Read Next
Seven Types of Ambiguity
critical work by Empson
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Thank you for your feedback
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
Also known as: “Seven Types of Ambiguity: A Study of Its Effects on English Verse”
Seven Types of Ambiguity, critical work by William Empson, published in 1930 and revised in 1947 and 1953. The book was influential as one of the foundations of the school of literary theory known as New Criticism.
In Seven Types of Ambiguity Empson sought to enhance the reader’s understanding of a poem by isolating the linguistic properties of the text. He suggested that words or references in poems are often ambiguous and, if presented coherently, carry multiple meanings that can enrich the reader’s appreciation of the work. He argued that the complexities of cognitive and tonal meanings in poetry form the basis of the reader’s emotional response.