Firstly it seems logical to look at a dictionary definition and this one is from the Oxford English dictionary.
Genius:
1. exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability.
2. an exceptionally intelligent or able person.
Generally speaking, genius means different things to each individual, usually linked with intelligence, but as the dictionary states, it may also be another type of natural ability, e.g. a person who excels in a physical field may be viewed as a genius, but they normally have a certain intellectual aptitude to develop their physical skill.
I personally view genius in two ways:
1. Anyone who has a natural talent in one field or more.
We have all heard the expression “child genius” as parents proudly announce their child’s ability as above average. Some children appear to be born with an ability to develop fast, either physically, intellectually or both. These natural talents often stay with them throughout life. Genetics may play a part or it’s possible the child receives good stimulation from its surroundings, often unnoticed by its parents.
2. Anyone who through learning has become talented in a field.
This person may have had little original knowledge in a field, but has sought education to develop skills. The more we familiarise ourselves with something the easier it becomes. The main difference with this form of genius is that the beneficiary has to both desire and labour to gain his skills.
What does genius in the written word mean to me?
Now that I have knowledge of what genius means I ask myself how I look for it in the written word. Poetry is an art form and art is defined as the "expression of creative skill, or the product of such a process through a medium." I believe the important word in the definition is “creative” which may then be subcategorised into originality and effectiveness.
Creativity:
Creative thought is nearly always built on what we’ve experienced before and therefore the more a person becomes involved and practices in their field, the more improvement they will make in their skill, which will inevitably become easier and quicker. A simple analogy of this is learning to drive. Most adults will remember how awkward and slow the first few lessons were but as we practice we attain a level where we are skilled enough to pass a test. After some years of experience it becomes automatic to drive well, while obeying the rules of the road. Poetry is similar as we take time to learn and achieve a certain level where we know we can write well and incorporate literary rules, becoming competent enough to succeed in contests. Of course no one should break the rules of the road; but in literature, rules are often broken in the name of artistic licence and this may produce a work that is completely unique in creativity, giving rise to a new style.
1. Originality or perceived originality:
All human actions are unique and therefore original but this is only originality in the wider sense that they are unique in creation. It is the perceived originality, our judgement gained by previous knowledge, which defines whether a piece of work is deemed to be original, e.g. two authors are given the task of writing a poem using the same title, theme and word bank from which they must use all of the words. While both poems are original in their creation, one may be perceived to be more original by the majority of people, because the writing is more imaginative, emotive and competently sequenced. I say the majority of people because most of us are trained by education systems to think in a particular way. The minority of people will perceive the other poem to be superior for different reasons. This could be due to 1) a lower level of education than required in the particular field, 2) experiencing a different style of education, possibly in a different area/culture of the world, 3) personal preference, which may be based on education but is very much influenced by individual experiences, 4) perspective of the original creation. This also falls into the category of effectiveness.
2. Effectiveness:
For a poem to be effective it has to produce a desired or intended result and should contain poetic devices to aid it. This is where I look at the difference between prose and poetry.
Prose is ordinary written or spoken language, without metrical structure, though it may contain some poetic devices such as alliteration and metaphors, and it’s usually used to describe facts or thoughts. In contrast, poetry uses devises such as meter, imagery, alliteration, rhyme and enjambement among others, to deliver language in an artistic form. An example of many devices in use but without excess is in the poem Sweet Heart Of The Desert by David Michaels, silver trophy winner in the Romance category of this years Raven qualifying round. Both prose and poetry may tell a story but the delivery format is different. Looking solely at poetry, it should use at least some devices for it to deliver effectively to the reader, though it’s not necessary for a poem to be crammed to capacity. An example of fewer devices in use while still being effective is in the poem Damned by Malkinpuss, gold trophy winner in this year’s Dark qualifier. Overkill can sometimes be a poem’s downfall because the work becomes overly complicated, focusing on the device rather than the poem’s intended message.
Vocabulary is another topic to view for effectiveness. Authors often strive to expand their vocabulary, which is a positive step, but when doing so they should be careful to find the correct meanings of new words so they may be used in the right context. The use of overly ambitious language may consume the message of a poem leaving readers perplexed and unwilling to return to a particular piece, or, indeed an author, which is presumably not the author’s intention. Vocabulary should also be sympathetic to a particular genre. An example of unsympathetic language is the use of words associated with brilliant sunshine when describing a midnight graveyard scene, unless they are being used for comparison.
As previously mentioned, perspective is another area which influences effectiveness. An author may create a wonderful poem, correctly using poetic devices, imaginative vocabulary and it may be considered genius in its own right, but if it’s not accessible to its target audience then it is not effective. An example of an effective poem is Hero and Villain by IndividualEleven, silver trophy winner in the General qualifier. I feel this poem is effective because although it has been written for an adult audience it is also accessible to a younger age group through appropriate language, imagery and in this particular case, excellent layout. On the opposite end of the scale, poems written specifically for children where the language or style is too advanced are ineffective.
Referring back to my original question, what does genius in the written word mean to me, I have to say it means the practice of using the above mentioned qualities within a poem, though not all need necessarily be used at one given time. It may be a that an author only ever practices this skill once in a lifetime and thus the individual work may be seen as a ‘piece’ of genius, where as an author who has this capacity and is willing to repeatedly practise it, may himself be considered a genius.
Northern Raven
2007 Raven Contest Judge
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