Varieties of Literary
Experience
Adapted from Northrop
Frye’s Anatomy of Criticism. Frye refers to Aristotle’s observation that “Since imitators
imitate men who are doing something [ . . . ], [the] men are better than we
are, or worse, or like us” (Chapter 2). Aristotle is referring to the ethical
nature of the individual but Frye uses a criteria based on the power of
the individual protagonist in relation to his or her community and world
|
MYTH→ Power
of individual absolute: superior to
mortals and supernatural; tales of gods and superheroes. Ex: Greek myths |
ROMANCE→ Individual
superior to other mortals but ultimately subject to the laws of mortality;
laws of nature stretched! Ex.
Gilgamesh, Achilles, Roland, Superman |
HIGH IMITATION→ Individual
superior to other mortals but subject to the laws of mortality and nature Ex.
Dramas of great monarchs (Hamlet, Macbeth) and cultural icons (Muhammad Ali,
Princess Di) |
|
LOW IMITATION Individual
on same plane as other humans: he or
she is one of us Ex. 18th-19th century
novels; domestic sitcoms |
IRONIC / SATIRIC Individual
inferior to others (“there but for the grace of God go I”). Ex.
Chaucer’s Miller; Rainman; the characters from
Animal House; Deuce Bigelow |
Note: there exist both tragic and comic
variations on these categories. For
example, high imitation is a supreme mode for tragedy (why?). And the ironic is good for comic reversals,
as the character we begin looking down on comes to assert his common humanity
with us. |