Functions of criticism

Eliot’s opinions in this essay" Tradion and individual talent" were challenged by
Middleton Murry in his essay..........
( “Romanticism and the Tradition”. )

In order to emphasise T. S. Eliots point of view and challenge Murry’s claims, Eliot
wrote........
( “The Function of Criticism”. )

The essay "Functions of Criticism" is divided into........

( four parts )

In the first part of the essay" Functions of Criticism" , Eliot briefly describes his
opinion on literary tradition as expressed in the essay........
( “Tradition and the Individual Talent”. )

In the second part of the essay " Functions of Criticism" Eliots gives a brief account
of.......
( Murry’s argument)

In the third part of the essay " Functions of Criticism" Eliot expresses the reasons for
disagreement with....... and dismisses the arguments.
( Murry )

The concluding part of the essay" Functions of Criticism" examines the nature and
function of........
( criticism as envisaged by Eliot. )

Eliot had mentioned that there was a close relation between ........ and ......in the
history of English literature.
( the present and the past )

In which literature from Homer down to the present day is a part of a single literary
tradition ?.
Europe

Which is the outside authority to which an artist must be committed?

Literary tradition

Eliot says that The writer must continually sacrifice himself to this literary tradition to
gain...... and .....
( meaning and significance.)

Eliot says that Artists of all periods form a community and an artist in the present
must be able to adhere to this ......
( sense of oneness. )

Eliot says that An artist must realise that artists of all times are united together by
a......
( common cause. )

A true artist is one who tries to........

( conform to tradition.)

The true artist can........

( “afford to collaborate, to exchange, to contribute.” )

Who defines criticism as “the commentation and exposition of works of art by

means of written words.” ?
T. S. Eliot

In which topic, Eliot further explains the aim of criticism to be “the promotion of
understanding and enjoyment to literature”.?.
“The Frontiers of Criticism”

Criticism cannot be reduced to an ........ activity because criticism is always about

something
( autotelic)

Who recognise the moral, religious, and cultural functions of art ?.

Mathew Alnold

Who is againnst to recognise the moral, religious, and cultural functions of art ?.
T. S. Eliot

According to whom, "criticism has only a definite aim and that is “elucidation of
works of art and the correction of taste.” ?
T. S. Eliot

T. S. Eliot says that criticism has become like a........ full of orators competing with
each other to attract a large audience.
( Sunday park )

Eliot explains Murry’s views on........and.........

( Classicism and Romanticism. )

Who makes a clear distinction between the classic and Romantic and says that one
cannot be a Classic and a Romantic at the same time. ?.
Middleton Murray

Who disagrees with Murry’s comment that the genius of the French is Classic and
that of the English, Romantic.?.
T. S. Eliot

Which is disagreeable to Eliot because it is like doing “what one likes.” ?.

The concept of “inner voice”

Whose notion did Eliot oppose that the English are essentially Romantics?.
Middleton Murray
who are humorous and nonconformists?.
English

who are naturally Classical in temperament. ?.

French

Eliot ridicules Murry’s views regarding the ...........

( “inner voice ")

Who insists that those who believe in the “inner voice” are inconsistent and do not
follow any principles.?.
T. S. Eliot

Eliot calls the belief in the “inner voice” as.........

( “wiggery” )

According to whom , "For those who believe in the “inner voice”, criticism is of no
value at all because the function of criticism is to discover some common principles
to achieve perfection in art. "?.
T. S. Eliot

According to T. S. Eliot, Criticism’s task is to find some common .......

( principles )

Which is something petty to those who have this “inner voice”. ?.

conformity

Which are strongly in favour of subjectivism and the result would be chaos”.?.
Conformity

Obedience to the laws of .......and ....... represent the accumulated wisdom and
experiences of ages.
( art and tradition)

Eliot comments on the terms........and........

( “critical” and “creative”. )

T. S. Eliot derides Matthew Arnold for making a vague distinction between the two
terms ........and.......
( "critical” and “creative”.)

Eliot says that “the larger part of the labour of an author in composing his work is
critical labour ......., ........, ........ and......
( the labour of shifting, combining constructing, expunging, correcting, testing.” )

Eliot calls such criticism.........

( “workshop criticism.” )
In which essay “ Eliot mentions that that the best of his own criticism “consists of
essay on poetic dramatists who had influenced me. ?.
"The Frontiers of Criticism”

Eliot goes to the extent of saying that some creative writers are superior to others
only because of their superior........
( critical faculty. )

The greatest artist is an........

( unconscious artist.)

Eliot comments that those who rely on the “inner voice” or inspiration do not
conform to........
( tradition )

According to T. S. Eliot , it would be erroneous to separate both .........and........

( critical and creative activities.)

According to T. S. Eliot , A large part of creation is in reality, .......

( criticism. )

According to T. S. Eliot , Critical writing however cannot be......

( creative. )

Creative criticism is neither criticism nor creation because there is a difference

between the processes of........and ......
( creation and criticism. )

The process of creation of a work of art is .........., which does not have any conscious
objective.
( autotelic )

According to T. S. Eliot, .........and ..... cannot be combined into one.

( Creation and criticism )

Critical writing however cannot be .......

( creative )

In the words of Eliot: “The critical activity finds its highest, its truest fulfilment in a
kind of union with creation in the labour of the artist.”

who must have a heightened sense of fact.?

An ideal critic.

According to T. S. Eliot, Which is a rare gift that develops slowly and gradually. “?.
The sense of fact

Which deals with facts he can understand?.

. “Workshop criticism”
Eliot praises critics who conduct .........
( “workshop criticism”. )

Eliot does not prefer ........ because it would not offer any insight into the work.
( Impressionistic criticism )

A true critic knows “the facts about a work of art – its conditions, its setting, and its
genesis” and puts the facts across to readers in a simple manner.

A good critic is ....... because his judgements are based on facts.

( objective )

A good critic is guided by tradition and not the “inner voice”.

A true critic does not indulge in mere expression of........or......

( opinion or fancy. )

What are the primary tools of a critic. ?.

Comparison and analysis

Which are possible only when the critic is aware of the facts about the works, which
are to be compared and analysed. ?
Comparison and analysis

Impressionistic criticism practised by ........and ....... is always misleading.

( Samuel Coleridge and Goethe )

what is The function of criticism?.

The functions of criticism is to educate taste or as Eliot mentions, promoting
enjoyment and understanding of literature.

What is the name of the Critics who supply opinion or fancy are the real corruptors.
?.
Goethe and Coleridg

Eliot warns against slavish adherence to gather facts and bother about trivialities as
the laundry bills of.......
( Shakespeare. )

Eliot’s emphasis on facts is related to his views on the new critics like ........and.....
and their critical methods.
( F.R. Leavis and I.A. Richards )

T. S. Eliot comments on textual criticism, but he is against the ............. , who try to
squeeze meaning out of words.
( “lemon-squeezer” school of critics )

According to T. S. Eliot, A critic should concentrate on the text, make comparisons

and conduct analysis but never give importance to trivialities.
Eliot is against .......... but he does not expound any theories or lay down any rules
and principles.
( Impressionistic criticism )

According to T. S. Eliot, Adherence to rigid theories hampers..........and curtails his

.......
( the critic and curtails his freedom. )

According to T. S. Eliot , The critic should be guided by ....... alone.

( facts )

A critic should approach a work of art with a.........

( free mind. )

Eliot draws some valuable comparisons between.........and.........

( creative and critical work.)

The Function of Criticism’ focuses on the role of the critic as opposed to the.........
( creation of new works of art )

Eliot begins his essay by quoting from his 1919 essay..........

( ‘Tradition and the Individual Talent’)

The function of criticism seems to be essentially a......

( problem of order .)

What does Eliot mean by inner voice?

The inner voice, Eliot says, has liberal and Whig characteristics and is called
"Whiggery." Eliot's purpose of criticism is to look for universal guidelines for
elevating artistic creations.

When was the function of criticism by Eliot published?

Eliot's paper is a concise statement of his reactions to the new directions that
literary criticism had taken in the years since the publication in 1923 of his article
"The Function of Criticism." In this way, the paper is also a more mature re-evaluation
of his own positions.

What are the three functions of criticism?

1) The purpose of criticism should be to educate the reader. 2) Critics should be
capable of effectively judging whether a work merits continued readership in the
future. 3) The critique of art should be about determining some guiding principles to
work toward perfection.

Comparison and analysis rather than responding with how one feels are the critic's
“chief tools,” Eliot says, but one then has to know what to compare and what to
analyze. There processes of interpretation come into play, but they must be guided
facts, as he calls them, that are then put into the reader's possession.

What are the chief tools of a critic?

Comparison and analysis are the chief tools of a critic and so a perfect critic must be
an expert in the use of these tools. His use of these tools must be subtle and skilful.
He must know what and how to compare, and how to analyse.

When was the function of criticism by Eliot published?

Eliot's paper is a concise statement of his reactions to the new directions that
literary criticism had taken in the years since the publication in 1923 of his article
"The Function of Criticism." In this way, the paper is also a more mature re-evaluation
of his own positions.

According to T. S. Eliot,bThere is a single literary tradition that encompasses all of

....... writing from Homer to the present.
( Europe’s )

According to Eliot, which is the external authority that a contemporary artist needs
to submit to.?.
literary tradition.

How did T. S. Eliot define criticism?.

Criticism as “the commendation and exposition of works of art by means of written
words.”

Art as critic like Matthew Arnold point out, may have some other ends i.e........, .......
or......
( moral, religious or culture. )

The only function of criticism, as Eliot points out,......... and ........

( “is elucidation of works of art and the correction of taste.” )

In which essay, Eliot further explains the function of criticism as “the promotion of
understanding and enjoyment of literature.”?.
Frontiers of Criticism

In “The Function of Criticism” T.S.Eliot attacked J. Middleton Murry and similar

critics for being devotees of what he called:?.
The inner voice

Eliot's purpose of criticism is to look for universal guidelines for elevating........

( artistic creations. )

T. S. Eliot published his essay "The Functions of Criticism" in 1923. It was written in
reaction to Murry, who in his essay "Romanticism and Tradition" disputed some of
the ideas that Eliot had put forth in her earlier piece "Tradition and Individual Talent"
(1919).

Criticism is not ..... activity.

( autotelic )

Creative work of art requires .......and ........

( Great efforts and hard work)
A creative work of art is judged through ......
( words )

According to Middleton Murray ......and ...... cannot go side by side.

( Classicism and romanticism)

Middleton Murray says that classicism is the feature of ..... and romanticism is the
feature of .......
( France, England)

T. S. Eliot criticises Middleton Murray views because he is not giving much

importance to......
( Classicism)

Middleton Murray related catholicism for .......... for believing in tradition and
protestantism for ....... for believing in liberalism
(Classicism , romanticism )

Middleton Murray speak about full faith in.......

( Inner voice)

Who allows no restriction to outside authority?.

Middleton Murray

Who objected concept of inner voice propagated by Middleton Murray?.

T. S. Eliot

Difference between Classicism and romanticism according to TS Eliot?.

Classicism
|
Complete
|
adult
|
orderly.

Romanticism
|
Fragment
|
immature
|
chaotic

Whom did TS Eliot criticize who consider criticism is better than creative work?.
Mathew Arnold ,
Middleton Murray

Critical activities important for any work of .......

( creation )

Critical labour by author in composing his work includes........., ........ , ........

( The labour sifting, combining, constructing correcting, testing)

Bv criticism TS Eliot means.....

( Analysis of literary work)

True purpose of critic is Prashant the technical facts of work.

Who is objective and open minded ?.

A true critic

A critic should have a highly developer.......

( sense of tradition )

In this essay "The functions of criticism"Eliot showcases the close relationship

between ........and ...... in the world literature.
( the present and past)

Who said " a classical writer cannot be a romantic writer and a romantic writer
cannot be the classical writer. "?.
Middleton Murray

Who does not believes in this statement of Middleton Murray that English people are
only romantic and French are classical.?.
T. S. Eliot

TS Eliot goes against the views of ......... who differentiated between critical writing
and creative writing.
( Matthew Arnold )

Eliot's essay 'The Function of Criticism' was published

in 1923

This essay was a response to

Middleton Murry's challenge to the opinions that Eliot had presented in one of his
earlier essays, namely 'Tradition and Individual Talent'.

Tradition and Individual Talent (1919)

one of the more well known works that Eliot produced in his critic capacity.

Murry had opposed the views

in his own essay titled 'Romanticism and the Tradition'.

'The Function of Criticism', has four parts

1. Part 1 deals with Eliot's views on critic and the critical work of art.
2. Part 2 deals with Murry's views on Romanticism and classicism and Eliot's
contradiction with it.
3. Part 3 deals with Eliot's criticism of Murry.
4. Part 4 deals with the relation of criticism with creative work of art.

Part 1: Eliot's views on critic and the critical work of art.

T. S. Eliot says that it is commonly believed that criticism is an autotelic activity.
However, it is quite a wrong statement because a creative work of art requires great
efforts and hard work.

Those who consider criticism as an autotelic activity

should be strictly criticized.

autotelic
(of an activity or creative work) having an end or purpose in itself

The opinions of Eliot regarding critics and his creative work of art
are discussed below:

1. A creative work of art

is judged through its words.

2. A good text cannot be produced

by having a particular aim in mind. The writer thus does not write consciously but
instead spontaneously.

3. A critic should have one aim in mind

i.e. to make the text good to the taste for the readers and he should elucidate it
accordingly.

4. All the critics are humans

and thus can have different opinions and methods to respond to the literary text.
However, the ultimate aim of every critic should be to enlighten the mind of the
reader through the text.

5. The aim of every critic should be the same:

to try and compose differences with the other critics. A critic should not be a blind
follower of other critics. He should be capable of explaining and justifying why
should text be preserved for future generation. In other terms, why should a literary
text possess continued readership in future?
Part 2 deals with
Murry's views on Romanticism and classicism and Eliot's contradiction with it.

1. Murry believed that classicism and romanticism cannot go side by side.

He further says that classicism is the feature of French and romanticism is the
feature of England and as he is from England, romanticism is more important for him
than the other. Eliot criticises the orthodoxy of Murry as he does not give
significance to classicism.

2. Murry believes that tradition (literature+religion) and morality can co-exist

simultaneously.
However, Eliot disagrees with this statement saying that we should either choose
morality or spirituality. One cannot choose both of them side by side.

3. Murry believes that a critic should hear and follow a natural instinct that he feels,
as it is correct for him.
He suggests that rules are made to be broken (by listening to the inner voice that
makes them unable to listen to the others). Such free play can lead to doing what
one likes which means the emergence of violence. Thus Eliot criticises Murry's
attitude for rejecting the dignity of the others.

Part 3 deals with

Eliot's criticism of Murry.

Murry believes that there exists "Outside Authority" which is spiritual and divine.
Opposed to the "inner voice" (Whiggery), the Outside Authority guides us towards the
right path. It is perfect and the inner voice must struggle to achieve perfection.

Thus he draws a line between human desires and divine authority.

However, Eliot disagrees with this statement. According to him, search for perfection
is small and petty thinking as it bounds one to conform oneself to an unquestioned
authority.

According to Eliot, the function of criticism is to quest for some common principles
for the perfection of art.
This function can only be served when the tradition of art is followed which has been
derived from the long experience of ages.

Part 4 deals with

the relation of criticism with creative work of art.
In the final and concluding part of the essay Eliot says that some intellectually weak
people like Arnold and Murry consider criticism better than the creative art.
For Eliot, all arts have creativity- desire to produce something from creative
imaginations which come.A creative text can be produced only through criticism
which includes analysis, evaluation, construction of his work.

Hence criticism and creative art co-exist and go hand in hand.

A critic, as opposed to a writer, analysis the creative text only and then writes.

Criticism is possible only if creative aspects are present.

Hence criticism itself is not creative. Thus Eliot here questions Arnold's preference
for critic rather than the writer.
[02/03, 10:01 am] JAYA GOVINDA RAO S: In which year, Functions of Criticism
Published?.
in 1923

What is the essay " The functions of criticism?

Basically a response to Middleton Murry’s essay‘Romanticism and the Tradition’. The
essay revisits Tradition and Individual Talent, opposesthe views of Murry and
describes the function of literarycriticism and a good critic.
[02/03, 10:21 am] JAYA GOVINDA RAO S: Part – I - deals with Eliot’s views on critic
and the criticalwork of art

Part – II deals with Murry’s views on Romanticism andClassicism and Eliot’s

contradiction with it.

Part – III - deals with Eliot’s criticism of Murry

Part – IV deals with the relation of criticism with creativework of art.

Art must be understood in the context of previous pieces of art

An artist or poet must be judged by the standards of the......

( past)

Value of work of art must be viewed in the context of the artist’s.....

( previous works)

Good poems constitute “not a turning loose of emotion but an .......

( escape from emotion”)

Criticism is not an .......

(auto telic activity)

Which requires great efforts and hard work?.

Creative work of art
Which do not require to be aware of ends, and indeed performsits functions?
Art

Art is beyond the ends and open so that you can interpret it any time

Writer must write spontaneously without any particular aim in mind.

A good criticism is the elucidation of works of art and the .......

( correction of taste )

Ultimate aim of every critic is to ......

( enlighten the mind of the reader )

A critic must compose differences with the other critics rather than being a.......
( blind follower )

A critic should justify the importance of text for.......

( future generations)

According to Murry, ........and....... cannot go sideby side, both differ very clearly and
no one could follow both at the same time
( Classicism and Romanticism )

Middleton Murray says that Classicism is the feature of ........ and Romanticism is the
feature of ......
( French, England)

Which is moreimportant for him?.

Romanticism

Eliot criticizes Murry’s views because he is not giving significance to ......

( Classicism.)

Murray has also related Catholicism to .......

for believing intradition and Protestantism to Romanticism for believing in .........
(classicism, liberalism)

Middleton Murray speaks about full faith in....

and no restriction tofollow outside authority.
(inner voice)

Eliot objected by stating that concept ofinner voice is like advocating doing what
one likes.