The Necessity of Subjectivity

As critical theory developed and shifted focus over time (mimetic to rhetorical to expressive to new criticism), the scope of the criticism became subsequently narrower and consequently more objective. Mimetic criticism involved the whole of societal influence and impact. Rhetorical involved the audience. Expressive involved just the artist. And new criticism involves just the work. 



And as you narrow the scope of criticism, you narrow your considerations on not only what influenced the work but how the work is perceived. When dealing with the relationship between a work and the world the criticism must have a general subjective quality. As you narrow the scope that quality becomes less general. But new criticism wishes to remove all subjectivity from criticism and so deals with the work as a product not as an influencer.



But is this always necessary? Can't many things be learned by sharing subjective opinions? New critics called the psychological response of readers the "affective fallacy" and the author's intentions, the "intentional fallacy" (from Bedford Glossary). Why are these observations classified as fallacies?



Obviously no harm can come from just studying the parts of a physical work, but being subjective has many pluses, especially in criticism. As students, we learn a lot through reading the opinions of others. They often help us formulate our own. Isn't that the whole point of this blog? And when you are under-informed on a certain topic it's always beneficial to read the subjective criticism of those more learnt. You don't have to take their opinions as fact but rather use them however is most effective. That is how we learn, by bouncing opinions.



In Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle comments on becoming a critic: "...to be a good critic generally, he must have had an all-round education" (9). And how can one have an "all-round education" while only studying objective criticism? To become a good critic of literature you must be able to take in others opinions and use them to make your own, they are the building blocks of formulating your own ideas. That's why we read subjective criticism. Objectivity is swell, but subjectivity is necessary.