Sir Philip SidneyBorn – 30-Nov-1554, at Penshurst Place, Kent.

Died - 17 October 1586 in the Battle of

Zutphen, at the age of 31.

Occupation - English poet, courtier and soldier, and is remembered as one

of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan Age.

Literary movement - His works include Astrophel and Stella, The Defence of Poetry (also known as The Defence of Poesy or An Apology for Poetry), and The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia.

Spouse - In 1583, he married Frances, teenage daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham.

 

CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTIONNATURE AND FUNCTION OF POETRYSUPERIORITY OF POETRY TO PHILOSPHY AND HISTORYMAIN OBJECTIONS BY PURITANSSIDNEY’S DEFENCE AGAINST THESE CHARGESSIDNEY’S STAND FOR POETS AND POETRYTHE UNIQUE APPEAL OF POETRYTHE DEFINITION OF POETRY

INTRODUCTION 

Sidney’s “Apology For Poetry” was written as a answer to Stephen Gosson’s “School Of Abuse”. It is mainly divided in to sixteen sections. Sidney has written that “Poetry has been the first light giver to ignorance.”

The earlier greek philosopher and histrionics were poets. Poetry enjoys popularity even among the uncivilized people. He also said that poetry has the prophetic character. In rome, the poet means a diviner, a prophet or a forseer. The greek word “poet’’ means to make. Hence, the Greeks honoured the poet as a maker or creator. This suggests the divine nature of poetry.

  NATURE AND FUNCTION OF POETRY

According to, Sidney “Poetry is an art of imitation, representing, counter feiting or figuring-forth to speak metaphorically”. A speaking picture with this end. To teach and to delight.”In short poetry is an art of imitation and its chief function is to teach and delight. Here imitation means a representing of the real and actual, some times creating something entirely new. Sidney declares that poet grows with the power of his own invention. He makes things either better than nature brings forth or suite a new. There are three kinds of poetry according to Sidney. They are-religious poetry, philosophical and poetry as an imaginative treatment of life and nature. He gives importance to the third type of poetry. There are various other divisions such as heroic poetry, lyric poetry, comic poetry, satiric poetry and so on.

SUPERIORITY OF POETRY TO

PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY

Poetry is superior to philosophy in the sense that it has the power to move and give incentive for good action. It presents moral lessons in a very attractive form which, philosophy deals with its theoretical aspects and teaches virtue by precept. History teaches practical virtue by giving examples from life, but poetry gives both precepts and practical examples. The poet does not give definition like a philosopher. He does not give dull and uninteresting like a historian. He is above both of these examples. - philosopher and historian.

MAIN OBJECTIONS BY PURITANS Stephen Grosson charged poetry with some objections. There are four main charges against poetry. They are as follows:-

The first charge against poetry is that poetry is useless and a waste of time.

Poetry is the mother of lies or a collection of falsehood.Poetry gave rise to evil fancies and had degrading and weakening

influence.That there was a tradition that plato had banished poets from his ideal

state.

SIDNEY’S DEFENCE AGAINST THESE CHARGES

Sidney dismissed these charges and in defence of poetry, he replied to their charges. It is as follows;-

• Poetry is the best form of teaching.• Poet is not a liar.• Poetry is not the nurse of abuse.

POETRY IS THE BEST FORM OF LEARNING

Sidney replies to the first charge that man might not better spend his time than in poetry. He say’s , “if it be as I affirm that no learning is so good as which teaches and moves to virtue. And that none can both teach and move so much as poetry.”He has already established that no learning is so good as poetry. It has been recognized since the beginning of civilization.

POET IS NOT A LIARIt was charged against poetry that it is the mother of lies but it is false because poets have been considered in rome and Greece as prophets and as maker or creators. He says, “Nature never set forth the earth in so rich tapestry as divers poets have done. Nature’s world is brazen, the poets only deliver a golden world.’’

Sidney says that falsehood arises only where a period tells of facts, past or present. The poet has no concern with them. He only use them to arrive at a higher truth. Poet is not a liar if he is, he is the least liar. The astronomer, the geometrician, the historian and others all makes false statements but the poet nothing affirms and therefore never lies. His aim is to tell- “what should be? or what not?’’ He presents fiction, which embodies truth of an ideal kind.

POETRY IS NOT THE NURSE OF ABUSEThe third charge against poetry is that all its branches are infected many wrong and lustful desiers. They have demoralising effect on readers. To this charge, Sydney replies that poetry does not abuse the man’s wit. It is the man’s wit that abuses poetry. All arts and sciences put evil effects, if they are misused. It does not mean that they are less valuable when rightly employed.

SIDNEY’S STAND FOR POETS AND POETRY

Stephen gossan defamed the great name of Plato, saying that he condemned poetry and poets. Plato found no fault with poetry which he considered divinely inspired. He was displeased with the poet’s of his time. They abused poetry by misrepresenting the GODS. This is why, Plato wanted to banish abuse of poetry from his ideal kingdom. He was against the misuse of poetry and poets. SIDNEY tells us that all great men and PLATO have honoured poetry and poets have been called the first removers of ignorance and light bearers.

THE UNIQUE APPEAL OF POETRY

After replying to the charges leveled by Stephen gossan, Sidney confirms that poetry is superior to philosophy, history and science. All forms of poetry have a unique appeal. Poetry teaches and moves to virtue. The poet is not a liar. It is not poetry that abuses man’s wit but man’s wit that abuses poetry. Infact, plato did not find any fault with poetry but he found it in the inferior kind of poetry of his age, in his country. He was patron. The first historians and philosophers were poets. Thus, Sidney proves in his apology that puritan’s charges were wrong and full of abuse. Infact, poetry is the mother of all mankind, since the beginning of life on earth.

The definition of poetry

Sir Philip Sydney has given two types of definitions of poetry in his essay “An Apology for Poetry’’. His first definition of poetry is briefly quoted in these lines:-

``Poesy, therefore is an art of imitation is far so Aristotle termeth is in his word, Mimesis that is to say a representating, counterfeiting or figuring forth, to speak mathaphorically a speaking picture, with this end to teach and delight.’’In short, every kind of poetry, according to the above definition is based on imitation from its allied parts, such parts compose with the purpose of giving delight and recreation to all men, women and children. They are also taught to keep good thoughts and do good deeds.

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