In his book Principles of Literary Criticism, I.A. Richards writes that meanings are of four kinds, all of which are important for the readers to understand the poem. Identify which of the following is not the meaning identified by him.

Correct option is D

Explanation:

In Principles of Literary Criticism, I.A. Richards identifies four types of meanings that are necessary for understanding poetry: Intention, Sense, Tone, and Feeling. These meanings help readers interpret a poem by breaking down how the poet’s language conveys different aspects of meaning. However, Style is not one of the four categories identified by Richards in this work. While style is an important aspect of a poem’s overall expression, it is not explicitly listed as one of the primary elements that Richards focuses on for meaning. Instead, his theory emphasizes the interaction between the poet’s intention, the literal sense of the words, the emotional tone conveyed, and the feelings these create in the reader.


Information Booster:

I.A. Richards is known for his formalism and pragmatism in literary criticism. His approach focuses on how language conveys meaning through specific elements. According to Richards, understanding poetry involves not just decoding the words, but also engaging with the deeper layers of meaning that arise from the poet’s use of language. This includes examining the intention, sense, tone, and feeling evoked by the poem.

Intention:

- The intention refers to the poet’s purpose behind writing the poem—what they hope to communicate or achieve. Richards emphasizes that understanding the poet's intention is crucial for interpreting the deeper meaning of a poem. The intention can refer to conveying emotions, ideas, or moral lessons, and it sets the framework for the poem’s themes.
Example: If a poet intends to express grief, understanding their intention helps the reader identify themes related to sorrow, loss, or melancholy.

Sense:

- Sense refers to the literal or denotative meaning of the words in a poem. It’s the basic, surface-level interpretation of the poem’s content without considering deeper emotional or symbolic implications. Richards stresses the importance of understanding the sense to ground the poem’s overall meaning.
Example: In the phrase "the sun sets," the sense is the physical event of the sun going down, a clear and observable fact.

Tone:

- Tone refers to the emotional attitude or mood conveyed by the poem. It reflects the poet’s emotional stance toward the subject matter. Tone can be joyful, sorrowful, ironic, angry, serious, or lighthearted, among others. Richards argues that tone plays a crucial role in shaping the reader’s understanding of the poem’s emotional depth.
Example: A poem that speaks of love with melancholic or wistful tone brings out the emotional complexities of love beyond its surface meaning.

Feeling:

- Feeling is the emotional response that a reader experiences while reading the poem. This is subjective and varies from reader to reader, depending on personal context, experiences, and emotional state. Richards includes feeling because poetry evokes emotions that go beyond rational understanding and are essential for the full appreciation of a poem.
Example: A reader might feel a sense of nostalgia or longing when reading a poem about childhood memories, even though the poem itself may not directly tell the reader to feel this way.