The Poet as a Moral Teacher

By: Ameur Benhami

Moulay Ismail UniversityFaculty of Letters and Human Sciences

Master Program: Communication in ContextApproaches to Criticism

IntroductionDefinition of Poetry Sidney ‘s Arguments in Defending Poetry Conclusion

Outline

• « Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to its apparent meaning »

• Poetry may be written idependently ,as discrete poem,or may occur in conjunction with arts as in poetic drama, hymns,lyrics or prose poetry.

• The role of poetry is to address both our mind and feeling through teaching us sweet parables .

What is Poetry ?

• Verse: A single metrical line in a poetic composition, one line of poetry.

Fable: it is a story about legendary persons and exploits.

Allegory : The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters figures, or events in narrative,dramatic or pictorial form.

Verse vs Fable

• Sidney shows that some arts were written in verses.

• The nature of poetry is determined thanks to verses.

• The notion of allegory is used by sidney to clarify the function of poetry; on the basis that it is a representation of the valuable untruth which can be used to communicate wisdom.

• Sidney argues that poetry is a superior means of communication and its value is determined through other arts. ( history / moral philosophy)

Poetry is universal

Though antiquity is not a strong argument in favor of poetry,but it is very crucial in the sense that it drives us back to see what human beings considered valuable.

The Antiquity of Poetry

Poietes is a Greek word that is used to determine the main characteristic of the poet . It is synonymous to the word maker in English.

The poet does not immitate, he creates new things by drawning on his own wit.

The poet makes direct contact with the world of Platonic ideas. « Poet’s work does not give us insight to reality ,but an alternative reality to it.

The Poet as a Maker

• Sidney states that the notion of immitation has to do with ideal immitation .

• The poet does not immitate but create.

• The notion of immitation is transfered from the poet to the reader.

• Poetic justice: « In the poet’s world the righteous always prosper and the wicked are never left unpunished »

A New Notion of Immitation

Poetry is superior than other arts as history and philosophy.

Poetry is superior than other disciplines because it goes beyond the level of dipiction to the level of invention.

Poetry and Other Disciplines

Sidney displays the difference between Aristotle probability and his morality

Sidney changes the Aristotilian « should ».

The poet should go beyond probability.

Sidney and Aristotle

Poetry’s language has to be esthetic.

Sindey introduces the didactic theory of poetry.

Form & Content

Passion is the means used by the poet to affect the reader

Sidney draws a conclusion and says that poetry is more effective moral teacher than philosophy or history.

Conclusion