Eliot
as a Critic
Before we analyse the achievement of
Eliot as a critic, it would be better to view the judgment of others in this
respect.
(i)
According
to Watson "The imposing sense of vast critical intelligence that
emerges, especially in the twenties, is not of a sort that can be defined. Eliot
made English analysis appear to be unique, however in no basic sense. He
offered it another scope of expository prospects, affirmed it in its expanding
disdain for chronicled forms, but reshaped its thought of period by a handful
of splendid instincts. It isn't normal that so master and professional an observer of poetry should allow his achievement to be more neatly classified
then this..."
(ii)
The best achievement of Eliot as a critic is confined to his early essays as is
pointed out by Andor Gomme:
“The
essay on Marvell, for example, is a model of critical conciseness, accuracy,
and suggestiveness - evaluating (with a little helpful practical analysis by
the way) Marvell's own personal distinction generalizing to probe the nature of
the quality (wit) which he shared with the earlier metaphysical and with Dryden
and Pope, then back again to isolate the precise tone of its appearance in
Marvell. No better introduction to a poet could be found; it leaves most of the
work to be done by the reader himself while making clear the lines which can
profitably be followed up. And in so doing it makes generalizations which open
up new ways of approach to English poetry as a whole..."
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