philip sidney An Apology for Poetry; literary criticism

Philip Sidney, who lived in the 16th century of Elizabethan England, was a poet, aristocrat, diplomat and an ardent protestant. His famous works include Arcadia, a prose romance, Astrophel and Stella, Elizabethan sonnet cycles, The defense of poesy and an Apology for poetry (critical prose). He was considered the flower of chivalry and also the patron of arts, actively encouraging authors like Edward Dyer, Greville, Spencer. He earned the reputation of quintessential Renaissance man. What angered Sydney the most was when Stephen Goson dedicated him a thesis on School of Abuse on poetry without his permission and Sydney's response was The Defence.

Sydney introduced classical theory into criticism; Plato Aristotle Horace and other Greek, /Italian scholars. He believed in the 3 unities, unity of time, action and place. following the theoretical preposition of Aristotle.

Poetry is concerned with the art of creation than imitation. Falling from grace, laughing stock of children were the terms used to describe poetry in his time. Therefore he wrote in defense of poetry.

First, poetry should be held in high esteem because it should be the first light giver to ignorance. It can clear ignorance and impart knowledge. It precedes all branches of learning. All branches are secondary and come under the mask of poetry. To attack poetry is attacking culture and intelligence. /he speaks about the legends of poetry like Muses, Homer, Hesiodus. Amphion had said to have moved stones with his poetry to build Thebes. Dante, Petrarch were also poets, considered as the Treasure-house of science. So as Gower and Chaucer in English.

Early philosophers were poets. They sang their natural philosophy in verse. Historians were poets. Herodotus entitled his historic treatise by the name of nine muses. Be it a philosopher, historian, whoever it is, have some feeling for poetry. Uncivilized nations like Turkey, India, Wales used poetry and sang songs.

Poetry is an art of imitation, says Aristotle in poetics. there are 3 kinds of poetry

1.       Sacred poetry: they imitated inconceivable excellencies of God

2.       Philosophical poetry: dealt with philosophical matters; either moral or astronomical or historical.

3.       Poetry in strict sense of Greek term: they imitate to teach and delight; delight to move men to take goodness in hand.

Poetry is not the mere production of facts, but it creates something new. It may be superior to sciences. They become secondary. Science gives knowledge about the world, but poetry gives knowledge about us. Purifying of wit, enriching of memory, enabling of judgment , commonly called learning, lead us to a high perfection. Science, maths, astronomy etc , their aim is to know and by knowledge to lift up from the dungeon of body to enjoy divine essence. The end knowledge is virtue. Poet is over and above others, he makes us understand ourselves. Poetry presents moral lessons. Poet not only shows a way but also he makes the man to embrace it.

Poetry comes above history and philosophy. Philosophy wins the goal by precepts and history by examples. Philosophy comes with abstractions and history is too concrete. Philosophy teaches but obscurely. Poetry combines both elements as it takes abstractions and concretizes through history. It teaches virtue in intelligible manner by quoting examples, also gives a perfect picture of virtue, description through words.

Poetry is conducive to good action; it moves us to virtue. Poetry charms and delights us which makes us move to virtue. The reward of virtue and punishment of vice is more clearly shown in poetry than in history. History setforth only truth but not gives a vivid picture of the hardships.

There is other fruitful areas other than poetry in which a man can excel. No learning is as good as which teach us virtue.

Objections are there to poetry: mother of all lies, poets are liars etc

There are different types of poetry

1.       Pastoral: deals with the lowliest life, arouses sympathy and admiration for simple life; hatred for acts of cruelty and tyranny

2.       Elegy: arouses sympathy for the miserable plight and it softens heart.

3.       Satire: laughs out folly of the court.

4.       Comedy: an imitation of common errors in a ridiculous fashion. It gives warning.

5.       Tragedy: reveals the wickedness of man in high place and also depicts the uncertainty of life.

6.       Lyric: praises god and men. It gives virtue and courage.

7.       Epic: poetry at it best and the most accomplished kind of poetry in which heroic and moral goodness are effectively portrayed. It presents heroic men, action and it inspires the readers.

He also praises Edmund Spencer. Shepherd’s Calendar has much poetry in its Eclogues, indeed worthy reading.