What is the function of a critic? So far as I am concerned, he can do me one or more of the following services:
1. Introduce me to authors or works of which I was hitherto unaware.
2. Convince me that I have undervalued an author or a work because I had not read them carefully enough.
3. Show me relations between works of different ages and cultures which I could never have seen for myself because I do not know enough and never shall.
4. Give a “reading” of a work which increases my understanding of it.
5. Throw light upon the process of artistic “making.”
6. Throw light upon the relation of art to life, to science, economics, ethics, religion, etc.
W.H. Auden, The Dyer’s Hand (1963), 8-9.
This is a great summing up of the critical function. Perfect timing for me finding the above quote is Noah Berlatsky’s post about critics and the Penny Arcade PvP guy’s rant against it.
(Edit: Andrei commented below. Maybe it’s PvP not Penny Arcade. I don’t read either. I don’t know.)
(Edit 2: Okay, I was taunted for being dismissive! I went back and checked: it was the PvP guy.)
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Penny Arcade or PvP?
Oh, Hmm. One of those video game comics.
SEE!?!
Critics are UNFAIRLY DISMISSIVE too!
FOUL! FOUL!
Haha. What can I say? I don’t care! I am dismissive!
Ah, Auden.
Did you know that the bar where he hung out in NYC is still in existence? Still a dive. It’s called the Holiday Lounge on St.Marks Place on the northside of the street, a few doors down from First Avenue. The old Polish guy who gruffly takes your glass away when done supposedly knew him…
Actually that quote is the sum of my knowledge about Auden (at least what I can think of right now). I found it quoted in a book I was reading.