Anatomy of Criticism Essay example - 1249 Words

Anatomy of Criticism Introduction In his Anatomy of Criticism, Northrop Frye offers a complex theory that aspires to describe a unifying system for literary criticism. It can be argued, however, that in attempting to delineate such an all-inclusive structure, Fryes system eliminates identity in literature. The present essay takes up this argument and offers examples of how identity is precluded by Fryes system as outlined in Anatomy of Criticism. Structure Vs. Identity In Fryes system, the organizing principles that give literature coherence and structure are derived from the myths of ancient Greece and the archetypal imagery found in the Bible. In his Third Essay, Frye suggests that all literature is based on†¦show more content†¦Frye completely ignores literature that is outside the Western classics; contemporary literature and literature from the Oriental traditions, for example, remains outside Fryes scheme, and he makes no margin whatsoever for including such writings in his theory. This rigid, inflexible system doesnt allow for literature other than works abstracted from Fryes narrow aggregation of central myths, and the identity of both the writer and any individual work of literature is lost in Fryes structure. The Identity of the Reader In addition to excluding the identity of the writer and of works of literature, Fryes literary schema also ignores the identity of the reader. In his Polemical Introduction to the Anatomy of Criticism, Frye argues that [literature] is a disinterested use of words: it does not address a reader directly (p4). It is only criticism, he says, that can speak. We must dispute this, however, for surely the writer means for his or her work to converse with the reader in some manner. Frye would remove the reader from the experiencing of literature, but this is impossible, for there is a constant dialogue between a literary work and ones individual experience of that work. Frye himself would seem to admit this: The reading of literature should...step out of the talking world of criticism into the private andShow MoreRelatedThe Anatomy Of Criticism By Northrop Frye991 Words   |  4 Pages Structuralism’s overriding focus is an aspiration to be an objective, almost scientific, analysis of literary texts. In The Anatomy of Criticism, Northrop Frye explains that myths and binary pairs in opposition are a significant class of structural elements of literature that give meaning, both in a fixed and relational manner. In particular, he voices, â€Å"Shakespeare s type of romantic comedy follows a tradition established by Peele and developed by Greene and Lyly†¦ We may call it the drama ofRead MoreReflection : My Digestive System1068 Words   |  5 PagesIn all my years of writing, I have never had a writing experience that I was completely confident in. Especially, if it had the four words Anatomy and Physiology Essay in the assignment. I took Anatomy and Physiology my senior year. That class kicked my ass to the point where I thought I was going to fail. With lots of work, quizzes and tests I had a lot to save myself grade-wise. What I dreaded the most was th e dreaded six letter word, essays. The class was set up that every unit in the class endsRead MoreLeonardo Davincis Accomplishments in Anatomy1066 Words   |  5 PagesL eonardo Da Vinci is famous as a painter, sculptor and inventor. 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