1. On the Sublime
-Longinus
Prepared by Megha Mohan Nair

2. I. Introduction
 An important treatise of literary criticism by
Longinus.
 It was written in Greek
 Focus on the elevation of language as “a kind of
supreme excellent of discourse.”
 Longinus’s ideas on Sublime are of great
influence to Romantic literature and Criticism

3. II. What Sublime is.
 Sublime “consists in a certain loftiness and
excellence of language”
 it “is the image of greatness of mind”
 It “sways every reader whether he is willingly or
not”
 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”

4.  Sublimity is not innate; it can be acquired by
instruction.
 The great passion can be controlled by
reasoning.
 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.

5. III. The principal source of all
sublimity
 1. Grandeur of thoughts
 2. A vigorous and spirited treatment of the
passions
 3. A certain artifice in the employment of figures,
which are of two kinds, figures of thought and
figures of speech

6.  4. Dignified expression, which is sub-divided
into two aspects ;
（a) The proper choose of words
（b) The use of metaphors and other ornaments
of diction
• 5. Majesty and elevation of structure

7. IV. Faults which should be
avoided in writing
 Bombast
 Puerility
 False sentiment
 Frigidity

8. V. Conclusion．
 On the Sublime was a letter written to a friend
 It is also a profound, insightful literary treatise
 The writer put forward the definition of Sublime
on aesthetic level by the first time
 Many British and German men of letters were
also influenced by Sublime
 Milton once claimed that Longinus was always
the tutor he worshipped.