Longinus--On the Sublime

Longinus, like Horace, takes a pragmatic position. His central question is, what is good writing, and how may it be
achieved? His first answer is that good writing partakes of what he calls the "sublime." OK, so far that isn't terribly helpful.
Good writing takes part of the good. TAUTOLOGY ALERT! TAKE COVER UNDER THE NEAREST COPY OF THE O. E. D.!

What is the sublime? "Sublimity is a certain distinction and excellence in expression." Well . . . that's a little better, but not
much. The "elevated language" of the sublime aims to cast a spell over the audience, not merely persuading but transporting
the audience in an enthralling and delightful manner to the conclusion desired by the writer. So what we have seems to boil
down to this: good writing partakes of the sublime, and the sublime is comprised of elevated language which takes the
audience out of itself and into someplace the writer has in mind. This is still somewhat nebulous, but it gets clearer along the
way.

Longinus identifies three pitfalls to avoid on the quest for sublimity:

1) Tumidity;
2) Puerility; and
3) Parenthyrsus.

Tumidity tries to "transcend the limits of the sublime" through false elevation and overblown language. Puerility (from the
Latin puer--boy) is the fault Longinus associates with pedants: it is comprised of "learned trifling," a hair-splitting (often seen in
the pages of College English, and anything coming out of an MLA convention) which becomes "tawdry and affected."
Parenthyrsus is the expression of false, empty, or out-of-place passion, a kind of mawkish, tear-jerker sentimentality of the
lowest-common-denominator sort. Longinus identifies as the source of these "ugly and parasitical growths in literature" the
"pursuit of novelty in the expression of ideas."
Longinus goes on to identify five elements of the sublime:

1) "the power of forming great conceptions";

He recognizes great art by the presence of great ideas; great ideas, in turn, are conceived of by great men:

"it is not possible that men with mean and servile ideas and aims prevailing throughout their lives should produce anything that
is admirable and worthy of immortality. Great accents we expect to fall from the lips of those whose thoughts are deep and
grave."

These great men capable of great ideas will also be capable of deep and sincere feeling which transcends the mawkish
emotions of parenthyrsus. The "vehement and inspired passion" required for the sublime will, like great ideas, spring only from
those without "mean and servile ideas." The "due formation of figures" concerns those ways in which elevated thought and
feeling may be best expressed: "a figure is at its best when the very fact that it is a figure escapes attention." Noble language
is that which transports the audience without distracting the audience: it is language which is transparent to the transcendent-
-to borrow one of Joseph Campbell's favorite phrases. "Dignified and elevated composition" is that which forms important
elements into an organic unity.

There are, according to Longinus, six types of "figures":

1) amplification
2) inversions of word order
3) polyptota--accumulations, variations, and climaxes
4) particulars combined from the plural to the singular
5) interchange of persons--addressing the audience as "you"
6) periphrasis (circumlocution)--wordiness, circling around the issue rather than going straight to it; Longinus considers this
especially dangerous.

Longinus seems to fit squarely into the critical school described by T.S. Eliot's "Tradition and the Individual Talent." He
recommends, as a way to the sublime, "the imitation and emulation of previous great poets and writers" (a move which puts
him more clearly into alignment with the Aristotelian view of poetry as an object-in-itself than to the Platonic view of poetry--
and any other "mimetic" art--as 3x removed from reality). He treats poetry as an agonistic process--anticipating Bloom's anxiety
of influence--speaking of Plato struggling "with Homer for the primacy." The poet, in evaluating his work, should ask "How
would Homer and the other greats have expressed this or that matter? What would they think of my work? How will
succeeding ages view my work?

Literary Criticism Longinus’s concept of sublime and its sources.

Q Write a note on the contribution of Longinus. Or Discuss Longinus’s concept of sublime and its sources.

Introduction:-

Eulogizing Longinus (1th or 3th Century Anno Domini) George Sainsbury states aptly “So then there abide (stand) these three,
Aristotle, Longinus and Coleridge.”

R.A. Scott- James addresses him as ‘The first Romantic critic’.

He is also considered as ‘The pioneer in the field of aesthetic appreciation of literature.

Longinus is a Graceo-Roman critic. The literary critics have disputes among themselves about his name, time and birth place.
According to them, he is either Cassius Longinus or Dionysius Longinus.

v “On the Sublime – A treatise by Longinus”-

Longinus’s ‘On the Sublime’ is a critical document of great world and significance. It is the most precious legacy to the
literary criticism. This treatise is full of such passages as have rightly been called Gibbon as “The find monument of antiquity.”.
In it we find a happy combination of classicism and romanticism. Praising this work, Atkins says,

“There are things in its place than can never grow old, while its freshness and light will continue to charm all age.”

It has a tremendous impact on literary critics all these years. The treatise offers a new approach to art, a new
interpretation to literature. It is addressed to some Posthumius Terentianus, a friend or a pupil of Longinus.

v What is Sublime?

Before Longinus the critics believed that the function of poetry was to instruct or to delight or both and if it is prose, its
function was to persuade also. But Longinus was not satisfied wit this formula. He said that the epics of Homer, the lyrics of
Sappho and Pindar, and the tragedies of Aeschylus and Sophoclea were great not only account of these elements only ,but also
one account of their sublimity. The aim of a great work of art to transport the reader out of himself. It is has a capacity to move
the reader to divine joy. This is the quality of sublime. So a great work of art does not only please or instruct, but it also moves,
transports, elevates. It pleases all and it peas all the time. He believed

“Nothing is poetry unless it transports.”

According to him the work of art become excellent, only when it has power to sublimate, By sublimity Longinus means
 ‘elevation’ or ‘loftiness or ‘a certain distinction and excellence in composition.

v Charactersitics of Sublime:-

1. It pleases.

2. It pleases immediately.

3. It pleases all.

4. It please all the time the places.

5. It pleases forever.

Thus it appeals at a universal rage.

v Faults of Sublime:-

There are some defects of style, which spoils the loftiness of language. These are bombast, puerility and frigidity. All
these fault arises from the craze for novelty of thought.

v True and False Sublime:-

To explain the nature of sublime and to avoid the obstacles and hindrances that come on the way to achieve the true
sublime, Longinus makes a distinction false and the true sublime.

The true sublime uplifts our soul. “It arise from lofty ideas clothed in lofty language.” It gives us joy and exalts our spirit.
The more we read, the more we enjoy it. Every times it suggest new ideas and feelings. It never grows scale.

There are four obstacles in achieving the true sublime.

1. Turgidity, 2. Puerility 3. Frigidity. 3. False emotion.

Turgidity is the use of bombastic language. It is as great an evil as swelling in the body. According to Longinus ‘It is dries
than dropsy.” While turgidity is an endeavor to go above the sublime. Puerility is the sheer opposite it. It is a thoroughly low ,
means and ignoble vice. It is a pedantic thought, so ever works that it ends in frigidity. Another kinds of fault corresponds to
these in the felid of emotion. It consists of untimely or meaningless emotion where none in place.

vSources of Sublimity:-

There are five most productive source of sublimity.

1. Grander of thought.

2. Capacity for strong emotions

3. Certain kinds of figures of speech.

4. Nobility of diction.

5. Dignity of composition.

The first tow source belongs to the domain of nature and remaining three to that of art.

v Grander of thought
 Grander of thought is the first essential element because noble and lofty thought find their natural expression in lofty
language. According to Longinus, the desire for the noble or sublime thought is unborn or natural. For him, “Sublimity is the
echo of greatness of soul.”

According to him,

“It is impossible for those whose while live are full of mean and servile ideas and habit to produce an thing that is
admirable and worthy and an immortal life. “

It is only natural that great speeches should fall form the lips of those whose thought has always been deep and full of
majesty. Stately thought belongs to the loftiest mind. Mostly they are innate but they can also be acquired by proper disciple.
They can be acquired by thinking constantly on whatever is noble and sublime. They can not be gained by imitating the
example of the great master. Fox example, an artist should contemplate on how Plato might have expressed the same thought
that he himself wants to express. Therefore ‘grandeur of thought’ is very importance source of sublimity.

v Capacity for strong emotions

The second source of sublimity is the capacity for strong emotions. Longinus believes that only an artist who is
intoxicated by passion and imagination can transfer the same passion in his reader. This way he can arouse in them an
emotional transport. He asserts that nothing contributes more loftiness or tone in written than genuine emotion. However the
topic has not been deal wit in detail. The author declares his intention of dealing with in the second treatise which
unfortunately has not comes down to use. Here he agrees wit Plato who says that a poet compasses poetry when he is inspired
and possessed. But at the he challenged play to who says that emotions are not ma’s proper guides. Aristotle justified emotions
off their cathartic affect. Longinus values them for their capacity for aesthetic transport has a moral effect. In a short, the
artist’s function is to arouse ‘emotional transport’.

v Appropriate Use of Figures of Speech:-

The third source of attaining excellence of style is the use of figures of speech. He knew that technical sources of
sublimity are not mere ornaments. They appeal to our passions and provide us a pleasant surprise. Therefore he believes that
figures of speech adds grandeur to the work. They should, however be used with definite purpose and not artificially impose.
Proper use of figure of speech appeal to our passion. In this connection he says, “A figure is more effective when the fat that it
is a figure is happily concealed and it is concealed by spendeor of style.

v Nobility of Diction:-

Being a great rhetorician Longinus gives great importance to diction, which includes proper choice of word as ornament
of language. Suitable words have a moving effect on readers. They add to the grandeur, beauty, force, dignity and charm to
expression. They breathe voice into dead things. Diction should differ as occasion differs. All characters should not speaks the
same language. Proper use of metaphor and hyperbole produces sublimity more effectively than other figure. With the help of
proper diction the reader experiences an idea emotionally. It has a moving affect upon the reader.

v Dignity of composition:-

Finally, Longinus comes to the fifth and final source of sublimity. This is the combination of all the four source. It
emphasized on the dignity composition that is the proper arrangement of word. It combines thought, emotion, figures and
words into an organic whole. According to him, “Sublimity means a certain destination and excellence in composition. And
them he warns that great thought which lack composition and themselves wasted and wasted the total sublime effect. On in
this view excellence in composition can please, instruct, persuade and also set the read’s heart on to an emotion transport.

v Measurement of sublime:-
 Longinus then gives three following criteria to measure sublimity of a work.

1. It is good to imagine how home would have aid the same things or how Plato or Demosthenes would have invested it with
sublimity.

2. It Homer and Demosthenes would have been alive, how would they react against it? Their feeling about the work is a
measurement.

3. The last condition to be any work sublime is : How will posterity take it. ?

v Conclusion

Thus Longinus is the golden balance between Plato and Aristotle, Homer and Shelley, classicism and Romanticism down
to Eliot’s modernism. As a critic he display a rare breath and universality of outlook. Moreover his mind is free from any
prejudice. His judgments are essentially apt. They have been supported by posterity. Atkins says,

“There are in short, many respect in which Longinus stands high as a judicial critic.”.

I. Introduction.

On the Sublime is an important treatise of literary criticism by Longinus, originally, it was written in Greek, and it wasn’t
discovered until 16th century. But Longinus is not an easy subject for evaluation. He was long thought to be Cassius Longinus, a
Roman-Greek minister to Zenobia, queen of Palmyra, but this person certainly did not write the Peri hypsous’( On the sublime) ,
Also troublesome yet is the work’s English title, which was originally, in the first English translation(John Hall,1852), Of the
Height of Eloquence’ and sometimes On Elevation in Poetry. The trouble is that “sublime” is not a cognate for “hypsous”, which
means “on high’’ in the sense of height, as in “top”. Thus the work’s current title obscures that Longinus focus on the elevation
of language as “a kind of supreme excellent of discourse.” In doing so, the title leaves the theoretical work more vulnerable to
the Kantian gloss on the meaning of the sublime.

In his essay, Longinus gives a detailed elucidation on five principal sources from which sublimity is derived. He says, “Sublime is
the image of greatness of mind” (On the sublime, chapter 7). The dignity, grandeur, and energy of a style largely depend on a
proper employment of images. Figures of speech play an important part in producing Sublimity. The essay puts emphasis on
ingenuity, excitement, imagination and shocking artistic effects. Longinus’s ideas on Sublime are of great influence to Romantic
literature and Criticism. He was once regarded by Drydon as the greatest critic after Aristotle. Factually, the treatise is an insult
towards the political persecution, moral decadence, and literary corruption.

II. What Sublime is.

To understand the writer’s ideas, one should make sure what sublime is. Sublime, according to the essay, “consists in a certain
loftiness and excellence of language”, it “is the image of greatness of mind” (On the Sublime, chapter 1), wherever it occurs,
only by sublime can the greatest poets and prose-writers gain eminence and win themselves long-lasting fame. It “sways every
reader whether he is willingly or not” (On the Sublime, chapter 1). A sublime thought, “if happily timed, illuminate the entire
subject vividly like a lightening-flash, and exhibit the whole power of the orator in a moment of time” (On the Sublime, chapter
1). In chapter 35, he describes the objects of sublimity like this:

“ Among many others especially this, that it was not in nature’s plan for us her chosen children to be creatures base and
ignoble, no, she brought us into life, and into the whole universe, as into some great field of contest, that we should be at once
spectators and ambitious rivals of her mighty deeds, and from the first implanted souls an invincible yearning for all that is
great, all that is diviner than ourselves…. When we survey the whole circle of life, and see it abounding everywhere in what is
elegant, grand, and beautiful, we learn at once what is the true end of man’s being. And this is why nature prompts us to
admire, not the clearness and usefulness of a little stream, but the Nile, the Danube, the Rhine, and far beyond all ocean; not to
turn our wandering eyes from the heavenly fires, though often darkened, to the little frame kindled by human hands, however
pure and steady its light; not to think that tiny lamp more wondrous than the caverns of Aetna, from those raging depths are
hurled up stones and whole masses of rock, and torrents sometimes come pouring from earth’s center of living fire”.(On the
sublime, chapter 35)

Sublimity is not innate; it can be acquired by instruction. The great passion can be controlled by reasoning. Otherwise they will
be in the same danger as a ship let drive without ballast. In all cases, sublimity should not be merely specious, and emptiness
should be avoided. “If any work on being frequently submitted to the judgment of an acute critic, and fails to dispose his mind
to lofty ideas; if the thoughts which suggests can not be expressed clearly; and I the work can not extend beyond what is
actually expressed, and if the longer you read it the less you think of it, the work can not be true sublime. But when a passage is
pregnant in suggestion, when it is hard, even impossible to distract the attention of the reader and, we may be sure that we
have lighted on true Sublime. (On the Sublime, chapter 7) In general, true sublimity always pleases and pleases all readers
regardless of their difference in the pursuits, of their manner of life, of their aspirations, their ages, and of their languages. Our
souls would be lifted up by the true sublimity.

III. The principal source of all sublimity

In the essay, Longinus enumerates five principle sources of sublime language, namely---

(1)Grandeur of thoughts;

Of the five sources, grandeur of thoughts is the most important of all. A loft cast of mind is a “natural faculty rather than
acquired” (On the Sublime, chapter 9). Sublimity is “the image of the greatest soul” (On the Sublime, chapter 9). Even though a
thought is a simple and uttered one, it sometimes can be admirable by the force of its simplicity. True eloquence can be found
in those whose spirit is generous and aspiring. A writer whose thoughts are full of majesty, his words should be full of
sublimity.

(2)A vigorous and spirited treatment of the passions;

These two conditions of sublimity depend mainly on natural endowments. Whereas those which follow derive assistance from
art. One cause of sublimity is the choice of the most striking circumstances involved in whatever we are describing, the other is
the power of afterwards combining them into one animate whole.

(3)A certain artifice in the employment of figures, which are of two kinds, figures of thought and figures of speech;

Figures play an important part in producing sublimity if they are properly employed. But on the other hand, “the use of figures
has a peculiar tendency to rouse a suspicion of dishonesty, to create an impression of treachery, scheming and false reasoning”
(On the Sublime, chapter 17). “The figures of question and interrogation also possess a specific quality which tends to stir an
audience and give energy to the speaker’s words” (On the Sublime, chapter 18). But nothing is conducive to energy as a
combination of different figures.

(1) （4). Dignified

(2) （a）The proper

(3) （b）The use of

On this respect, the author mentioned that juxtaposition of different case, the enumeration of particulars, and the use of
contrast and climax, add much vigor, give beauty and great elevation to a style. The diction also gains greatly in diversity and
movement by change of case, time, person, number and gender.
(5) Majesty and elevation of structure;

If we separate the elements of a fine passage, their qualities are simultaneously dissipated and evaporated, but when we join
them together as an organic whole, and still further company them by the bond of harmony, we can gain the power of tone.

IV. Faults which should be avoided in writing

In the essay, Longinus points out a few faults which we should avoid in writing.

Firstly---bombast. In this case, the writers are ambitious of a lofty style, but are afraid of feebleness and poverty of
language. They naturally slide into the opposite extreme—bombast.

Secondly---puerility. Unlike bombast, which transcendent the sublime, Puerility is diametrically opposed to grandeur, it is
caused by pedantic habit of mind. This kind of fault is made by the writer who is aiming at brilliancy, polish, and attractiveness.

The third kind of vice in writing is false sentiment---an ill-time and empty display of emotion. Under this condition, the
writer often endeavors to display his feelings, but unfortunately, the feelings he expressed is too personal to call for any
emotion, worst of all, has nothing to do with the subject.

The last of the faults which Longinus mentions is frigidity. Sometimes, the writer is well-learned and full of ingenuity, and he
is quiet a savvy writer, he is eager to strike out new thoughts but falls into frigidity—one of the most childish absurdities. Such
errors should not be permitted to deface the pages of an immortal work, even though the writer has dramatic motives.

V． Conclusion．

In all, On the Sublime was a letter written to a friend, it is also a profound, insightful literary treatise, looked into the essay, the
writer was also an erudite man. In order to explore the essence of Sublime, the writer studied many phenomena in reality, in
psychology, and in art. And he also studied philosophy history, including epics of Homer, Demosthenes’ eloquence, Herodotus’s
history, Plato’ philosophy, Archilochus’s tragedies, etc. The real value of the treatise is that the writer put forward the definition
of Sublime on aesthetic level by the first time, which is the greatest contribution Longinus made to western literary criticism.
The treatise is canonized by the European classiest. In 1674, Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux translated Longius’sOn the Sublime, to
which, he added in 1693 certain critical reflections, conforming the real value of the literary woks that most of the readers
enjoyed. He claimed that only the appreciation of the afterworld can confirm the value of a work. Moreover, many British and
German men of letters were also influenced by Sublime. E.g. Milton once claimed that Longinus was always the tutor he
worshipped.

What according to Longinus are the sources of the sublime and how does he distinguish the true from the false sublime?

By the word 'sublime' Longinus means "elevation" or "loftiness"—all that which raises style above the ordinary, and gives to it
distinction in its widest and truest sense.So sublimity is "a certain distinction and excellence in composition. " Both nature and
art, says Longinus, contribute to sublimity in literature. "Art is perfect when it seems to be nature, and nature hits the mark
when she contains art hidden within her."(Longinus)

Longinus finds five principal sources of the sublime, the first two of which are largely the gifts of nature the remaining three the
gifts of art (1) grandeur of thought, (2) capacity for strong emotion, (3) appropriate use of Figures, (4) Nobility of diction, and (5)
dignity of composition or a happy synthesis of all the preceding elements.

(1) Grandeur of Thought

Nobody can produce a sublime work unless his thoughts are sublime. For "sublimity is the echo of greatness of soul It is
impossible for those whose whole lives are full of mean and servile ideas and habits, to produce anything that is admirable and
worthy of an immortal life. It is only natural that great accents should fall from the lips of those whose thoughts have always
been deep and full of majesty." Stately thoughts belong to the loftiest minds.

Therefore, he who would attain distinction of style must feed his soul on the worksof the great masters, as Homer, Plato and
Demosthenes, and capture from them some of their own greatness, This reflects the classicism of Longinus. However, what
Longinus has in mind is not mere imitation or borrowing, but that "men catch fire from the spirit of others." To Longinus the
operation is one that aims at capturing something of the ancient spirit, something of that vital creative force which had gone to
the " making, of the earlier masterpieces; and its effect he describes as that of illumination, guiding the mind in some
mysterious way to the lofty standards of the ideal.

The grandeur of conception is to be emphasized and made effective by a suitable treatment of material. Details should be so
chosen as to form an organic whole. Amplification or accumulation of all the details of a given subject is also helpful. Such an
amplification by its profusion suggests overwhelming strength and magnitude. The use of vivid and compelling images is also
useful, for it brings home to the readers the conception of the writer, effectively and forcefully.

(2) Capacity for Strong Emotion

The second source of the sublime is vehement and inspired passion. Longinus asserts that nothing contributes more to loftiness
of tone in writing than genuine emotion. At one place, for instance, he says, "I would confidently affirm that nothing makes so
much for grandeur as true emotion in the right place, for it inspires the words, as it were, with a wild gust of mad enthusiasm
and fills them with divine frenzy. " It is for this reason that he prefers the Illiad to the Odyssey and Demosthenes to Cicero. But
the emotions have to be 'true emotions' and 'in the right place'. He thus justifies emotions more artistically than Aristotle.
However, the subject of emotions has not been dealt with in detail. The author declares his intention of dealing with it in a
second treatise, which unfortunately has not come down to us.

(3) Appropriate Use of Pictures

The third source of attaining excellence of style is the use of figures of speech which he considers very important, and so
devotes nearly one third of his work to it. He shows great discrimination and originality of thinking in his treatment of the
subject. Figuresof speech should not be used mechanically, rather they must be rooted in genuine emotion. Used naturally,
they impart elevation to style, and are themselves made more effective by an elevated style.

The figures of thought and diction have to be judiciously employed. The grandeur of any figure "will depend on its being
employed in the right place and the right manner,on the right occasion, and with the right motive.'" It strengthens the sublime,
and the sublime supports it. We need the figures only "when the nature of the theme makes it allowable to amplify, to multiply
or to speak in the tones of exaggeration or passion; to overlay every sentence with ornament is very pedantic." When the figure
is unrelated to passion, it creates a suspicion of dishonesty and is divorced from sublimity. The chieffigures that make for
sublimity are the theoretical question, asyndeton, hyperbaton,and periphrasis. In brief, the use of figures must be
psychological—intimately connected with thought and emotion, and not merely mechanical.

(4) Nobility of Diction

The fourth source of the 'sublime' is diction which includes choice and arrangement of words and the use of metaphors and
ornamental language. The discussion of diction is incomplete because four leaves of this part of the book are unfortunately
lost. Nevertheless, words, when suitable and striking, he says, have ''a moving and seductive effect" upon the reader and are
the first things in a style to lend it "grandeur, beauty and mellowness, dignity, force, power, and a sort of glittering charm." It is
they that breathe voice into dead things. They are 'the very light of ought'—a radiance that illumines the innermost recesses of
the writer's mind. But 'it should be noted that imposing language is not suitable for every occasion. When the object is trivial, to
invest it with grand and stately words would have the same effect as putting a full-sized tragic mask on the head of a little
child.' This necessitates the use of common words which, when in elegant, make up for it by their raciness and forcefulness.
Among these ornaments of speech Longinus considers metaphor and hyperbole.
(5) Dignity of Composition

The fifth source of the sublime is the dignity of composition, that is, a dignified composition or the arrangement of words. It
should be one that blends thought, emotion, figures, and words themselves—the preceding four elements of sublimity—into a
harmonious whole. Such an arrangement has not only 'a natural power of persuasion and of giving pleasure but also the
marvellous power of exalting the soul and swaying the heart of men." It makes the hearer or reader share the emotion of the
speaker. But 'if the elements of grandeur be separated from one another, the sublimity is scattered and made to vanish but
when organised into a compact system and still further encircled in a chain of harmony they gain a living voice by being merely
rounded into a period.' A harmonious composition alone sometimes makes up for the deficiency of the other elements. A
proper rhythm is one of the elements in this harmony. Negatively, deformity and not grandeur is the result if the composition is
either extremely concise or unduly prolix. The one cripples the thought and the other overextends it.

(6) The False and the True Sublime

Making a distinction between the false and the true sublime, Longinus says that the false sublime is characterised first, by
timidity or bombast of language, which is as great an evil as swellings in the body. "It is drier than dropsy." Secondly, the false
sublime is characterised by puerility, which is a parade and pomp of language, tawdry and affected, and so frigid. Thirdly, the
false sublime results when there is a cheap display of passion, when it is not justified by the occasion, and so is wearisome. True
sublime, on the other hand, pleases all and "pleases always," for it expresses thoughts of universal validity—thoughts common
to man of all ages and centuries—in a language which instinctively uplifts our souls.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

1. "Sublime" means "elevation", or "loftiness"—"a certain distinction and excellence in composition."

2. The principal sources of the Sublime are—(1) grandeur of thought; (2) capacity for strong emotion; (3) appropriate use
of figures of speech; (4) Nobility of diction, and (5) dignity of composition or a happy blend of the preceding four elements.

3. Sublimity the echo of a great soul; lofty thoughts and ideas a pre condition for sublimity; trivial thoughts—mean and
servile ideas— do not lead to sublimity.

4. The second source of the sublime is the vehement, inspired and genuine emotion.

5. Sublimity can be attained by the appropriate use of the figures of speech which should not be used mechanically but
naturally to be rooted in genuine emotion—should be employed in the right place and right manner. The chief figures that
make for sublimily are asyndaton, hyperbaton and periphrasis.

6. For sublimity the choice and arrangement of right words. Use of grand words for a trivial object will only be ridiculous.

7. Hence sublimity in a work of art is the result of a happy blending of lofty thought, strong and genuine emotion,
appropriate figures of speech and suitable words. Elements of grandeur cannot he separated from each other.

8. True Vs. False Sublime—False sublime is characterized by timidity or bombast of language and also by puerility (a
parade and pomp of language). True Sublime, on the other hand, is marked by universality of appeal: it pleases all and always :
it uplifts our souls.