Something that is
didactic is something that intends to purposefully instruct with moral
instruction. One step further, a didactic piece of literature intentionally subordinates
aesthetic qualities to the didactic, politically or morally instructive, qualities.
A didactic reading of within the
framework of Booth's ethical criticism is one that finds moral instruction (either purposeful or
not purposeful) in the text and characters. As an example, we might apply a didactic reading to
the introduction where we discover that Emma's heroic qualities are that she thinks rather too
well of herself and gets her own way rather too often:
The
real evils, indeed, of Emma's situation were the power of having rather too much her own way,
and a disposition to think a little too well of herself;
A didactic reading alerts us to the textual focus on
exploring the moral lessons behind the "danger ... so unperceived." A didactic reading
establishes a mind-set bent upon looking for the moral lessons to be learned, for example, from
Emma's poor behavior on Box Hill for which Knightley scolds her.
"Ah!wellto be sure. Yes, I see what she means, .... I must make myself very
disagreeable, or she would not have said such a thing to an old friend." (Miss Bates to Mr.
Knightley)
A non-didactic
reading will see these same passages through other perspectives that don't
consider moralism in their readings. This may apply to criticisms other than Booth's ethical
criticism or it may apply to an individual person's reading. For example, an individual may
read Emma as nothing more than entertainment provided by the meddling of an
overly indulged young woman who creates trouble non-stop for herself and others.
This brings up the interesting corollary question of Austen's purposeful intention of a
didactic reading (though she of course would not have used this terminology) since even the film
and television adaptations of Emma cannot escape the didactic
representation of moral lessons.
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