Issue No. 598
Opinion
Previous issue
Site map
|
|
8 - 14 August 2002 Issue No. 598 Opinion |
Current issue Previous issue Site map | |
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Recommend this page | ||
Literature and criticism
Wherever there is vital literary activity there will be a correspondingly lively critical movement. But the latter is a consequence of the former, a mere follower. Sooner than expected, though, it will begin to take the lead and the kudos that accrues historically to any particular author, book or body of work is ultimately a result of the critical, and not literary, endeavour. Even in the short term it is impossible to imagine a vibrant literary movement without the props and support of critical scaffolding. Criticism is organically linked to literature and the benefits it provides the latter cannot be exaggerated. There is no great author who is not, in some way, indebted to the critics.
Sayed Qutb was the first critic to tackle my own writings: his articles attracted much attention to my work. Salama Mousa, too, wrote about me, after which I was honoured by the attention of Taha Hussein and Abbas Mahmoud El- Aqqad, both of whom discussed my work, both of whom were sympathetic.
There is little overlap between criticism, a purely intellectual practice, and the often emotive exercise involved in producing literature. Paradoxically, though those who are good at one tend to be good at the other. I never practiced criticism for very long myself, but I've known authors who have.
There are those writers who are ahead of their times, of course. Criticism cannot understand them. But there is no great writer who remains for very long beyond criticism. There is always someone to understand and assess.
Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy.
|
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
| ARCHIVES Letter from the Editor Editorial Board Subscription Advertise! |
WEEKLY ONLINE: www.ahram.org.eg/weekly Updated every Saturday at 11.00 GMT, 2pm local time weeklyweb@ahram.org.eg |
 Al-Ahram Organisation |
