[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-329952-105":59,"doc-detail-329952-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","the-function-of-criticism","THE FUNCTION OF CRITICISM","","“The Function of Criticism” argues that art exists within an ordered relationship between the old and the new, where new works modify an existing tradition so the whole remains coherent. It treats criticism as more than a self-contained practice: criticism must pursue an end, mainly the elucidation of artworks and the correction of taste. Yet, contrary to expectations of cooperative labor, criticism often becomes contentious and fragmented. The essay proposes that useful books and sentences call for classification and for principles governing aims and methods of criticism.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":15,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/literature/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/the-function-of-criticism/329952/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/the-function-of-criticism/329952.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Seraphina","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-02","2026-09-21",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":29},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"How does Eliot describe the relationship between the new and the old in art?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"The existing works form an order that is modified by the introduction of genuinely new art. For the order to persist after novelty, the whole existing order must be slightly altered so relations and proportions are readjusted.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What does Eliot say criticism must aim to do?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Criticism must always profess an end in view. Its purpose is roughly the elucidation of works of art and the correction of taste.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"Why does Eliot claim criticism often fails to be the cooperative work people expect?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Instead of quiet cooperative labor, criticism becomes like a contest among contending orators with unresolved differences. Eliot suggests critics may be driven by opposition, vanity, or attachment to opinions people already hold.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},329952,1790084624,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":14,"category_name":15,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":29,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":52,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144},962075114101,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/e000253a75eb197efd?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1780044092746381165","# THE FUNCTION OF CRITICISM\n\nT.S.ELIOT  \nI  \nWRITING SEVERAL YEARS ago on the subjcct of the rela-tion of the new to the old in art,I formulated a view to which.I still adhere,in sentences which I take the liberty of quoting,because the present paper is an application of the principle theyexpress:  \nThe existing monuments form an ideal order among them-selves,which is modified by the introduction of the new(thereally new)work of art among them.The existing order is com-plete before the new work arrives;for order to persist after thesupervention of novelty,the whole existing order must be,ifever so slightly,altered;and so the relations,proportions,valuesof each work of art toward the whole are readjusted;and thisis conformity between the old and the new.Whoever has ap-proved this idea of order,of the form of European,of Englishliterature,will not find it preposterous that the past should bealtered by the present as much as the present is directed by thepast.'  \nI was dealing then with the artist,and the sense of traditionwhich,it seemed to me,the artist 'should have;but it was gene-rally a problem of order;and the function of criticism seemsto be essentially a problem of order too.I thought of literaturethen,as I think of it now,of the literature of the world,of theliterature of Europe,of the literature of a single country,notas a collection of the writings of individuals,but as ‘organicwholes',as systems in relation to which,and only in relation towhich,individual works of literary art,and the works of indi-vidual artists,have their significance.There is accordingly some-thing outside of the artist to which he owes allegiance,a devo-tion to which he must surrender and sacrifice himself in orderto earn and to obtain his unique position.A common inheri-tance and a common cause unite artists consciously or uncons-sciously:it must be admitted that the union is mostly uncons-cious.Befween the true artists of any time there is,I believe.  \nLITERARY CRITICISM:A READING  \nan unconscious community.And,as our instincts of tidiness im-peratively command us not to leave to the haphazard of uncon-sciousness what we can attempt to do consciously,we are forcedto conclude that what happens unconsciously we could bringabout,and form into a purpose,if we made a conscious attempt.The second-rate artist,of course,cannot afford to surrender him-self to any common action;for his chief task is the assertionof all the trifling differences which are his distinction:only theman who has so much to give that he can forget himself in hisvork can afford to collaborate,to exchange,to contribute.  \nIf such views are held about art,it follows that a fortiori who-ever holds them must hold similar views about criticism.WhenI say criticism,I mean of course in this place the commentationand exposition of works of art by means of written words;forof the general use of the word.‘criticism³to mean such writings,as Matthew Arnold uses it in his essay,I shall presently makeseveral qualifications.No exponent of criticism (in this limitedsense)has,I presume,ever made the preposterous assumptionthat criticism is an autotelic activity.I do not deny that art maybe affirmed to serve ends beyond itself;but art is not requiredto be aware of these ends,and indeed performs its function,whatever that may be,according to various theories of value,much better by indifference to them.Criticism,on the other hand,must ·always profess an end in view,.which,roughly speaking.appears to be the elucidation of works of art and the correctionof taste.The critic's task,therefore,appears to be quite clearlycut out for him;and it ought to be comparatively easy to decidewhether he performs it satisfactorily,and in general,what kindsof criticism are useful and what are otiose.But on giving thematter a little attention,we perceive that criticism,far from beinga simple and orderly field of beneficent activity,from which im-postors can be readily ejected,is no better than a Sunday parkof contending","cbCaiogPD6f6a0eD","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiogPD6f6a0eD","pdf",1923323,"English","# The Function of Criticism\n## Writing on the relation of the new to the old\n## Criticism as elucidation and correction of taste\n## Contentious practice and classification of useful works","[{\"question\":\"How does Eliot describe the relationship between the new and the old in art?\",\"answer\":\"The existing works form an order that is modified by the introduction of genuinely new art. For the order to persist after novelty, the whole existing order must be slightly altered so relations and proportions are readjusted.\"},{\"question\":\"What does Eliot say criticism must aim to do?\",\"answer\":\"Criticism must always profess an end in view. Its purpose is roughly the elucidation of works of art and the correction of taste.\"},{\"question\":\"Why does Eliot claim criticism often fails to be the cooperative work people expect?\",\"answer\":\"Instead of quiet cooperative labor, criticism becomes like a contest among contending orators with unresolved differences. Eliot suggests critics may be driven by opposition, vanity, or attachment to opinions people already hold.\"}]","THE FUNCTION OF CRITICISM | PDF",1789986277,15]