Changes

  + ==Literary philosophy==  

==Literary philosophy==  

  + Johnson's literature, especially his ''Lives of the Poets'' series, is marked by various opinions on what would make a poetic work excellent. He believed that the best poetry relied on contemporary language, and he disliked the use of decorative or purposefully archaic language. In particular, he was suspicious of [[John Milton]]'s language, whose blank verse would mislead later poets, and could not stand the poetic language of [[Thomas Gray]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|pp=27}}</ref> On Gray, Johnson wrote, "Gray thought his language more poetical as it was more remote from common use".<ref>''Life of Gray''</ref> Johnson would sometimes write parodies of poetry that he felt was poorly done; one such example is his translation of [[Euripides]]'s play, ''Medea'' in a parody of one poet's style along side of his version of how the play should be translated. His greatest complaint was the overuse of obscure allusion found in works like Milton's ''Lycidas'', and he preferred poetry that could be easily read.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|pp=28–30}}</ref> In addition to his views on language, Johnson believed that a good poem would incorporate new and unique imagery.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=39}}</ref>   

Johnson's literature, especially his ''Lives of the Poets'' series, is marked by various opinions on what would make a poetic work excellent. He believed that the best poetry relied on contemporary language, and he disliked the use of decorative or purposefully archaic language. In particular, he was suspicious of [[John Milton]]'s language, whose blank verse would mislead later poets, and could not stand the poetic language of [[Thomas Gray]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|pp=27}}</ref> On Gray, Johnson wrote, "Gray thought his language more poetical as it was more remote from common use".<ref>''Life of Gray''</ref> Johnson would sometimes write parodies of poetry that he felt was poorly done; one such example is his translation of [[Euripides]]'s play, ''Medea'' in a parody of one poet's style along side of his version of how the play should be translated. His greatest complaint was the overuse of obscure allusion found in works like Milton's ''Lycidas'', and he preferred poetry that could be easily read.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|pp=28–30}}</ref> In addition to his views on language, Johnson believed that a good poem would incorporate new and unique imagery.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=39}}</ref>   

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   + In his shorter works, Johnson preferred shorter lines and to fill his work with a feeling of empathy, which possibly influenced [[A. E. Housman's]] poetry.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|pp=31, 34}}</ref> In ''London'', his first imitation of Juvenal, Johnson uses the form to express his political opinion. It is a poem of his youth and deals with the topic in a playful and almost joyous manner. As Donald Greene claims, "its charm comes from youthful exuberance and violence with which the witty invective comes tumbling out" in lines like:<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=35}}</ref>   

   + In his shorter works, Johnson preferred shorter lines and to fill his work with a feeling of empathy, which possibly influenced [[A. E. Housman's]] poetry.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|pp=31, 34}}</ref> In ''London'', his first imitation of Juvenal, Johnson uses the form to express his political opinion. It is a poem of his youth and deals with the topic in a playful and almost joyous manner. As Donald Greene claims, "its charm comes from youthful exuberance and violence with which the witty invective comes tumbling out" in lines like:<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=35}}</ref>   

   + Also, Johnson did not feel that biography should be limited to the most important people, but felt that the lives of lesser individuals could be deemed the most significant.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=65}}</ref> In his ''Lives of the Poets'', he chose great and lesser poets, and throughout all of his biographies, he always insisted on included what others may consider as trivial details in order to fully describe the lives of his subjects.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=67}}</ref> When it came to autobiography, and diaries including his own, Johnson considered that genre of work as one having the most significance; he explains this in ''Idler'' 84, when he described how a writer of an autobiography would be the least likely to distort their own life.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=85}}</ref>   

   + Also, Johnson did not feel that biography should be limited to the most important people, but felt that the lives of lesser individuals could be deemed the most significant.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=65}}</ref> In his ''Lives of the Poets'', he chose great and lesser poets, and throughout all of his biographies, he always insisted on included what others may consider as trivial details in order to fully describe the lives of his subjects.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=67}}</ref> When it came to autobiography, and diaries including his own, Johnson considered that genre of work as one having the most significance; he explains this in ''Idler'' 84, when he described how a writer of an autobiography would be the least likely to distort their own life.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=85}}</ref>   

Revision as of 02:00, 2 September 2008 (edit) (undo)Ottava Rima (Talk | contribs) (added section, still have more to add to this though)  http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Samuel_Johnson&diff=235723065&oldid=235715754

Revision as of 02:00, 2 September 2008 (edit) (undo)Ottava Rima (Talk | contribs) (added section, still have more to add to this though)  [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Samuel_Johnson&diff=235723065&oldid=235715754]

 

  + Johnson's thoughts on biography and on poetry found their union in his understanding of what would make a good critic. His works were dominated with his intent to used them for literary criticism, including his ''Dictionary'' to which he wrote: "I lately published a Dictionary like those compiled by the academies of Italy and France, ''for the use of such as aspire to exactness of criticism, or elegance of style''".<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=134}}</ref> Although the smaller dictionary was written for the masses and become the common household dictionary, Johnson's original dictionary was an academic tool that examined how words were used, especially those uses that were found in literary works. To achieve this purpose, Johnson included quotations from Bacon, Hooker, Milton, Shakespeare, Spenser, and many others from the literary fields that Johnson thought were most important: natural science, philosophy, poetry, and theology. These quotes and usages were all compared and carefully studied, so that others could understand what words meant in literature.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|pp=134–135}}</ref>   

Johnson's thoughts on biography and on poetry found their union in his understanding of what would make a good critic. His works were dominated with his intent to used them for literary criticism, including his ''Dictionary'' to which he wrote: "I lately published a Dictionary like those compiled by the academies of Italy and France, ''for the use of such as aspire to exactness of criticism, or elegance of style''".<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=134}}</ref> Although the smaller dictionary was written for the masses and become the common household dictionary, Johnson's original dictionary was an academic tool that examined how words were used, especially those uses that were found in literary works. To achieve this purpose, Johnson included quotations from Bacon, Hooker, Milton, Shakespeare, Spenser, and many others from the literary fields that Johnson thought were most important: natural science, philosophy, poetry, and theology. These quotes and usages were all compared and carefully studied, so that others could understand what words meant in literature.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|pp=134–135}}</ref>   

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   + Johnson felt that words, in and of themselves, were meaningless, but that meaning comes from context. The only way to understand the word is to examine its usage, and a critic must understand lexicography before they can understand what people are saying.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=137}}</ref> Later critics would attempt to create theories to analyze the aesthetics of literature, but Johnson was not a theorist and he used his ideas only for the practical purpose in order to better read the works.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=140}}</ref> When it came to Shakspeare's plays, Johnson emphasized the role of a reader in understanding language when he wrote:   

   + Johnson felt that words, in and of themselves, were meaningless, but that meaning comes from context. The only way to understand the word is to examine its usage, and a critic must understand lexicography before they can understand what people are saying.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=137}}</ref> Later critics would attempt to create theories to analyze the aesthetics of literature, but Johnson was not a theorist and he used his ideas only for the practical purpose in order to better read the works.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=140}}</ref> When it came to Shakspeare's plays, Johnson emphasized the role of a reader in understanding language when he wrote:   

   + Besides direct literary criticism, Johnson emphasized the need to establish a text that accurately reflects what an author wrote. In his ''Preface'', Johnson analyzed the various versions of Shakespeare's plays and argued how an editor should work on them. Shakespeare's plays, in particular, had multiple editions that each contained errors from the printing process. This problem was compounded by careless editors deem difficult words as incorrect and changing them in later editions. Johnson believed that an editor should not alter the text in such a way, and, when creating his own edition of Shakespeare's plays, he relied on the thousands of quotations and notes that he used in crafting his ''Dictionary'' in order to restore, to the best of his knowledge, the original text.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=143}}</ref>   

   + Besides direct literary criticism, Johnson emphasized the need to establish a text that accurately reflects what an author wrote. In his ''Preface'', Johnson analyzed the various versions of Shakespeare's plays and argued how an editor should work on them. Shakespeare's plays, in particular, had multiple editions that each contained errors from the printing process. This problem was compounded by careless editors deem difficult words as incorrect and changing them in later editions. Johnson believed that an editor should not alter the text in such a way, and, when creating his own edition of Shakespeare's plays, he relied on the thousands of quotations and notes that he used in crafting his ''Dictionary'' in order to restore, to the best of his knowledge, the original text.<ref>{{Harvnb|Greene|1989|p=143}}</ref>   

Revision as of 15:40, 2 September 2008 (edit) (undo)Ottava Rima (Talk | contribs) (added more for his literary philosophy)

Revision as of 15:40, 2 September 2008 (edit) (undo)Ottava Rima (Talk | contribs) (added more for his literary philosophy)

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Samuel_Johnson&diff=235832452&oldid=235814278

[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Samuel_Johnson&diff=235832452&oldid=235814278]