Topic: Sir Philip Sidney(An Apology For Poetry)

Presented By: Saba Noor(UW-16-ENG-BS-016)

BS-1 (ENGLISH)Submitted To: Ma’am Sana

Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1585)

• Became one of the Elizabethan's age most prominent figure.• Famous in his days in England as Poet, courtier and soldier.• Eclectic in criticizing.• Famous work: An Apology For Poetry

An Apology For Poetry

• Sidney’s ‘Apology for Poetry’ is considered the best work that opened the age of literary criticism in England.

• It was written in 1585 and published after his death in 1595.

• It is said to be the first important critical text in the English literary criticism.

Sidney’s ‘Apology’ for poetry deals with two ideas:Poetry is of Divine origin.

There is social utility for poetry.

•The first section is all about praise of poetry

• It is a cradle of civilization.• It is a channel of divine power.• Poetry can teach and delight.• It can surpass the virtue of history and and philosophy.

•Four arguments against poetry:

1) poetry is a waste of time;2) poetry is the "mother of lies";3) poetry is the "nurse of abuse, infecting us

with many pestilent desires"; and4) poetry was banished from Plato's

imaginary republic so it must be dangerous.

Sidney follows Aristotle in defining poetry as an "art of imitation," and he divides this imitation into three kinds:

• 1) poetry which imitates "the inconceivable excellencies of God";

• 2) poetry which deals with moral philosophy, natural philosophy, astronomical philosophy, or historical philosophy; and

• 3) "right poets" whose works "most properly do imitate to teach and delight.

What Sidney maintains in his argument is that poetry has a universal appeal arising from the aesthetic appeal of its words and phrases. Sidney is against the degradation of poetry ; for poetry is instead “to delight and instruct” the readers. Sidney concludes by putting a curse on all poet haters may they never win love for want of a sonnet ; may they be forgotten for want of an epitaph.