The Critic as an Artist by Oscar Wilde's Summary In Urdu and Hindi

 THE CRITIC AS ARTIST

Oscar Wilde 1854-1900

Oscar Wilde Introduction

Introduction of “Critic as artist”

Background

Structure

Central Ideas

Sub-types/ components

Key Quotation

Conclusion

Critic as an artist notes PDF

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Lecture by Ambreen Akhtar www.bseln.com for free notes PDF

Lecture by Ambreen Akhtar www.bseln.com for free notes PDF

Oscar Wilde: Oscar Wild was a brilliant Irish playwright, poet, and novelist known for

his wit, flamboyant (showy, colorful and dramatic) personality, and sharp social

commentary.

Famous Work: The Importance of Being Earnest and his novel The Picture of Dorian

Gray. Wilde was a key figure in the Aesthetic Movement (deeply moved by beauty,

complete separates from moral, social, or practical), which promoted "art for art's

sake.“ (art should exist purely to be beautiful and expressive not to teach a moral

lesson)

Despite his literary success, he faced a tragic downfall due to his homosexuality

(romantic or sexual feeling toward people of same gender), which was illegal in

Victorian England. He was imprisoned for two years and died in exile in Paris.

Born: 16th October 1854, in Dublin, Ireland

Died: 30 November 1900, in Paris France

“Critic as an artist”: The Critic as Artist is a philosophical dialogue that argues

criticism is just as creative and important as art itself.

Wilde argues that the critic is not below the artist, but equal—because criticism itself

is a true form of art.

First published in The Nineteenth Century (1890), revised in Intentions (May 1, 1891)

Background: Oscar Wilde wrote this essay to challenge the traditional idea that

criticism is secondary to creative art. Instead, he argued that criticism is just as

important, if not more so, than creation itself.

To Redefine the Role of the Critic

To Elevate Art Above Morality

To Defend Subjectivity

To Show the Intellect Behind Art

Because He Saw Himself as Both

Structure:

The essay is written as a conversation between two fictional characters Gilbert (the

critic) and Ernest (the sceptic). Gilbert represents Wilde’s views.

Central Ideas:

1. Criticism = art: Gilbert explains that criticism is creative,

not just reactive. Wilde believes that criticism is not just about

judging art—it’s a form of creation.

Lecture by Ambreen Akhtar www.bseln.com for free notes PDF

A critic uses imagination and emotion to interpret a work, just like an artist uses paint

or words.

2. Creative + critical faculties: They work together, criticism enhances creation .

He argues that great artists are also great critics. Thinking deeply (critically) helps

improve both the creation and appreciation of art. Without criticism, art becomes

shallow.

3. Contemplation vs. action: Wilde values reflection (“doing nothing and discussing

everything”).

Wilde values thought, reflection, and inner life over physical action. He says that

doing nothing (just thinking) leads to deeper creativity and beauty.

Sub-types/ Components:

1. Subjective Criticism

This is based on personal feelings, imagination, and emotional response. Wilde

prefers this kind—he says a critic should express their soul and unique view.

2. Interpretive Criticism

This type explains and reveals deeper meaning in a work of art.

Lecture by Ambreen Akhtar www.bseln.com for free notes PDF

The critic becomes a guide, helping others see beauty or truth that may be hidden.

3. Creative Criticism

Here, the critic goes beyond the original work and creates something new—like

turning a painting into a poem, or writing an essay that feels like art itself.

4. The soul of criticism is imagination

A good critic adds something of themselves to the artwork—they don’t just repeat

facts.

Key Quotations:

“Criticism is no more to be judged by any low standard of imitation ... than the work of

poet or sculptor.”

“To the critic the work of art is simply a suggestion for a new work of his own.”

“all the imaginative work is self-conscious and deliberate.”

“here is no art. Where there is no style, and no style where there is no unity, and unity

is of the individual.”

Lecture by Ambreen Akhtar www.bseln.com for free notes PDF

Lecture by Ambreen Akhtar www.bseln.com for free notes PDF

“here is no art. Where there is no style, and no style where there is no unity, and unity

is of the individual.”

“criticism is, in fact both creative and independent.”

“I would call criticism a creation within a creation.”

“soul speaking to soul.”

Conclusion:

Oscar Wilde concludes that criticism is not secondary to art but equal to it, because it

involves imagination, insight, and deep feeling.

A true critic is not a judge, but a creator, someone who reflects on beauty and

expresses it in a new, artistic way.

He defends the value of subjective, emotional, and thoughtful criticism, and he sees

contemplation as more powerful than action.

In the end, Wilde elevates the critic to the level of the artist, showing that to feel, to

reflect, and to interpret is itself an art.