Coherence Quote by Allen Tate
“Dramatic experience is not logical; it may be subdued to the kind of coherence that we indicate when we speak, in criticism, of form.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Role of Form in Criticism (published 1935)
Criticism seeks coherence, but the experience itself can be illogical, requiring a different kind of order than ordinary speech.
In simple terms: Art can be chaotic yet still make sense in its own way.
Accept ambiguity in analysis.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- literary review
- artistic creation
- academic debate
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does coherence mean in art?
- Can chaos be a form of order?
Seeking logical structure may limit appreciation of raw experience.