A critic can call any poem 'doggerel.' That is no more…
““A critic can call any poem 'doggerel.' That is no more than a slur. 'Doggerel' or 'maudlin' or 'sappy' or 'sentimental' is in the ear of the listener. By the by, 'sentimental' is okay as it is defined as 'marked or governed by feeling, sensibility, or emotional idealism.' It is 'sentimentality' that is to be avoided, like the fiddleback spider, being as it is 'the quality or state of being sentimental to excess or in affectation.' Again we are faced with a judgement call and must keep a sharp eye on our outpourings to insure they are not overly gooey. The intellectual elite probably believe that most of the lyrics songwriters create are 'doggerel' of one kind or another--that is to say 'trivial"…the young songwriter has now been warned about the implacable nature of the enemy. Under a rather large umbrella, preferred twentieth-century taste in art of all kinds has been characterized by a kind of detachment, or sangfroid. It is simply not chic to be carried away in one's emotional reaction to a subject. All serious communication or complaint must be carefully wrapped in a protective coating of irony and/or satire.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote warns against over‑sentimentality and urges using irony or satire to protect serious communication from being dismissed as trivial.
In simple terms: Avoid excessive sentiment; use irony to protect serious messages.
Key Takeaway
Balance feeling with critical distance.
Themes
art criticism
sentimentality
irony
satire
detachment
Mood
reflective
critical
analytical
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- songwriting
- literary criticism
- media commentary
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
sentimentality
irony
satire
critical distance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you judge when sentiment becomes excessive?
- When is irony more effective than sincerity?
A Different Perspective
Criticism may be dismissed if too emotional; irony can alienate some audiences.