“Mimetic, pragmatic, expressive and objective theories” are four elements or theories of art that give poetry a purpose; suggested by Meyer H. Abrams. According to the website Scribd: Literary Theories by Adepeju Temitope Adenle, in poetry, Mimetic Theory is the universe, Pragmatic Theory is the audience, Expressive Theory is the artist or author, and Objective Theory is the text. (Adepeju, 2013)
At virtual.clemson.edu you will find a PDF titled The Orientations of Criticism after Meyer H. Abrams. This PDF states that Mimetic Theory, or mimicry, is poetry that is criticized by its relation to nature, its subject matter, accuracy, imitations of history, etc. Pragmatic Theory is poetry that is criticized by its function of art, what this poem teaches, what rules of poetry that are followed, etc. Objective Theory is poetry criticized by its definition, the terms that poetry is defined under, etc. Expressive Theory is poetry that is criticized by the nature of the creative process, reason, imagination, etc. (Abrams, 2013)
The type of artist/author (Expressionist), type of poem (Objective), who the poem is created for (Pragmatic), and how it relates to the world (Mimetic), are the blueprints of a poem. Poets apply aesthetics to obtain certain desired effects in whatever medium they are working with by understanding each of Meyer Abrams theories for criticizing a poem. Media artists who create images in videos, film, or television consider both aesthetics and ethics in their work; however, the same theories can apply to these forms of art. Media artists are also criticized by Mimetic, Pragmatic, Expressive and Objective Theories. What I think is most important in a work of art is form, content, truthfulness, and ethical qualities; however, I feel that content can represent ethical qualities, form, and truthfulness if that is the artists objective. Truthfulness is the critical concept because many people are strongly influenced by media. While there are also many people that believe media has a negative effect on the population, I believe these negatives could be prevented. Fictional art/poetry is stretching the truth, but usually follow many of the same rules that apply in non-fictional art/poetry. (Abrams, 2013)
The media arts are used for many things such as; advertising, news, sports, educational purposes, and much more. The most valuable thing a media artist can do is to help with causes like cancer, childhood diseases, peace, etc. These artist not only have a talent for drawing a viewer’s attention, they also have the power to use it for a good cause. Programs like the Cure Cancer Starter make the numbers for funding a disease like cancer grow much higher then they would without media art. This program gives people the boost that they need to make a difference in cancer treatment. This website includes a list of cancer centers, inspirational media, a glossary of cancer terms, and more. (curecancerstarter.org, 2013)
All together, poets and media artists come in all types; having nearly the same choices and are also being criticized by nearly the same audience. The content in poems and media should always represent ethical qualities, form, and truthfulness; as well as having an understanding that most work is judged by Meyer H. Abrams’s Mimetic, Pragmatic, Expressive and Objective Theories. In poetry, the poet wishes to inspire a general or specific audience, about a general or specific idea, in a way that is familiar to the intended audience. Following Abrams theories can help get the right point across to the right people, the right way.
Works Cited
Abrams, Meyer H. "The Orientations of Criticism." Virtual Clemson Education. Web. 26 Sept. 2013. http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/dial/litcrit/abrams.pdf.
"Cure Cancer Starter." Cure Cancer Starter. Web. 15 Sept. 2013. http://www.curecancerstarter.org/.
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