NEW CRITICISM 1 - WILLIAM EMPSON - SEVEN TYPES OF AMBIGUITY - Some Versions of Pastoral - The Structure of Complex Words - Milton’s God - Using Biography

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine

A set of handwritten notes introducing William Empson (1906–1984) and summarizing his major works that shaped literary criticism. It outlines how Empson develops close reading through ambiguity, defining seven kinds ranging from simple double meanings to sustained contradictory interpretation. The notes then trace his argument that pastoral irony embeds class and political conflict beneath simple surfaces, his study of complex words as repositories of history and ideology, and his controversial readings of Milton’s God and Paradise Lost. Finally, it covers Using Biography and Empson’s rejection of excluding author context from interpretation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

William Empson (1906–1984)

Seven Types of Ambiguity (1930)

Some Versions of Pastoral (1935)

The Structure of Complex Words (1951)

Milton’s God (1961)

Using Biography (1984)

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SEVEN TYPES OF AMBIGUITY (1930):This is William Empson’s most celebrated and influential work, which immediately marked him out as a critic of exceptional originality. In this book, Empson systematically classifies the ways in which poetry generates “ambiguity,” a term he uses to describe the plurality of meanings that words and structures can create. He identifies seven distinct kinds of ambiguity, ranging from the simple case where a word has two meanings simultaneously, to the most complex case where an entire work sustains contradictory interpretations without resolution. For example, in Shakespeare or John Donne, words are often loaded with multiple senses, which enrich the poetic texture rather than confuse it. Empson insists that ambiguity is not a defect but the very essence of poetic creativity, since it opens up interpretive possibilities. This book laid the foundation for modern close reading and influenced New Criticism, | | though Empson was less rigid than the New Critics, valuing richness and complexity over unity and closure. It remains a cornerstone in literary studies, showing how poetry thrives on openness, multiplicity, and layered meaning.
Some Versions of Pastoral (1935):
In his second major work, Empson turns from linguistic ambiguity to the literary tradition of pastoral. He rejects the conventional idea that pastoral poetry is merely simple, rustic verse celebrating shepherd life. Instead, he demonstrates that the pastoral form is profoundly ironic, often disguising complex issues of class struggle, political power, and human suffering beneath an apparently simple surface. Empson argues that the essence of pastorallies in a structure of “putting the complex into the simple,” where serious or tragic subjects are refracted through the voice of humble shepherds or peasants. For instance, when John Milton or Alexander Pope uses the pastoral form, they are in fact reflecting on broader philosophical or political issues. Empson also explores how irony and contradictions function within pastoral works, creating a tension between surface simplicity and underlying seriousness. By doing this, he expanded the critical understanding of genre, revealing how literature encodes social realities and moral dilemmas. The book demonstrates Empson’s concern with literature’s ethical and political dimensions, as well as his continuing interest in irony and contradiction as central features of literary meaning. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | The Structure of Complex Words (1951):In this ambitious and difficult book, Empson combines linguistics, philosophy, and literary criticism to examine how individual words carry complex networks of meaning. He argues that words are not neutral units of language but repositories of history, cultural associations, and emotional resonance. Empson analyzes what he calls“complex words”—terms that generate tensions and contradictions because they carry multiple, often conflicting meanings within them. For example, words like“liberty” or “nature” are heavily loaded with ideological implications and cannot be reduced to a single definition. By tracing the shifting meanings of such words in literature, Empson demonstrates how writers exploit linguistic richness to deepen their works. The book also reflects his engagement with semantics, drawing on developments in philosophy of language, but always bringing them back to the close reading of poetry. Unlike the New Critics who insisted on organic unity, Empson argued that contradiction and instability of meaning are essential to literature. This book cemented his reputation as a critic who linked linguistic precision with interpreti

FAQs

What does Empson mean by ambiguity in Seven Types of Ambiguity?

Ambiguity refers to the plurality of meanings that words and structures can create. Empson classifies seven kinds, from double meanings to entire works sustaining contradictory interpretations.

How does Empson reinterpret pastoral poetry in Some Versions of Pastoral?

He argues pastoral is profoundly ironic and often disguises complex class struggle, political power, and human suffering under an apparently simple surface.

Why is Using Biography controversial relative to New Criticism?

Using Biography opposes formalist restrictions such as excluding author biography, arguing that a writer’s life and context are essential tools for understanding literature.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine