An Integral View Of Poetry: An India Perspective

This Is An Original Approach To Poetry, The Poetic Process And To An Interpretation Of The Various Constituents Of Poetry And Of The Configuration Of All These Elements Into The Magic That Is Poetry, Supported By The Tradition Of Indian Aesthetics That Has Always Regarded Great Poets As Seers And Prophets. Stimulated By European Literary Criticism And By Modern Critics Like T. S. Eliot, I. A. Richards And The New Critics, Indian Aesthetics And Modern Indian Thinkers Like Sri Aurobindo, Professor Vinayak Krishna Gokak Has Formulated A Theory Of Poetry Which Is A New And Synthetic Statement Doing Justice To All Aspects Of The Subject. His Experience As Professor Of English Language And Literature In Quite A Few Indian Universities And As Professor Of Literary Interpretation To Teachers And Lecturers From All Over India Has Stood Him In Good Stead In This Formulation. The Book Opens With An Account Of The Poetic Process In Which All The Key-Words Of Aesthetic Theory,-Inspiration, Imitation, Expression, Communication, Persuasion And Configuration -Are Seen To Fit Into Their Places In A Comprehensive Account Of The Poetic Process. This Is Followed By Chapters On: Vision In Poetry, The Four Levels Of Poetic Vision, The Five Kinds Of Poetic Vision The Poet And The Structure Of Personality. The Most Original Part Of This Account Of Poetry Comes Up Next In An Analysis Of Attitudes And Moods In Poetry. This Is Followed By Chapters On: Poetic Meaning, Rhythm, Imagery, Diction, Style Propriety, A Touchstone Of Poetry And The Fulfilment Of Poetry. Students Of Poetry Who Pick Up This Book Will Not Be Easily Inclined To Lay It Down Till They Have Finished Reading It. For Many Of Them, It Will Be A Profound Experience To Be Cherished And Remembered For Long.