# What is Lyric, Sonnet, Elegy, Ode, Ballad and Epic? # Types of Poetry # Practical Criticism: 1

Summary

In this educational video, Lakshman delves into the concept of practical criticism, a form of literary analysis that focuses exclusively on the text, ignoring authorial intent and historical context. The video explores different types of poetry, including odes, elegies, sonnets, ballads, and epics, detailing their unique characteristics, structures, and examples. By explaining the origins, forms, and thematic elements of each type, Lakshman provides a comprehensive understanding of poetry analysis through practical criticism. Viewers are encouraged to read more about poetry to deepen their knowledge.

Takeaways

• 📚 Practical criticism is a literary analysis method that focuses solely on the text itself, disregarding the author's intent or historical context.
• 📘 I.A. Richards initiated the tradition of practical criticism in England with his publication 'Practical Criticism: A Study of Literary Judgment' in 1929.
• 🔍 F.R. Leavis popularized close reading through his journal 'Scrutiny', emphasizing a detailed examination of the text.
• 🚫 Unlike other literary theories such as feminism or Marxism, practical criticism does not engage with external theories but focuses on the text's intrinsic qualities.
• 📏 To practice criticism effectively, one must consider the poem's length, mood, stanza patterns, and metrics.
• 📖 Types of poetry are categorized based on structure and content, including forms like epic, elegy, sonnet, ballad, and ode.
• 🏅 Ode is a lyric poem that can be Pindaric, with irregular meter and mythological themes, or Horatian, with more personal and regular stanza patterns.
• 😢 Elegy is a mournful poem expressing grief over the dead, often with a shepherd lamenting the loss and nature participating in the mourning.
• 🎼 Sonnet is a 14-line poem with iambic pentameter, coming in two forms: Petrarchan, with an octave and sestet, and Shakespearean, with three quatrains and a couplet.
• 📖 Ballad is a narrative poem traditionally sung, with a simple subject matter and often featuring supernatural elements and repeated refrains.
• 🏞️ The epic is a long, grand-style narrative involving supernatural elements, heroic deeds, and often beginning in medias res with an invocation to the muse.

Q & A

What is Practical Criticism in literary analysis?

Practical Criticism is a form of literary analysis that focuses exclusively on the text itself, without considering the author's intentions or the historical context of the work.

Who is credited with beginning the tradition of Practical Criticism in England?

I.A. Richards is credited with beginning the tradition of Practical Criticism in England.

What is the significance of I.A. Richards' publication 'Practical Criticism: A Study of Literary Judgment'?

I.A. Richards' publication 'Practical Criticism: A Study of Literary Judgment', published in 1929, became a kind of handbook for the discipline of Practical Criticism.

How did F.R. Leavis contribute to the method of close reading?

F.R. Leavis, a student of I.A. Richards, popularized the method of close reading through his journal entitled 'Scrutiny'.

What distinguishes Practical Criticism from other literary theories?

Practical Criticism is distinct from other literary theories as it does not involve any external theories like feminism, Marxism, or psychoanalytic criticism, and focuses solely on a very close reading of the text.

What are the essential elements to consider when analyzing a poem using Practical Criticism?

When analyzing a poem using Practical Criticism, one needs to consider the length of the poem, the mood, the type of stanza patterns used, and the metrics involved in the lines of the poem.

What are the two types of Ode as mentioned in the script?

The two types of Ode mentioned are Pindaric Ode and Horatian Ode.

What is the origin of the term 'Elegy' and what does it typically express?

The term 'Elegy' originates from the Greek word 'elegia' and 'eligos' meaning lament. It is a lyric poem that expresses grief over the dead.

What are the two types of Sonnets discussed in the script?

The two types of Sonnets discussed are Petrarchan or Italian Sonnet and English or Shakespearean Sonnet.

What is the typical structure of a Petrarchan Sonnet?

A Petrarchan Sonnet has an octave and a sestet, with the octave rhymes in the pattern a b b a a b b a and the sestet in the pattern c d c d c d or c d e c d e.

How does the structure of an English Sonnet differ from a Petrarchan Sonnet?

An English Sonnet, also known as a Shakespearean Sonnet, differs by having three quatrains and a concluding couplet, with a rhyme scheme of a b a b c d c d e f e f and g g.

What is the origin and typical subject of a Ballad?

The origin of a Ballad is found in folk literature, and it typically narrates a story in short stanzas, often of unknown authorship and passed on orally. The subjects are usually dramatic events such as feuds, adventures, disasters, love, and war.

What are the characteristics of an Epic poem?

An Epic poem is a long narrative poem that involves supernatural elements, is written in a grand style, and deals with heroic deeds and sublime subject matter. It often begins with an invocation to a muse and includes long lists, formal speeches, and divine intervention.