Northrop Frye (TH)

 Hello everyone!! I'm Priyanshi and welcome to My blog. Here we discuss about some questions which were related to Northrop Frye .This blog was part of the thinking Activity which was given by Dilip barad sir.!! Firstly, we discuss about what is the concept of Northrop Frye.

Thinking Activity:

1)What is Archetypal Criticism? What does the archetypal critic do?

Archetypal criticism is a type of literary criticism that interprets a text by focusing on recurring myths and archetypes in the narrative, symbols, images, and character types in literary works. Archetypes are universal patterns or prototypes that evoke deep responses from the collective unconscious of human beings. Archetypal criticism draws on the theories of Carl Jung, a Swiss psychologist who proposed that the human psyche is composed of three components: the ego, the personal unconscious, and the collective unconscious. The collective unconscious contains the inherited memories, instincts, and experiences of the human race, which are expressed through archetypes. Archetypal criticism also incorporates the ideas of Northrop Frye, a Canadian literary critic who classified different genres and modes of literature according to their archetypal patterns. Archetypal criticism can reveal the universal themes and meanings of a text, as well as its cultural and historical context.

An archetypal critic does the following:

• Identifies the archetypes that are present in a text, such as the hero, the villain, the trickster, the mentor, the quest, the initiation, the death and rebirth, the creation, the apocalypse, etc.
• Analyzes how the archetypes function and interact in the text, and how they relate to the author’s intention, the genre, the audience, and the historical and cultural background.
• Explores the psychological, emotional, and spiritual effects of the archetypes on the reader, and how they connect to the collective unconscious of humanity.
• Compares and contrasts the archetypes in different texts and traces their origins and transformations across time and space.
• Evaluates the significance and value of the text in terms of its archetypal richness and relevance.

2) What is Frye trying to prove by giving an analogy of 'Physics to Nature' and 'Criticism to Literature'?

Frye is trying to prove that criticism, as a systematic and organized study of literature, should have the same status and rigor as physics, which is a systematic and organized study of nature. He argues that literature, like nature, is not something that can be learned directly, but only through the lens of a critical framework. He also suggests that criticism should be based on the inherent patterns and structures of literature itself, rather than on external sources such as history or philosophy. He believes that criticism can reveal the archetypes of literature, which are the universal and elemental forms that recur in various works of literature, myths, dreams, and rituals. By using this analogy, Frye aims to establish criticism as a central and expanding discipline that can encompass and integrate the various ancillary critical sciences.

To support his analogy, Frye draws on the concepts of Jungian psychology, which posits the existence of a collective unconscious that contains the archetypes of human experience. Frye also uses the analogy of the seasons to classify the different modes and genres of literature, from comedy and romance to tragedy and irony, according to their emotional tone and symbolic meaning. He further develops his analogy by proposing four levels of criticism, corresponding to the four elements of nature: historical criticism (earth), ethical criticism (water), archetypal criticism (air), and rhetorical criticism (fire) He claims that each level of criticism has its own principles and methods, but they are all interconnected and interdependent, just like the elements of nature.

Frye’s analogy of physics to nature and criticism to literature is an ambitious and influential attempt to create a comprehensive and coherent theory of literature that can account for its diversity and complexity. His analogy also challenges the conventional views of criticism as a subjective and impressionistic activity and asserts its scientific and objective nature. Frye’s analogy has been widely praised and criticized by various scholars and critics and has inspired many further developments and debates in the field of literary criticism.

3) Share your views of Criticism as an organized body of knowledge. Mention the relation of literature with history and philosophy.

Criticism is a broad term that encompasses various forms of evaluation, analysis, interpretation, and judgement of different aspects of human culture, such as art, literature, philosophy, politics, science, and so on. Criticism can be seen as an organized body of knowledge in the sense that it follows certain methods, principles, criteria, and standards that are derived from various disciplines, traditions, and perspectives. Criticism can also be seen as a way of producing new knowledge, as it challenges, questions, and explores the meanings, values, and implications of various phenomena.

One of the domains where criticism plays a significant role is literature. Literature is a form of artistic expression that uses language to create fictional or non-fictional narratives, poems, dramas, essays, and other genres. Literature is closely related to history and philosophy, as it reflects, influences, and interacts with them in various ways. Some of the possible connections between literature and history and philosophy are:

• Literature can be a source of historical information, as it records, represents, or reimagines events, people, places, and cultures of the past. Literature can also be a subject of historical inquiry, as it reveals the social, political, economic, and cultural contexts and changes of different periods and regions.
• Literature can be a mode of historical thinking, as it offers alternative perspectives, interpretations, and explanations of historical phenomena. Literature can also be a means of historical intervention, as it challenges, criticizes, or subverts dominant or official histories, and creates counter-narratives, alternative histories, or utopian visions.
• Literature can be a form of philosophical expression, as it explores, illustrates, or questions various philosophical concepts, themes, problems, and arguments. Literature can also be a source of philosophical inspiration, as it stimulates, provokes, or enriches philosophical reflection and dialogue.
• Literature can be a tool of philosophical analysis, as it employs, exemplifies, or tests various philosophical methods, such as logic, rhetoric, dialectic, or hermeneutics. Literature can also be a target of philosophical critique, as it exposes, challenges, or evaluates various philosophical assumptions, claims, or implications.

4) Briefly explain the inductive method with an illustration of Shakespeare's Hamlet's Grave Digger's scene.

The inductive method is a way of reasoning that starts from specific observations and moves to general conclusions or theories. It is also called bottom-up reasoning, because it builds up from the particular to the universal.

An example of the inductive method in Shakespeare’s Hamlet is the Grave Digger’s scene in Act 5, Scene 1. In this scene, Hamlet and Horatio encounter a gravedigger who is digging a grave for Ophelia. The gravedigger engages in a witty dialogue with Hamlet, using riddles and jokes to make inferences about various topics, such as the nature of death, the status of the dead, and the profession of gravedigging. For instance, he asks Hamlet:

What is he that builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter.

The gravedigger then answers his own question, saying that it is the gallows-maker, because his frame outlives a thousand tenants. He then corrects himself, saying that it is actually the gravedigger, because his “houses” will last until Doomsday.

The gravedigger’s reasoning is inductive, because he starts from specific examples of builders (the mason, the shipwright, the carpenter) and then moves to a general conclusion about who builds the strongest (the gallows-maker, the gravedigger). He does not use any formal logic or rules to derive his answer, but rather relies on his own observation and experience. His conclusion is not necessarily true or certain, but rather probable or plausible, based on the evidence he has.

The inductive method is often used in research, especially when there is little or no existing theory or literature on a topic. It allows researchers to explore new phenomena, discover patterns, and generate hypotheses that can be tested later. However, the inductive method also has some limitations, such as the risk of making hasty generalizations, overlooking exceptions, or being influenced by biases.

5) Briefly explain the deductive method with reference to an analogy to Music, Painting, rhythm, and pattern. Give examples of the outcomes of the deductive method.

The deductive method is a way of reasoning that starts from a general principle or truth and derives a specific conclusion from it. For example, if we know that all humans are mortal and that Socrates is a human, we can deduce that Socrates is mortal. This is a valid deductive argument, meaning that the conclusion must be true if the premises are true.

One way to understand the deductive method is to compare it to music and painting, which are both forms of art that rely on rhythm and pattern. Rhythm is the regular repetition of sounds or movements, while pattern is the arrangement of shapes or colors in a predictable way. Both rhythm and pattern create a sense of order and harmony in music and painting, and they can also be used to convey meaning and emotion.

Similarly, the deductive method uses rhythm and pattern in logic and language to create a coherent and consistent argument. The rhythm of a deductive argument is the sequence of premises and conclusion, which follow a standard form such as modus ponens or syllogism. The pattern of a deductive argument is the relation of terms and propositions, which follow the rules of validity and soundness. A valid deductive argument has a pattern that guarantees the truth of the conclusion from the premises, while a sound deductive argument has a pattern that is valid and has true premises.

Some examples of the outcomes of the deductive method are:

• Mathematical proofs, which use deductive reasoning to demonstrate the truth of a theorem or a formula from a set of axioms or definitions. For example, the Pythagorean theorem, which states that

  a^2 + b^2 = c^2

  for a right triangle with sides

  a

  ,

  b

  , and

  c

  , can be proved deductively using Euclidean geometry.
• Scientific laws, which use deductive reasoning to generalize the results of observations or experiments to a universal statement. For example, Newton’s law of universal gravitation, which states that

  F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}

  for the force of attraction between two masses

  m_1

  and

  m_2

  separated by a distance

  r

  , can be derived deductively from Kepler’s laws of planetary motion and the concept of inertia.
• Philosophical arguments, which use deductive reasoning to support or challenge a claim or a theory. For example, Descartes’ ontological argument, which attempts to prove the existence of God from the concept of a perfect being, is a deductive argument that relies on the principle of sufficient reason and the definition of perfection.

6) Refer to the Indian seasonal grid (in the blog). If you can, please read a small Gujarati, Hindi, or English poem from the archetypal approach and apply the Indian seasonal grid to the interpretation.

The Indian seasonal grid is a way of understanding the archetypal patterns of literature based on the six seasons of the Indian subcontinent: spring, summer, monsoon, autumn, winter, and prevernal. Each season corresponds to a mood, a stage of life, a time of day, and a literary genre. For example, spring is associated with love, youth, morning, and lyric poetry. The grid can be used to analyze the themes, symbols, and characters of different literary works.

One example of a poem that can be interpreted using the Indian seasonal grid is “The Rainy Day” by Rabindranath Tagore, a Nobel laureate in literature from Bengal. The poem is written in English but reflects the influence of Tagore’s native Bengali culture and language. Here is the poem:

The Rainy Day

Sullen clouds are gathering fast over the black fringe of the forest. O child, do not go out! The palm trees in a row by the lake are smiting their heads against the dismal sky; the crows with their dragged wings are silent on the tamarind branches, and the eastern bank of the river is haunted by a deepening gloom.

Our cow is lowing loud, tied at the fence. O child, wait here till I bring her into the stall.

Men have crowded into the flooded field to catch the fishes as they escape from the overflowing ponds; the rainwater is running in rills through the narrow lanes like a laughing boy who has run away from his mother to tease her. Listen, someone is shouting for the boatman at the ford.

O child, the daylight is dim, and the crossing at the ferry is closed.

The sky seems to ride fast upon the madly rushing rain; the water in the river is loud and impatient; women have hastened home early from the Ganges with their filled pitchers. The evening lamps must be made ready. O child do not go out!

The road to the market is desolate, the lane to the river is slippery. The wind is roaring and struggling among the bamboo branches like a wild beast tangled in a net.

The poem can be seen as belonging to the monsoon season, which is characterized by rain, storm, darkness, and anxiety. The monsoon is associated with old age, night, and tragedy in the Indian seasonal grid. The poem depicts a father’s concern for his child, who wants to go out in the rain. The father tries to dissuade the child by describing the dangers and discomforts of the weather, the nature, and the society. The poem creates a contrast between the safety and warmth of the home and the chaos and violence of the outside world. The poem also suggests a sense of isolation and helplessness, as the father and the child are cut off from the rest of the community by the flooded river and the closed ferry. The poem evokes a mood of fear, sadness, and despair, which are typical of the monsoon season. The poem also uses imagery and symbols that are common in the monsoon literature, such as clouds, rain, palm trees, crows, tamarind, cow, fish, lamps, bamboo, etc. The poem can be seen as a lyrical expression of the father’s love for his child, as well as a tragic reflection of the human condition in the face of nature’s fury.

thank you!