Analysis of Expressive & Objective Theory as discussed by MH Abrams in ‘The Mirror & The Lamp’
Book Link: The Mirror and the Lamp by MH Abrams
EXPRESSIVE THEORY
While exploring expressive theories of literature, MH Abrams argues that the emphasis shifts from the external world to the poet’s internal world. Wordsworth’s declaration that “poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” encapsulates this approach. The primary source and subject of a poem become the poet’s mind, and external elements are transformed by the poet’s emotions. The expressive theory posits that poetry’s primary cause is the poet’s impulse to express feelings and desires, considering a work not as a mirror to reflect nature but as a transparent medium offering insight into the poet’s mind and heart.
John Stuart Mill’s Contribution
John Stuart Mill, in his essays on poetry, further refines expressive theories. He reverses classical rankings, asserting that lyric poetry, expressing emotions, surpasses other forms. Mill introduces the criterion of spontaneity, categorizing poets as born or made. He downplays the importance of the external world, claiming that poetry resides in the mind, with objects serving as occasions for poetic generation. Additionally, Mill minimizes the role of the audience, considering all poetry a form of soliloquy, diminishing the significance of public reception.
OBJECTIVE THEORY
Objective theories, emerging in the late 18th and 19th centuries, consider a work of art as self-sufficient and isolated from external references. These theories posit that art should exist for its own sake, with no obligation to instruct or please. The poem becomes a heterocosm, an independent world. The famous dictum “Art for Art’s sake” encapsulates this approach, emphasizing the poem’s autonomy. T.S. Eliot stresses the importance of considering poetry primarily as poetry. Objective criticism rejects the intentional and affective fallacies, focusing on the autonomy of the work itself.
Evolution of Literary Criticism
The evolution from mimetic to expressive and, finally, to objective theories reflects changing perspectives on the role of the poet, the audience, and the intrinsic nature of art. While mimetic theories cast the poet as a passive mirror, expressive theories elevate the poet’s emotions. Objective theories, epitomized by “Art for Art’s sake,” underscore the autonomy and self-sufficiency of the literary work, signaling a departure from external considerations. This evolution highlights the dynamic nature of literary criticism and its response to cultural and philosophical shifts.
In summary, the expressive and objective theories mark significant departures from the classical mimetic approach, emphasizing the subjective experience of the poet and the intrinsic nature of the literary work. These theories have shaped the landscape of literary criticism, offering diverse lenses through which literature can be analyzed and appreciated.
