I.A. Richard’s figurative language in some selected poems

Name: Dipti D Vaghela

              (diptivaghela50@gmail.com)

Roll no: 07

Enrolment no: PG14101030

Topic: I.A. Richard’s figurative language in some selected poems

Paper no: 7

Name of the Paper: Criticism

Dedicated to: English Department M.K.B. University

~ Preface

        I.A. Richards (Ivor Armstrong) is a critic belonged to modern age. He born in 1893 and he was educated at Cambridge. He was a professor of English Literature. So he started his career as teacher and critic. His first work written in collaboration with C.K.Ogdon, was published in 1922. This was followed by The Meaning of Meaning also written in collaboration. One of his major work is The Principle of Literary Criticism in 1924. It was followed by his The Practical Criticism; it shows him as an unrivalled advocate who practice practical criticism. Some of his other works are Science and Poetry, Coleridge on Imagination, Mencius of the Mind, The Philosophy of Rhetoric and The Speculative Instruments. He set three aims before him constructing the book as under,

     1) To introduce a new kind of documentation to those who are interested in the contemporary state of culture whether as critic, philosopher, as teacher, as psycholojist or curious persons.

    2) To provide a new technique for those who wish to discover for themselves what they think and feel about poetry, and why they should like or dislike.

   3) To prepare the way for educational methods more efficient than those we use now in developing discrimination and power to understand what we hear and read.

~ What is figurative language by I.A. Richardson?

® The importance of words

        He reveals his great interest in textual and verbal analysis in his books Practical Criticism and The Meaning of Meaning. If we ask that how Language made?

So if we want to understand any literary work so first try to understand Language, we must understand words. And after understanding words we can easily understand any works. Words carry four kinds of meaning or the total meaning of a word depends upon four factors as under,

By sense is related with mind or plain literal meaning of the words. Feelings refers to emotions, emotional attitudes, will, desire, pleasure, unpleasure and the rest. Words express ‘these feelings, these nuances of interest’. By tone is meant the writer’s attitude to his readers. There is a relation between the writers and his readers. Intention has an object; it is the writer’s aim which may be conscious or unconscious. The purpose modifies the expression.

® Significance of Context

        Words have different meaning in different contexts. Words are symbols or signs for example if anyone say that elephant, so first the picture of elephant comes in our mind not the spelling of elephant. Without context there is no meaning in words for example the word ‘sweet’ we use for person or food as under,

-        How sweet of you.

-        This sweets for my brother

Thus we can say that meaning is dependent on context but the context may not always be apparent and easily perceptible. For example ‘Mountain and squirrel has a quarrel’.

® Rhythm and Meter: Their Significance

        Rhythm and meter also give meaning of the words. Meter is a specialized form of rhythm. Rhythm made poem more regular and well-formed pattern. Richards remarks that ‘Rhythm and its specialized form, meter, depend upon repetition and expectancy. Equally where what is expected recurs and where it fails, all rhythmical and metrical effects spring from anticipation. As a rule, this anticipation is unconscious. Sequence of syllables both as sound and as images of speech movements leave the mind read for certain further sequences rather than others. Our momentary organization is adapted to one range of possible stimuli rather than to another. Just as the eye reading print unconsciously expects the spelling to be as usual, and the fount of type to remain the same, so the mind after reading a line or two of verse or half a sentence of prose, prepares itself ahead for any one of a number of possible sequences at the same time negatively incapacitating itself for others.’

        It means over all we can say that over-literal reading can never convey the total meaning of a poem.

~ The Nature of Poetic Truth

        If we want to understand the poetic meaning so successive reading is most important. Poetic truth is different than scientific truth for example,

        Scientific truth: Mountain and squirrel can’t talk.

        Poetic truth: The mountain and the squirrel had a

                               Quarrel.

        After this example we can understand that what is Poetic truth? It is matter of emotional belief rather than intellectual belief. It is emotional reaction not versification.

~ Metaphors

        In poetry metaphors are so important. ‘A metaphor is a shift, a carrying over of a word from its normal use to a new use.’ There are two kinds of metaphor as under,

1) Sense metaphor

2) Emotive metaphor

In a sense metaphor the shift is due to a similarity between the original object and the new one. While in emotive metaphor the shift is due to a similarity between the “feelings, the new situation and the normal situation aroused.”The same word in different context may be a sense metaphor and an emotive metaphor. A metaphor is a point which arouses a different meaning of the line. So metaphor is also a key to unlock the poem.

~ Applying I.A. Richards figurative language in different poems

        Here one poem written by Ralph W. Emerson, title of the poem is ‘The Mountain and the Squirrel’.

The Mountain and the Squirrel

The mountain and the squirrel                                                     

Had a quarrel;

And the former called the latter “Little Prig”.

Bun replied,

“You are doubtless very big;

But all sorts of things and weather

Must be taken in together,

To make up a year

And a sphere.

 

“And I think it no disgrace

To occupy my place.

If I’m not so large as you,

You are not so small as I,

And not half so spry.

 

“I’ll not deny you make

A very pretty squirrel track;

Talents differ; all is well and wisely put;

If I cannot carry forests on my back,

Neither can you crack a nut.”

        Over literal meaning of the poem is that mountain and squirrel can’t speak so how can they quarrel? But here in this context the meaning is different. Over all meaning of the poem is that everyone has their own quality. As same in this poem also that mountain has its own and squirrel has its own qualities. As like sword and needle. So we can say that here poet use mountain and squirrel as metaphor.

        One other poem related with friendship as under,     

New friends and old friends

Make new friends, but keep the old;

Those are silver, these are gold.

New- made friendships, like new wine,

Age will mellow and refine.

Friendships that have stood the test-

Time and change-are surely best;

Brow may wrinkle, hair grow grey,

Friendship never knows decay.

 

For ‘mid old friends, tried and true,

Once more our youth we renew.

But old friends, alas! Maydie,

New friends must their place supply.

 

Cherish friendship in your breast-

New is gold, but old is best;

Make new friends, but keep the old;

Those are silver, these are gold.

 

        It is written by Joseph Parry in 1841. In this poem we can see that comparison between old and new. He say new is silver old is gold, it not mean that new friends’ body is silver and old friends’ body is gold. He use simile in this poem that he compare new friends with silver and old friends with gold. New friendship is like a vine. Then he also compares friendship with hair. Hair will be grey but friendship never decays. So he tries to say that friendship is the best than hair, brow, etc. To understand this poem verbal analysis is important and also to analyses metaphors. So I.A. Richards give the theory of figurative language. Without these metaphors and simile poem is like prose that’s why it is important.

        Other one is as under, written by Joyce Kilmer in 1886.

Trees

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

 

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

 

A tree that looks at God all day,                            

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

 

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

 

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

 

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

                Over literal reading we say that,

-        Tree has no mouth

-        Tree has no eyes so how can that looks at God

-        Tree has no hair

But here meaning is differ, he want to say that God made tree while poem made by man. So tree is better than poem. And perhaps he is great than god by saying himself as fool. It is poem so he can’t say directly and that’s why he uses different words with tree. He uses mouth, eyes, hair as symbols. So here this is poetic truth not scientific truth,because truth is different with different context.  

                Here is forth poem about the mother which is written by Elizabeth A. Allen as under,

My Mother’s Garden

Her heart is like her garden,

Old fashioned, quaint and sweet,

With here a wealth of blossom,

And there a still retreat.

Sweet violets are hiding,

We know as we pass by,

And lilies, pure as angel thoughts,

Are opening somewhere high.

 

Forget-me-nots there linger,

To full perfection brought,

And there bloom purple pansies

In many a tender thought.

There love’s own roses blossom,

As from enchanted ground,

And lavish perfume exquisite

The whole glad year around.

 

And in that quite garden-

The garden of her heart-

Song birds are always singing

Their songs of cheer apart.

And from it floats for ever,

O’ercoming sin and strife,

Sweet as the breath of roses blown,

The fragrance of her life.

                Title is that my mother’s garden. It does not mean that his/her mother has garden of flowers, trees, etc. But as in first line his/her mother’s heart is like her garden it means that poet uses garden as simile. In last two lines also, poet compare fragrance of mother’s life with breath of roses. So once again poet uses simile. In this poem, poet tries to convey the importance of mother. And that’s why poet compare mother with garden. Through those symbols poet write poem about great figure on the earth ‘mother’.

        Now let’s understand some Gujarati poem after understanding English poems.

        Here Gujarati poem related with mother as under,

JananiniJodsakhinahi jade re lol

Mithamadhunemithamehula re lol,

Ethimithitemori mat re,

Jananinijodsakhinai jade re lol.

 

Prabhuna e premtaniputadi re lol,

Jag thijuderieni re,

Jananinijod…

 

Aminibharelieniankhadi re lol,

Vahalnabharelaenaven re,

Jananinijod…

 

Hath guthelenaheerna re lol,

Haiyuhemantkerihel re,

Jananinijod…

 

Devo ne dudh ena dohyala re lol,

Shashi e sinchel eni sody re,

Jananinijod…

 

Jaganoadhar eni angadi re lol,

Kadaja ma kaikbharyakod re,

Jananinijod…

 

Chittdu chadel enu chakde re lol,

Parne bandhel ena pran re,

Jananinijod…

 

Mungi ashish ure malakti re lol,

Leta khute na eni lahan re,

Jananinijod…

 

Dharatimata e hashe dhrujati re lol,

Achada achuk ek may re,

Jananinijod…

 

Ganga na nir to vadheghate re lol,

Madi no megh bare mas re,

Jananinijod…

 

Chalati chanda ni dise chandani re lol,

Ano nahi athame ujas re,

Jananinijad…

In this poem we can see that praise of mother. Poet compare mother with madh and mehula, and he says that our mother is more sweater than other. Her heart is like ‘hemant’. Here poet use simile in this line. Then once again poet compares love of mother with the river Ganga. And he says that love of mother is better than holly river. And ‘madi no megh’ it means not that our mother’s water but her love is like rain forever. Then in last line that ‘eno nahi athame ujas’ it not mean that she gives us sunlight but it mean that sun of her love never set.

        So we can say that over all meaning of the poem is about the love of mother. In Guajarati there is one proverb ‘ma te ma, bija badha vagadana va’.

Here one other Gujarati poem written by Shantilal Shah as under,

Ek j dal na Pankhi

Ek j dal na pankhi,

Ame sahu ek j dal na pankhi.

 

Viharie kadi abha ma unche,

Udi udi kadi avie niche;

Killol karata raheta umangi…ek j dal na pankhi.

 

Sukh ma ne dukh ma sathe j rahi e,

Ladie vadhie kadi, judae thaie;

Toy nirantar raheta sampi…ek j dal na pankhi.

 

Dharati ne khole bal ame sahu,

Karie kudarat gan amesahu;

Jivan kera pravasna sangi…ek j dal na pankhi.

        In general meaning of the poem,

-        Poem is about bird

-        They live with each other

-        They are tourists of life, etc.

But in deep meaning we can see that poet use metaphor from Nature that is ‘bird’. But he tries to talk about human beings. How they live? They are partner of life. They fight among each other but they can’t live without each other. One famous Guajarati proverb ‘bhega vasan kyarek khakhade pan khara’.

        One other hyme written by Suresh Gandhi about ‘Radha’.

Radha Chali

Radha chali pagala joti joti,

Jya jya hari pagalane joya fulada melya goti;

Palavade pad renubandhi, harakhati man mhoti…Radha

 

Koi puche to kahetikhoyu kanth har nu moti,

Champak varnichaturachalidivadolainejoti…Radha

 

Ang ang umang na maye ghadi ubhe sharamati;

Kya e venu! kya e kanudo! Bhini ankhadi lhoti…Radha

 

Here poet wrote about Radha’s feeling. In second line it not means that she keep flower with her and when she saw the footprint of Krishna, she put on that. And then in second stanza that it not mean that she lost pule no but she lost company of Krishna that’s why she sad. And that picture poet try to convince here.

~ Conclusion

        Thus we can say that I.A. Richards gives us wonderful theory. And because of this theory we can easily understand any poem through observing words. That’s why we can say that words are so much important to understand metaphors, simile, poetic truth, etc.

        After understanding of all above poems, we understand that what the importances of metaphors, simile, etc are. Without all these things poem is like ‘widow’. And so if we understand to any poem so first understand all these things which are laying in poetry. So this is the theory of I.A. Richards.