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Literary Criticism

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Read the Question carefully and choose the correct option.
Samuel Johnson has the following to say about an English poet :

“These images are marked by glittering accumulations of ungraceful ornaments: they strike, rather than please. The images are magnified by affectation : the language is laboured into harshness. The mind of the writer seems to work with unnatural violence - ‘Double, double, toil and trouble’. He has a kind of strutting dignity, and is tall by walking on tiptoe. His art and his struggle are too visible, and there is too little appearance of ease and nature.” Identify the poet.

1. Thomas Gray
2. John Dryden
3. John Milton
4. Thomas Wyatt
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Detailed Explanation & Answer
Samuel Johnson's critique you provided is a commentary on a poet whose work is characterized by excessive ornamentation and artificiality. This critique is consistent with Johnson's view of Thomas Gray's poetry.

Gray is known for his elaborate and ornate style, especially in works like "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard." Johnson's critique fits well with Gray's reputation for using intricate language and imagery. While other poets listed (John Dryden, John Milton, and Thomas Wyatt) also had distinctive styles, Johnson’s description aligns most closely with Gray's approach to poetry.
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