07-19-2016, 09:13 AM
"Never worry about 'meaning' when you are reading poems... Poems are not crossword puzzles: however elusive and 'difficult' the story or argument of a poem may seem to be and however resistant to simple interpretation, it is not a test of your intelligence and learning (or if it is, it is not worth persevering with)...
Do not be cross with poetry for failing to deliver meaning and communication in the way that an assemblage of words usually does."
~Stephen Fry
Here's my question: how would we go about offering a critique on a piece whose "meaning" eludes us or if we don't know what the author is on about? Does author intent matter when it comes to critique? What about critiquing surrealist poetry – how would you judge whether that kind of poem is successful?
Do not be cross with poetry for failing to deliver meaning and communication in the way that an assemblage of words usually does."
~Stephen Fry
Here's my question: how would we go about offering a critique on a piece whose "meaning" eludes us or if we don't know what the author is on about? Does author intent matter when it comes to critique? What about critiquing surrealist poetry – how would you judge whether that kind of poem is successful?