Sir Philip Sidney -Summary of Defense of Poesy

Sir Philip Sidney

1.     The Defence of Poesy.

a.     Authority and background for defending poetry include: 

                                               i.     Greek and Romans respected and enjoyed poetry.

                                             ii.     Psalms is a divine poem.

                                            iii.     Of the many fields, poetry along can itself change into something more by making things appear better or by making new things.

b.     The works of nature are ‘essential’ and the works of poetry are imitations or fictions and work together.

                                               i.     Nature’s ideas come into existence, the poets on paper.

                                             ii.     God presides over nature, man over an image of nature in which he has the power to shape.

c.     Poetry is an art of imitation to teach and delight.

d.     Poetry does not require rhyme or verse.

e.     Poetry:

                                               i.     Purifies the wit.

                                             ii.     Enriches the memory.

                                            iii.     Enables better judgment.

                                            iv.     And enlarges understanding.

f.      Criticisms of other sciences.

                                               i.     Moral philosophy tends to be tedious and obscure and teaches virtue through abstract considerations.

                                             ii.     History tends to be based on fact and what was, without speaking to what might have been or what might be.

                                            iii.     History does not speak to virtue, just to what happened.

g.     If proof is established that poetry moves men further than moral philosophy and history, then significance and value is assigned to poetry.

                                               i.     Moral Philosophy teaches:

1.     What can be taught.

2.     Descriptions and abstract concepts.

3.     And is generally obscure.

                                             ii.     Historians:

1.     Are tied to past events whether the subject(s) are virtuous or not.

2.     Do not speak to general reason of things.

3.     Do not draw conclusions or speak to what might be.

4.     Speak to particulars.

                                            iii.     Poetry:

1.     Provides a “Perfect Picture” of philosophical ideas.  263

2.     Can use the fiction of the imagination to teach what hasn’t been taught.

3.     Speak to universals.

4.     Furnishes the mind with knowledge and set’s it forward to identify what can be called good or virtuous.

h.     Criticisms of Poetry:

                                               i.     There are better things to study.

                                             ii.     Poetry consists of lies.

                                            iii.     It infects us with desires and sinful ideas.

                                            iv.     Poetry was expelled by Plato.

i.      Response to Criticisms:

                                               i.     Virtue is the best place for worldly learning and poetry is most friendly to teach it and move it forward.   Poetry is more fruitful than other fields of study.

                                             ii.     All writers are liars, but poets do not affirm truths.  Therefore, poets lie less than other writers.

                                            iii.     Poetry can be abused, but it is in the intent.  As a sword can both destroy and defend, so can a poem be used for good or for abuse.

                                            iv.     Plato expelled the wrongful opinions of the poets themselves, not poetry.  Plato gave praise and commendation to poetry.