The correct answer, "3. The close analysis of poems without taking account of any external information," aligns with the concept of Practical Criticism because:
Practical Criticism is a method of literary analysis that focuses on closely examining the language, structure, and form of a text—especially poetry—without considering external factors such as the author’s biography, historical context, or intended meaning. This approach was pioneered by I.A. Richards in the 1920s as a way to train students to interpret texts based solely on their intrinsic qualities, encouraging an objective and text-centered analysis.
Here’s why the other options don’t fit as well:
Political meaning (Option 1): Practical Criticism is not concerned with uncovering political or ideological meanings, as it deliberately avoids external interpretations.
Making criticism more relevant (Option 2): While Practical Criticism does emphasize a particular analytical approach, its focus is not on making criticism broadly "relevant" but rather on training readers to focus on the text itself.
Ambiguity (Option 4): Though Practical Criticism often explores ambiguity within texts, it is not solely focused on ambiguity. Instead, it seeks a holistic understanding based on the poem's intrinsic qualities.
Therefore, Option 3 is the correct answer because it best captures the essence of Practical Criticism as a close reading approach that excludes external contexts.
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