Art Quote by Clement Greenberg
“Part of the triumph of modernist poetry is, indeed, to have demonstrated the great extent to which verse can do without explicit meaning and yet not sacrifice anything essential to its effect as art. Here, as before, successful art can be depended upon to explain itself.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Modernist Poetry and Its Triumph, 1964
Modernist poetry shows meaning can be implicit yet still convey essential artistic impact.
In simple terms: Poetry can be meaningful without explicit meaning.
Key Takeaway
Embrace ambiguity, trust artistic effect.
Themes
poetry
modernism
meaning
artistic effect
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
critical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- reading poetry
- creative writing
- literary criticism
Key Concepts
aesthetics
implicit communication
literary theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does ambiguity affect your interpretation?
- Can art be effective without explicit meaning?
A Different Perspective
Risk of alienating audiences seeking clear narratives.
![“If you want a commercial success - it's the confusion of commerce with art. A successful play is not considered to be the best written. It is the one that sells the most tickets. Those standards are destructive [to theatre].” quote by Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fbc/edward-albee-1684_art_if-you-want-a-commercial-success-it-s-th_1951933.jpg)
