I. A. Richards as a critic

-


Introduction

Ivor Armstrong Richards, better known as I. A. Richards, was one of the most important literary critics of the twentieth century. He was born on 26 February 1893 in Cheshire, England, and he died on 7 September 1979 in Cambridge. Richards is remembered as a pioneer of modern literary criticism and an influential figure in the development of the New Criticism movement. His work combined literature, psychology, and philosophy, and he created new methods of studying literature that shaped the way it was taught in schools and universities.

Early Life and Education

Richards grew up in Cheshire and received his early education at Clifton College in Bristol. Later, he went to Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he studied philosophy and classical literature. At Cambridge, he became interested in the study of language, meaning, and interpretation. His education in philosophy and psychology strongly influenced his later approach to literature, which always emphasized close reading and the scientific study of language.

Career as a Critic and Teacher

After completing his studies, Richards remained at Cambridge as a teacher and lecturer. He began experimenting with new methods of teaching literature to students. He believed that instead of relying on historical background or biographical details of authors, students should focus directly on the text itself.

To test this, Richards conducted a famous experiment. He gave his students poems without telling them the names of the poets or any background information. The students had to interpret the poems purely on their own understanding. This experiment formed the basis of his book Practical Criticism (1929), which became one of his most influential works.

Richards later held academic positions in other institutions, including Harvard University in the United States, where he continued his work on literary theory and language.

Major Works

I. A. Richards wrote several important books that shaped literary criticism.

  1. The Principles of Literary Criticism (1924) – This book laid out his basic ideas about how literature should be studied. Richards argued that literature has psychological and emotional effects on readers, and he tried to explain these effects scientifically.

  2. Practical Criticism (1929) – This book reported his famous experiment at Cambridge and introduced a new method of close reading. Richards showed how readers misinterpret poems when they rely on assumptions, and he emphasized the importance of careful, detailed reading of the text.

  3. Science and Poetry (1926) – In this work, Richards explored the relationship between science and poetry. He argued that both are important ways of understanding human experience, though in different ways.

  4. The Meaning of Meaning (1923, with C. K. Ogden) – Though not strictly a book of literary criticism, this work examined how language works and how meaning is created. It became a key text in the study of semantics.

Through these works, Richards combined psychology, philosophy, and literary study, creating a new scientific approach to literature.

Contribution to Literary Criticism

I. A. Richards made several key contributions to literary criticism. One of his greatest contributions was the method of close reading. By focusing on the words of the text itself, Richards encouraged readers to pay attention to meaning, structure, and emotional effect without being distracted by outside information. This method became central to the New Criticism movement, which dominated literary studies in the mid-twentieth century.

Another contribution was his idea of “Practical Criticism.” Richards believed that students needed training in careful reading and interpretation, and his experiments showed how often readers misunderstood poetry. By teaching practical criticism, he provided tools to improve literary understanding.

Richards also contributed to the study of semantics and the philosophy of language. He believed that meaning in literature is not fixed but depends on the interaction between the text and the reader’s mind. This idea influenced later literary theory and even modern approaches such as reader-response criticism.

Themes in His Thought

Several themes can be seen in Richards’s thought. One major theme is the role of language. Richards believed that language is central to human thought and culture, and he studied how words create meaning.

Another theme is the psychological effect of literature. Richards saw literature as a way to balance human emotions and to bring harmony to the mind. He argued that poetry can be a tool for emotional organization and human growth.

A third theme is the importance of education. Richards was deeply committed to improving the way literature was taught. He wanted students to approach texts directly, without prejudice or preconceived notions, so that they could truly experience the power of literature.

Style and Approach

Richards’s style as a critic was analytical and systematic. He combined the precision of science with the sensitivity of literature. His essays and books are filled with examples and experiments, and he often wrote in a clear and logical manner to make his arguments convincing.

He avoided unnecessary ornament and focused instead on explaining ideas carefully. His works are not always easy to read because of their scientific tone, but they show his effort to treat literature with seriousness and depth.

Influence and Legacy

I. A. Richards had a lasting influence on literary criticism. His methods of close reading and practical criticism shaped the teaching of literature in schools and universities for decades. The New Criticism movement, which developed in America in the 1930s and 1940s, was directly inspired by his ideas.

Beyond literary criticism, Richards influenced linguistics, semantics, and communication studies through his book The Meaning of Meaning. His interest in the psychology of reading also made him a pioneer in the study of reader response.

Richards’s influence spread internationally. He was one of the first critics to be studied widely in India, China, and other countries, where his methods of close reading became part of the curriculum. His ideas continue to shape literary studies even in the twenty-first century.

Personal Life and Later Years

Richards lived a long life, much of it dedicated to teaching and writing. He married Dorothy Pilley, who was a well-known mountaineer, and they often traveled together. In his later years, Richards continued to lecture and publish, though his main influence remained his earlier works. He died in Cambridge in 1979 at the age of eighty-six.

Conclusion

I. A. Richards was a brilliant critic, philosopher, and teacher who transformed the study of literature. His works, especially Practical Criticism and The Principles of Literary Criticism, introduced new methods of close reading and analysis that became the foundation of modern literary criticism. His interest in language, psychology, and philosophy made his approach unique and influential. Though sometimes considered difficult, his works provided tools for generations of students and critics to understand literature more deeply. Richards’s legacy lies in his belief that literature is not only an art but also a powerful tool for shaping thought, emotion, and human understanding.

Popular Posts

"Cry, the Peacock": A Detailed Summary and Analysis

-
Introduction Cry, the Peacock is Anita Desai ’s first novel. It was published in 1963. The novel explores a woman’s emotional struggles and her experience of loneliness and despair. The story focuses on Maya, the main character, and her troubled marriage. She suffers from isolation and mental instability. Anita Desai presents the fragility of the human mind and the difficulties of marriage. Brief Summary The novel takes place in post-independence India. However, the story focuses more on personal struggles than political events. Maya is a young woman who lives with her husband, Gautama. Gautama is a practical and intellectual man. He does not show emotions, and he does not understand Maya’s feelings. Maya is sensitive and emotional. She wants love and affection, but Gautama does not give her the attention she needs. Maya feels lonely and neglected. She spends most of her time thinking about her life. She creates fantasies in her mind to escape her loneliness. One important symbol in t...
Read more

Phonetics and Phonology : Definition and difference

-
Phonetics and phonology are two closely related subfields of linguistics that both deal with the sounds of speech, but they focus on different aspects of these sounds. Phonetics is the study of the physical properties of speech sounds, specifically how they are produced, transmitted, and perceived. It is concerned with the actual sounds themselves—how they are articulated, how they travel through the air as sound waves, and how they are received by the ear and processed by the brain. Phonetics is typically divided into three subfields: 1. Articulatory Phonetics : This branch focuses on the physical production of speech sounds. It looks at the movements of the vocal organs (such as the tongue, lips, and vocal cords) and how these movements create different speech sounds. It studies how different places and manners of articulation (e.g., voicing, nasality, consonant types like stops or fricatives) contribute to the production of speech. 2. Acoustic Phonetics : This branch is concerned w...
Read more

Dhwani Theory by Anandvardhana: an introduction

-
Anandvardhana was a Kashmiri court poet and literary critic, honored with the title of Rajanak during King Avantivarman's reign.  Anandavardhana authored the Dhvanyāloka , or A Light on Suggestion (dhwani), a work articulating the philosophy of "aesthetic suggestion" (dhwani, vyaΓ±janā). Anandavardhana is credited with creating the dhwani theory. He wrote that dhwani (meaning sound, or evocation) is the "soul" or "essence" (ātman) of poetry (kavya).  Anandavardhana said, "When the poet writes, he creates a eloquent field of emotions." To understand the poetry, the reader or hearer must be on the same wavelength. Important points~ •Dhvani theory is a theory of suggestion that is considered to be the soul of poetry.  •The theory of Dhvani is a major contribution to Sanskrit literary theory.  •The theory of Dhvani suggests that the main goal of good poetry is to evoke a mood or "flavor" (rasa).  •The theory of Dhvani suggests that this...
Read more