedumb?GEORGEE.WOODBERRY,_ANewDefenseofPoetry_ASTUDYOFPOETRYCHAPTERIAGLANCEATTHEBACKGROUNDItisagraydayinautumn.Iamsittingatmydesk,wonderinghowtobeginthefirstchapterofthisbookaboutpoetry.Outsidethewindowawomaniscontentedlykneelingontheupturnedbrownearthofhertulip-bed,pattinglovinglywithhertrowelasshecoversthebulbsfornextspringsblossoming.DoessheknowKatharineTynansversesaboutPlantingBulbs?Probablynot.ButIfindmyselfdroppingtheprocrastinatingpen,andmurmuringsomeofthelines:Settingmybulbsa-rowIncoldearthunderthegrasses,TillthefrostandthesnowAregoneandtheWinterpasses-*TurningthesodsandtheclayIthinkonthepoorsadpeopleHidingtheirdeadawayInthechurchyard,underthesteeple.Allpoorwomenandmen,Broken-heartedandweeping,Theirdeadtheycalloninvain,Quietlysmilingandsleeping.Friends,nowlistenandhear,Giveovercryingandgrieving,ThereshallcomeadayandayearWhenthedeadshallbeastheliving.Thereshallcomeacall,afoot-fall,AndthegoldentrumpetersblowingShallstirthedeadwiththeircall,Bidthemberisingandgoing.Theninthedaffodilweather,Lovershallruntolover；Friendsalltroopingtogether；DeathandWinterbeover.Layingmybulbsinthedark,VisionshaveIofhereafter.Liptolip,breasttobreast,hark!Nomoreweeping,butlaughter!Yetthisisnowaytostartyourchapter,suggestsConscience.Whydoyounotwriteanopeningparagraph,forbetterforworse,insteadoflookingoutofthewindowandquotingKatharineTynan?Andthenitflashesoverme,inlieuofanswer,thatIhavejustdiscoveredonewayofbeginningthechapter,afterall!ForwhatIshouldliketodointhisbookistosetforthindecentprosesomeofthestrangepotenciesofverse:itspower,forinstance,toseizeuponaphysicalimagelikethatofawomanplantingbulbs,andtransmuteitintoasymboloftheresurrectionofthedead；itscapacityforturningfactintotruthandbrownearthintobeauty；forremouldingthebrokensyllablesofhumanspeechintosheermusic；forliftingthemind,boweddownbywearyingthoughtandhauntingfear,intoabroodingecstasywhereinweepingischangedintolaughterandautumnalpremonitionsofdeathintoassuranceoflife,andthenarrowpathsofindividualexperiencearewidenedintothoseillimitablespaceswheretheimaginationrules.Poetrydoesallthis,assuredly.Buthow?Andwhy?Thatisourproblem.Thefutureofpoetryisimmense,declaredMatthewArnold,andtherearefewloversofliteraturewhodoubthistriumphantassertion.Butthepastofpoetryisimmensealso:impressiveinitssheerbulkandinitsimmemorialduration.Ataperiodearlierthananyrecordedhistory,poetryseemstohaveoccupiedtheattentionofmen,andsomeofthefinestspiritsineveryracethathasattainedtocivilizationhavedevotedthemselvestoitsproduction,oratleastgiventhemselvesfreelytotheenjoymentofrecitingandreadingverse,andofmeditatinguponitssignificance.Aconsciousnessofthisrichhumanbackgroundshouldaccompanyeachnewendeavortoexaminethefactsaboutpoetryandtodetermineitsessentialnature.Thefactsareindeedsomewhatcomplicated,andthenatureofpoetry,incertainaspectsofit,atleast,willremainasalwaysamystery.Yetinthatverycomplicationandtouchofmysterythereisafascinationwhichhaslaiditsspelluponcountlessgenerationsofmen,andwhichhasbeendeepenedratherthandestroyedbytheadvanceofscienceandtheresultsofscholarship.Thestudyoffolkloreandcomparativeliteraturehashelpedtoexplainsomeofthesecretsofpoetry；thepsychologicallaboratory,thehistoryofcriticism,theinvestigationoflinguistics,themoderndevelopmentsinmusicandtheotherarts,haveallcontributedsomethingtoourintelligentenjoymentoftheartofpoetryandtooursenseofitsimportanceinthelifeofhumanity.Thereisnofieldofinquirywheretheinterrelationsofknowledgearemoreacutelytobeperceived.Thebeginnerinthestudyofpoetrymayatoncecomforthimselfandincreasehiszestbyrememberingthatanyrealtrainingwhichhehasalreadyhadinscientificobservation,inthehabitofanalysis,inthestudyofracesandhistoricperiods,intheuseoflanguages,inthepracticeorinterpretationofanyofthefinearts,oreveninanybodilyexercisethathasdevelopedhissenseofrhythm,willbeofascertainablevaluetohiminthisnewstudy.Butbeforeattemptingtoapplyhisspecificknowledgeoraptitudetothenewfieldforinvestigation,heshouldbemadeawareofsomeofthewiderquestionswhichthestudyofpoetryinvolves.ThefirstofthesequestionshastodowiththerelationsofthestudyofpoetrytothegeneralfieldofAesthetics._1.TheStudyofPoetryandtheStudyofAesthetics_TheGreeksinventedaconvenientwordtodescribethestudyofpoetry:Poetics.Aristotlesfamousfragmentarytreatiseborethattitle,anditwasconcernedwiththenatureandlawsofcertaintypesofpoetryandwiththerelationsofpoetrytotheotherarts.FortheGreeksassumed,aswedo,thatpoetryisanart:thatitexpressesemotionthroughwordsrhythmicallyarranged.Butassoonastheybegantoinquireintotheparticularkindofemotionwhichisutilizedinpoetryandthevariousrhythmicalarrangementsemployedbypoets,theyfoundthemselvescompelledtoaskfurtherquestions.Howdotheotherartsconveyfeeling?Whatarrangementorrhythmicorderingoffactsdotheyuseinthisprocess?Whattakesplaceinusasweconfronttheworkofart,or,inotherwords,whatisourreactiontoanartisticstimulus?Forananswertosuchwiderquestionsasthese,wemodernsturntotheso-calledscienceofAesthetics.Thisword,derivedfromtheGreek_aisthanomai_(toperceive),hasbeendefinedasanythinghavingtodowithperceptionbythesenses.ButitwasfirstusedinitspresentsensebytheGermanthinkerBaumgarteninthemiddleoftheeighteenthcentury.Hemeantbyitthetheoryofthefinearts.IthasprovedaconvenienttermtodescribebothTheScienceoftheBeautifulandThePhilosophyofBeauty；thatis,boththeanalysisandclassificationofbeautifulthingsaswellasspeculationastotheoriginandnatureofBeautyitself.Butitshouldbeborneinmindthataestheticinquiryandanswermayprecedebythousandsofyearstheuseoftheformallanguageofaesthetictheory.Mr.KiplingsStoryofUngcleverlyrepresentsthecave-menasdiscussingtheverytopicswhichthecontemporarystudioandclassroomstriveinvaintosettle,-invain,becausetheyaretheeternalproblemsofart.Herearetwofaces,twotrees,twocolors,oneofwhichseemspreferabletotheother.Whereinliesthedifference,asfarastheobjectsthemselvesareconcerned?Andwhatisitwhichthepreferablefaceortreeorcolorstirsorawakenswithinusaswelookatit?Thesearewhatwecallaestheticquestions,butamanoraracemayhaveadelicateandsuresenseofbeautywithoutconsciouslyaskingsuchquestionsatall.Theawarenessofbeautifulobjectsinnature,andeventheabilitytocreateabeautifulworkofart,maynotbeaccompaniedbyanygiftforaestheticspeculation.Conversely,manyaProfessorofaestheticshascontentedlylivedinanuglyhouseandyouwouldnotthinkthathehadeverlookedatriverorskyorhadhispulsesquickenedbyatune.Nevertheless,noonecanturnthepagesofaformalHistoryofAestheticswithoutbeingremindedthattheoldestandapparentlythemostsimpleinquiriesinthisfieldmayalsobethesubtlestandinasensethemostmodern.Forillustration,takethethreephilosophicalcontributionsoftheGreekstoaesthetictheory,astheyarestatedbyBosanquet:Footnote:Bosanquet,_HistoryofAesthetic_,chap.3.(1)theconceptionthatartdealswithimages,notrealities,i.e.withaestheticsemblanceorthingsastheyappeartotheartist；(2)theconceptionthatartconsistsinimitation,whichtheycarriedtoanabsurdity,indeed,byarguingthatanimitationmustbelessvaluablethanthethingimitated；(3)theconceptionthatbeautyconsistsincertainformalrelations,suchassymmetry,harmonyofparts-inaword,unityinvariety.NownoonecansnapaKodakeffectivelywithoutputtingintopracticethefirstoftheseconceptions:norunderstandthenewmusicandfreeversewithoutreckoningwithboththesecondandthethird.Thevaluetothestudentofpoetryofsomeacquaintancewithaesthetictheoryissometimesdirect,asinthereallyinvaluablediscussioncontainedinAristotles_Poetics_,butmoreoften,perhaps,itwillbefoundintheindirectstimulustohissympathyandtaste.Forhemustsurveythewidespreadsenseofbeautyintheancientworld,thesplendidperiodsofartisticcreationintheMiddleAges,thegrowthofanewfeelingforlandscapeandforthericheranddeeperhumanemotions,andtheemergenceofthesenseofthesignificantorindividuallycharacteristicintheworkofart.FinallyhemaycometolosehimselfwithKantorHegelorColeridgeinphilosophicaltheoriesaboutthenatureofbeauty,ortofollowthecuriousanalysesofexperimentalaestheticsinmodernlaboratories,wherethepsycho-physicalreactionstoaestheticstimuliarecunninglyregisteredandtheeffectsoflinesandcolorsandtonesuponthehumanorganismaresetforthwithmathematicalprecision.HeneednottroublehimselfovermuchattheoutsetwithdefinitionsofBeauty.Thechiefthingistobecomeawareofthelongandintimatepreoccupationofmenwithbeautifulobjectsandtorememberthatanyinquiryintothenatureandlawsofpoetrywillsurelyleadhimintoadeepercuriosityastothenatureandmanifestationsofaestheticfeelingingeneral._2.TheImpulsetoArtisticProduction_Furthermore,noonecanaskhimselfhowitisthatapoemcomesintobeingunlesshealsoraisesthewiderquestionastotheoriginandworkingofthecreativeimpulseintheotherarts.Itisclearthatthereisagulfbetweenthemeresenseofbeauty-suchasispossessedbyprimitiveman,or,inlaterstagesofcivilization,bytheconnoisseurinthefinearts-andtheconcreteworkofart.Thousandsenjoythestatue,thesymphony,theode；notoneinathousandcanproducetheseobjects.Mereconnoisseurshipissterile.Theabilitytoproduceonefineline,saidEdwardFitzGerald,transcendsalltheAble-Editorabilityinthisably-editeduniverse.Whatistheimpulsewhichurgescertainpersonstocreatebeautifulobjects?Howisitthattheycrossthegulfwhichseparatestheenjoyerfromtheproducer?Itiseasiertoaskthisquestionthantofindawhollysatisfactoryanswertoit.Platosexplanation,inthecaseofthepoet,issimpleenough:itisthedirectinspirationofthedivinity,-thegodtakespossessionofthepoet.Perhapsthismaybetrue,inasense,andweshallreverttoitlater,butfirstletuslookatsomeoftheconditionsfortheexerciseofthecreativeimpulse,ascontemporarytheoristshaveendeavoredtoexplainthem.Socialrelations,surely,affordoneoftheobviousconditionsfortheimpulsetoart.Thehand-clappingandthigh-smitingofprimitivesavagesinastateofcrowd-excitement,thesong-and-dancebefore