WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.582 Gentleman open your texts to page 21 of the introduction 00:00:04.239 --> 00:00:07.962 Mr. Perry, would you read the opening paragraph of the preface 00:00:08.589 --> 00:00:10.450 entitled understanding poetry 00:00:11.418 --> 00:00:15.777 Understanding Poetry by Dr. J. Evans Pritchard, PhD 00:00:16.370 --> 00:00:19.534 Before we understand poetry we must first be fluent with 00:00:19.534 --> 00:00:22.971 its meter, rhyme and figures of speech, then ask two questions, 00:00:24.089 --> 00:00:26.718 One, how artfully has the objective of the poem been rendered 00:00:27.136 --> 00:00:29.399 and two, how important is that objective. 00:00:29.518 --> 00:00:34.145 Question one rates the poem's perfection question two rates its importance. 00:00:34.561 --> 00:00:38.017 And once these questions have been answered, determining the poem's greatness 00:00:38.404 --> 00:00:40.113 becomes a relatively simple matter. 00:00:40.841 --> 00:00:44.230 If the poem's score for perfection is plotted on the horizontal of the graph 00:00:44.862 --> 00:00:47.423 and its importance is plotted on the vertical, 00:00:47.913 --> 00:00:54.610 then calculating the total area of the poem yields the measure of its greatness 00:00:57.987 --> 00:01:05.641 A sonnet by Byron might score high on the vertical, but only average on the horizontal 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:08.262 A Shakesperian sonnet, on the other hand, 00:01:08.294 --> 00:01:11.200 would score high both horizontally and vertically 00:01:11.772 --> 00:01:17.956 yielding a massive total area, thereby revealing the poem to be truly great. 00:01:19.053 --> 00:01:21.276 As you can see through the poetry in this book, 00:01:21.712 --> 00:01:26.200 practice this rating method. As your ability to evaluate poems in this manner grows, 00:01:27.138 --> 00:01:30.558 so will your enjoyment and understanding of poetry. 00:01:36.657 --> 00:01:38.762 Excrement. (dramatic pause) 00:01:39.919 --> 00:01:42.489 That's what I think of Mr. J. Evans Prichard. 00:01:43.377 --> 00:01:45.685 We're not laying pipe, we're talking about poetry. 00:01:46.138 --> 00:01:49.302 How can you describe poetry like American Band Stand? 00:01:49.302 --> 00:01:53.093 Well, I like Byron, I give him a 42, but I can't dance to it. (laughter) 00:01:53.788 --> 00:01:56.092 Now I want you to rip out that page. 00:01:57.917 --> 00:02:06.100 Go on, rip out the entire page. You heard me, rip it out. 00:02:06.505 --> 00:02:08.748 RIP IT OUT! 00:02:09.090 --> 00:02:13.766 Go on, rip it out! Thank you Mr. Dalton. 00:02:14.380 --> 00:02:15.710 Gentleman, I'll tell you what 00:02:15.710 --> 00:02:18.609 don't just rip out that page, tear out the entire introduction. 00:02:18.735 --> 00:02:21.700 I want it gone, history leave nothing of it. 00:02:22.157 --> 00:02:23.545 Rip it Out, RIP! (sounds of paper ripping) 00:02:23.585 --> 00:02:28.365 Be gone J. Evans Pritchard, PhD. Rip, shred, tear, rip it out! 00:02:29.195 --> 00:02:31.924 I want to hear nothing but ripping of Mr. Pritchard. 00:02:32.324 --> 00:02:34.732 We'll perforate it, put it on a roll. 00:02:34.832 --> 00:02:36.558 It's not the bible, you're not going to go to hell for this. 00:02:36.999 --> 00:02:39.418 (sound of paper ripping and laughter) 00:02:39.618 --> 00:02:42.947 Make a clean tear, I want nothing left of this. 00:02:43.593 --> 00:02:45.866 (whispering) We shouldn't be doing this 00:02:45.866 --> 00:02:47.495 Rip! Rip! 00:02:48.081 --> 00:02:49.106 Rip it Out! Rip! 00:02:49.146 --> 00:03:01.671 (sound of ripping paper) 00:03:02.211 --> 00:03:05.027 What the hell is going on here! (paper ripping stops) 00:03:06.017 --> 00:03:08.245 I don't hear enough rips! 00:03:08.725 --> 00:03:11.841 - Mr. Keating - Mr. McAllister 00:03:11.841 --> 00:03:13.627 (dramatic pause) 00:03:13.665 --> 00:03:17.625 I'm sorry I, I didn't know you were here. 00:03:17.695 --> 00:03:24.849 - I am. - Well, so you are. Excuse me. 00:03:26.501 --> 00:03:28.893 Keep ripping gentleman! 00:03:29.223 --> 00:03:32.428 This is a battle, a war, and the casualties could...