Bard Quote by Marvin Mudrick
“All right, so there he is, our representative to the world, Mr. Western Civilization, in codpiece and pantyhose up there on the boards, firing away at the rapt groundlings with his blank verses, not less of a word-slinger and spellbinder than the Bard himself and therefore not to be considered too curiously on such matters as relevance, coherence, consistency, propriety, sanity, common decency.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Role of the Critic", 1975
The critic is mocked as a pretentious, irrelevant figure lacking relevance.
In simple terms: Critic seen as irrelevant and pretentious.
Key Takeaway
Critics should aim for relevance.
Themes
criticism
relevance
literary analysis
authority
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
literary
critical
When to use this quote
- book reviews
- academic panels
- public debates
Key Concepts
elitism
authenticity
Questions to Reflect On
- What makes criticism valuable?
- How can critics stay relevant?
A Different Perspective
May dismiss valuable critique.
