An apology for Poetry by Sir Philip Sydney Summary

Summary of

An apology for Poetry 

By Sidny

Text From Majharul Islam

The poet's Superiority over the Philosopher and Historian.

According to Sydney, the poet is superior both to the historians and to the moral philosophers. Poetry is superior to all the branches of learning. The philosopher teaches by percept; the historian by example. But both do not both. Both are there for, defective. The poet does the both. He gives percept and also presents an example. The poet is a maker. He's truly creative philosophy presents merely abstract percept, which cannot be understood by the general people. The philosopher teaches by percept; the historian by example. But both do not do both. Both are therefor, defective. The poet does the both. He gives the percept and also preserves an example.

``The philosopher, therefore, and this historian are they which would win the goal,

the one by percept, the other by example, but both not having both, do both halt``

 History deals with concrete facts or example of virtue. But poetry combines both these and advantage. It presents universal truths. Poetry is the earliest from of writing even the early writers used the fashion and manner of poets. The historians succeed most when they use the method of poets. The philosophers and historians become popular in ancient times, only if they used the manner and form of poetry. The poet is not only giver of knowledge but also an improver and reformer of men and manners. He is the prince of all the rest. The poet combines a general principles with particular example. The philosopher deals with the intellect; the poet moves the heart and soul. The philosopher teaches but he teaches obscurely; the learned alone can understand him. He only teaches them that are already taught. But the poet can be understood even by those who are not learned. To Aristotle, poetry is more philosophical and more serious than history. It presents universal truths.

``The poet, with that same hand of delight, doth the mind more effectually any other art doth``

Poetry deals with universal consideration, and historian deals with facts as they are; the poet deals with facts, as they ought to out to be. The poet is liberal; the historian is rigid. Christ himself used poetic languages. The highest honor must go the poet. Poetic imitation and inventions can influence human conduct. Poetry encourages and inspires men to perform brave deeds. Classic poetry is suitable for any man at any civilization. Philosophers Express their opinion through concrete riddles. The philosopher teaches obscurely. He only teaches them who are already taught.

``The philosopher teacheth, but he teacheth obscurely. But the poet is the food for the

tenderest stomach; The poet is indeed the right popular philosopher.``

On the other hand poetry is the liquid answer to the problems. The historian suffers from different type of limitations. The poet can cross the limitations of the historian. The method of the Philosopher's is obscure, verbose, and confusing. On the contrary, the method of the poet's is simple, lucid, understandable and comprehensible. The poet is a maker, a real creator. He is a truly creative.

``Only the poet, disdaining to be tied to any such subjection``

To Sidney, poetry was the earliest from up composition everywhere. Philosophers and historians came later than the poets. Sidney points out that even in barbarous and uncivilized countries poetry is respected and loved. Turkey, Ireland and Red Indians where writing is unknown, poets are loved and respected. To Sidney, the historian deals with facts as they are; the poet deals with facts as they ought to be. The poet is liberal; the historian is rigid.

``The poetry is philosophoteron and spoudaioteron, that is to say, it is more philosophical and more studiously serious than history

The historian recites the action or quarrel, counsel, policy or stratagem as it was, but the poet beautifies it with his art, both further teaching and more delighting. All nature from Heaven to Hell is at his command, to be used in the way. He likes.

``The historian is bound to recite, that me the poet with his imitation make his own, beautifying it both for further teaching and more delight.``

 The poet performs the function of both the philosopher and historian. He combines the general principles with particular example. The philosopher deals with the intellect; the poet moves the heart and soul. The poet moves Much more than a philosopher can. The poet is the monarch of science. Poetry is supreme in all the branches of learning, and the highest honor must go to the poet. Poetic imitation and inventions influence human conduct.

``No man is so much philosophers as to compare the philosopher in moving, with the poet``

Philosophy is an art of definition. Poetry is not a definition, but the liquid answer to problems. Philosophers Express feelings through concrete riddles and intellectual illusion. The poet propounds his message through examples, pictures and images. The poet’s chief attention is to the truth, no particular incident. For the historian there is no scope of imagination.

``The philosopher showeth you the way, he informeth you of the particularities, as well of the tediousness of the way``

The philosopher may teach us patriotism or may depict anger through his abstract formulas, but the point gives us concrete picture of patriotism. The historian and philosopher cannot show the working of poetic justice. Plato regarded poetry as the product of divine inspiration. Poetry is essential to feed and just satisfy our love of beauty and our aesthetic sense. The historian suffers from a different limitations. Poetry adds imaginative charms to incidents and makes them available for instruction.

``The historian scarcely giveth leisure to the moralist to say much, but that he, laden with old mouse-eaten records authorizing himself upon others histories.

According to Sidney, poetry is the earliest form of composition everywhere. Philosopher and historian came later than the poet's. Earliest philosophers wrote their natural philosophy in verse. The historian borrowed their style of writing from poets.

``Poetry is of all human learning the most ancient and of most fatherly antiquity, as from whence other learning have taken their beginnings.