John Crowe Ransom Criticism
John Crowe Ransom (1888–1974) remains a seminal figure in American literature, known for his dual impact as both a poet and a critic. His work is deeply rooted in the Southern tradition, intricately weaving themes of agrarianism with the impending rise of industrialism. Within his poetry, particularly noted from 1915 to 1928, Ransom explores stark dichotomies such as mortality versus youth and agrarian culture versus industrial progress. Collections like Poems about God, Chills and Fever, and Two Gentlemen in Bonds are celebrated for their contemplation of life's ambiguities. Notable poems like "Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter" and "Janet Waking" poignantly delve into themes of death and transient beauty, as analyzed by Coulthard and Fowler.
The debate on Ransom's enduring legacy often oscillates between his poetic and critical contributions. Critics like Tillinghast acknowledge his profound influence, albeit some consider him a "minor" poet, while others, such as Jascha Kessler, admire his blend of clarity and wit. His poetry is rich in moral dualities, as seen in "The Equilibrists," explored by W. Potter Woodbery. Furthermore, his critique of modern society's fragmentation is highlighted by Richard Gray.
Ransom was also a key figure in the New Criticism movement, emphasizing the close textual analysis of poetry, arguing for the importance of a poem's "structure" and "texture" over its content. This theoretical approach, as discussed by Thomas Merton, was pivotal in shaping academic literary criticism. While his critical work lacked a systematic theory, it focused on the technical facets of classic literature, sparking insights and debates such as those by Kenneth Burke and John L. Stewart.
As a proponent of Agrarianism, Ransom's role in founding The Fugitive magazine and his "Statement of Principles" for I'll Take My Stand reflect his advocacy for Southern regionalism and critique of industrial society. His influence in this sphere extended to contemporaries like Allen Tate and Robert Penn Warren. Despite criticisms regarding the emotional depth in his work, as noted by Babette Deutsch and Yvor Winters, Ransom's legacy endures in both the poetic and critical domains. His ability to integrate philosophical thought with poetic language is remarked upon by Graham Hough, while Marcia McDonald emphasizes how his engaging use of persona in critical writings has left a lasting imprint on literary criticism.
Contents
- Principal Works
- Ransom, John Crowe (Vol. 5)
-
Ransom, John Crowe (Vol. 11)
-
Muriel Ruckeyser
(summary)
In the following essay, Muriel Rukeyser examines John Crowe Ransom's transformation of his poem "Conrad in Twilight" into "Master's in the Garden Again," highlighting how Ransom imbues the new version with themes of renewal, dialogue with metaphysical powers, and a blend of irony and folkish humor, ultimately creating a celebration of life's complexities.
-
A Master Poet Analyzes His Work
(summary)
In the following essay, Jascha Kessler argues that John Crowe Ransom, through the meticulous refinement and selection of his poetic works, has crystallized the essence of his poetry, which stands out for its clarity and wit and is likely to endure amidst the evolving trends of contemporary literature.
-
A Kind of Order, A Kind of Folly
(summary)
In the following essay, Stanley Kunitz admires John Crowe Ransom's dedication to tradition and the perfection of his poetical work, arguing that Ransom's subtle, ironical poetry is a testament to his fine intellect and belief in the possibility of achieving perfection.
-
The Sword Between Them: Love and Death in Ransom's 'The Equilibrists'
(summary)
In the following essay, W. Potter Woodbery examines the complex moral dualities in John Crowe Ransom's "The Equilibrists," suggesting that the poem's lovers embody a delicate balance between chastity and passion, reflecting themes from the courtly love tradition and Manichaean philosophy, ultimately portraying an unfulfilled longing akin to a perpetual yearning for death.
-
Richard Gray
(summary)
In the following essay, Richard Gray examines John Crowe Ransom's celebration of agrarianism and traditional society through his concepts of the "whole man," integrating reason and sensibility, and his critique of modern industrial society's fragmentation, highlighting these themes in Ransom's poetry and essays as a reflection on human completeness and cultural values.
-
Muriel Ruckeyser
(summary)
- Ransom, John Crowe (Vol. 2)
- Ransom, John Crowe (Vol. 4)
-
Ransom, John Crowe (Vol. 24)
-
John Crowe Ransom—Standards for Critics
(summary)
In the following essay, Thomas Merton critiques John Crowe Ransom's The World's Body for its lack of a systematic theory of criticism, emphasizing Ransom's focus on the technical aspects of poetry over romantic and moralistic elements, while also discussing his controversial views on Shakespeare's sonnets and the merits of aesthetic distance.
-
On the Poetic Process
(summary)
In the following essay, Babette Deutsch critiques John Crowe Ransom's approach to poetry in "The New Criticism," arguing that while Ransom emphasizes the cognitive and structural aspects of poetry, he undervalues the significant role of emotion and psychological elements in both the creation and appreciation of poetic works.
-
Key Words for Critics
(summary)
In the following essay, Kenneth Burke examines John Crowe Ransom's concepts of "structure" and "texture" in poetry, arguing that Ransom's dialectical approach highlights the heterogeneity of poetic elements and challenges traditional views by promoting a "doctrine of logical irrelevance," which contrasts with the homogeneity often associated with prose.
-
John Crowe Ransom, or Thunder Without God
(summary)
In the following essay, Yvor Winters critiques John Crowe Ransom's theory of meter, arguing that Ransom's view of meter as an independent, pleasure-giving entity fails to acknowledge its expressive relationship with meaning, thus overlooking how metrical forms contribute significantly to the emotional and thematic depth of poetry.
- William J. Handy
-
John Crowe Ransom: The Poet and the Critic
(summary)
In the following essay, Graham Hough explores John Crowe Ransom's dual role as poet and critic, highlighting his playful yet sometimes misleading use of language, his tendency to juxtapose philosophical ideas with poetry, and his ambivalent association with the New Criticism, ultimately portraying him as a thinker whose critical insights align more closely with practical common sense than theoretical dogma.
-
Ransom's Theories of Poetry and Criticism
(summary)
In the following essay, John L. Stewart critiques John Crowe Ransom's theories of poetry and criticism as being stimulating yet limited and often inconsistent, highlighting Ransom's tendency to generalize and oversimplify, while acknowledging his significant influence and the perceptive qualities found in his criticism and poetry.
-
The Function of the Persona in Ransom's Critical Prose
(summary)
In the following essay, Marcia McDonald argues that John Crowe Ransom's use of a persona in his critical writings effectively blends rhetorical strategy and poetic sensibility, allowing readers to engage with literary theories in a manner that balances intellectual rigor with imaginative and accessible expression.
-
John Crowe Ransom—Standards for Critics
(summary)
-
Ransom, John Crowe
-
The Motives of Meter in ‘Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter’
(summary)
In the following essay, Vesterman analyzes the meter of “Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter.”
-
The Fugitives: Ransom, Davidson, Tate
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Young provides an overview of Ransom's early verse, contending that few poets of Ransom's generation have been able to represent with greater accuracy and precision the inexhaustible ambiguities, the paradoxes and tensions, the dichotomies and ironies that make up modern life.
-
Innocent Doves: Ransom's Feminine Myth of the South
(summary)
In the following essay, Cowan elucidates Ransom's Southern attitude toward women as evinced in his poetry.
-
Ransom's ‘Vision by Sweetwater’
(summary)
In the following essay, Coulthard links “Vision of Sweetwater” to the Susanna story in the biblical Apocrypha.
-
John Crowe Ransom: As I Remember Him
(summary)
In the following essay, Brooks recollects his personal friendship with Ransom and examines several of his poems that provide insight into his life.
-
Poems about ‘God.’
(summary)
In the following essay, Quinlan contends that the religious themes of the poems comprising Poems about God reflect Ransom's early religious development.
-
John Crowe Ransom: Traditionalist, Formalist, and Critic
(summary)
In the following essay, Russell offers a thematic and stylistic overview of Ransom's verse.
-
Apparition Head versus Body Bush: The Prosodical Theory and Practice of John Crowe Ransom
(summary)
In the following essay, Masselink offers a prosodical study of Ransom's poetry and delineates the disparity between the subject of meter in his critical writings and his use of it in his own verse.
-
Sly Visitor
(summary)
In the following review of the reissue of Ransom's Selected Poems, Leithauser determines the reasons for the poet's waning popularity and urges a reappraisal and greater attention to his verse.
-
Ransom's ‘Good Ships.’
(summary)
In the following essay, Jones provides an interpretation of a specific line of the poem “Good Ships.” Taking the old cliché, “like two ships that pass in the night” Ransom constructs a powerful metaphor for two people unable to grasp the possibilities in a chance encounter in “Good Ships.” The implications of the poem are numerous. Not only does the couple fail to connect, they slip by one another by choice—“A macaroon absorbed all her emotion.”
-
The Invisible I: John Crowe Ransom's Shadowy Speaker
(summary)
In the following essay, Romine examines the speaker in Ransom's verse and argues that “the ironic stance usually ascribed to this figure fails to explain fully its role.”
-
Ransom's ‘Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter’
(summary)
In the following essay, Fowler locates the “emotional life” of “Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter” in the comical and enchanting encounter between the geese and the little girl.
-
Poetry: John Crowe Ransom
(summary)
In the following essay, Hecht discusses Ransom as a modernist and an ironist and explicates his poems “Captain Carpenter” and “Philomela.”
-
Ransom's ‘Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter’
(summary)
In the following essay, Coulthard argues that the protagonist of “Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter” is not the young girl, but the girl's neighbor and narrator of the poem.
-
John Crowe Ransom: Tennessee's Major Minor Poet
(summary)
In the following essay, Tillinghast discusses Ransom as a significant minor American poet.
-
The Motives of Meter in ‘Bells for John Whiteside's Daughter’
(summary)
- Further Reading