Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Critics" by Lawrence Durrell is a satirical exploration of the relationship between artists, particularly writers, and their critics. The poem delves into the misunderstandings and oversimplifications that critics often impose on the creative process, highlighting the disconnect between the artist's lived experience and the critical interpretations of their work.

The poem begins with the assertion that critics "never credit us / With being bad enough," suggesting that critics often fail to grasp the true nature of the artist's life and motivations. Durrell implies that critics tend to idealize or intellectualize the artist's work, overlooking the possibility that the artist might simply not care about the accolades, prizes, or even the day-to-day responsibilities of life. The mention of "a wife, a mistress, or a holiday" as things that come the artist's way hints at the chaotic and often messy reality of the artist's personal life, which might contrast with the polished and profound nature of their work.

Durrell then references Shakespeare, whose "household bills" are dismissed by critics as irrelevant to the emotional depth and complexity of his works. The poet playfully suggests that the mundane aspects of life, like financial troubles, could indeed influence a writer's output, though critics prefer to attribute the significance of Shakespeare's works to "times were out of joint, the loves, the season." This line suggests that critics often look for grand, external reasons to explain an artist's work, rather than considering the more banal or personal factors.

The poem continues to critique the way critics dissect and analyze literature, with "emended readings" and the idea that "from images and scansion can be learned." While these tools of criticism might reveal certain aspects of a work, Durrell implies that they miss something fundamental—"a Thing / Lacking both precedent and name and gender." This "uncreated Weight" represents the ineffable, mysterious force behind creativity, something that cannot be fully captured or explained by critical analysis.

Durrell imagines Shakespeare, or a Shakespeare-like figure, grappling with this creative burden, expressed through the metaphor of running up bills and feeling "violent or distrait or tender." The artist's departure, with the excuse that he "won't be back on Saturday" because he's "on a bender," symbolizes the unpredictability and escapism that often accompanies the creative process. The artist mutters to himself about the difficulty of expressing feelings, lamenting that "Words / Added to words multiply the space / Between this feeling and my expressing / It." This suggests that the act of writing can sometimes distance the artist from the original emotion, as the process of articulation can complicate and obscure the purity of the initial feeling.

The poem closes with a reference to the lover whispering from "the donkey's head," a likely nod to the character of Bottom in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," who is transformed into a donkey. This surreal image emphasizes the absurdity and confusion that can arise when trying to reconcile reality with imagination. The final line, "If truth were needles surely eyes would see?" questions the nature of truth and perception, implying that even if the truth were as sharp and clear as a needle, it might still be difficult for people—critics included—to truly see and understand it.

"Critics" is a witty and introspective poem that challenges the assumptions and methodologies of literary criticism. Durrell underscores the complexity and ambiguity of the creative process, suggesting that critics often overlook the messy, human elements that contribute to the creation of art. The poem ultimately argues for a more nuanced and empathetic approach to understanding literature, one that acknowledges the limitations of analysis and the elusive nature of artistic inspiration.

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