The purpose of art and the place of the artist has long been debated, and by many a critic. Two of these critics are Plato and Sir Philip Sydney. Their similarities and differences will be compared and contrasted using two of their works: Plato’s The Republic and Sydney’s The Defense of Poesy.
It is odd that Plato banished poets, and had so many negative words towards poetry, considering his philosophy was clothed in poetry. But, it is more of a negative view upon “the abuse, not the thing (Sydney 174). There are disagreements between Plato and Sydney. A major one involves imitation. Is art’s sole function to be imitative? Plato believes that “poetry and mythology are, in some cases, wholly imitative (Plato 14). According to Sydney though, the poet is a maker, yet all art is based in nature. Plato and Sydney also differ on the subject of imitation in the regard that Plato believes that imitation is wrong, and Sydney believes it is good giving the example that man is made in the image of God. Man is an imitation, therefore art as imitation is pure. Sydney believes that poetry is an art of imitation, and Plato believes that imitative poetry “ought not to be received”
Plato vs. Sydney
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 
)
“The real artist, who knew what he was imitating, would be interested in realities and not in imitations: and would desire to leave as memorials of himself works many and fair; and, instead of being the author of encomiums, he would prefer to be the theme of them” (Plato 23). This statement by Plato infers that if a poet knew what they were talking about, they would leave behind a legacy of works, not imitations. One similarity on imitation is that both writers liken poets to painters, wi
Some topics in this essay:
Poetry, Plato, Sonnet, Imitation, Literature, Iambic Pentameter, Verse, Aristotle, Observational Learning, Sydney,
827 
3 
PROFESSIONAL ESSAYS:
Society vs. Individual
.... Plato did not believe in liberty as everyone being equal with respect to access to rule society. In contrast, Plato argued that .... (985 
4 
)
Issues in Philosophy
.... These "tender" vs. "tough .... Socratics. Plato's Allegory of the Cave is one of the most famous examples of this philosopher's Theory of the Forms. .... (3115 12 )
Debate: Idealism versus Materialism
Idealism is associated with Plato's beliefs that the essence of human existence is of a higher realm and cannot be deduced by human reason. .... Materialism vs. .... (722 3 )
Computer-Assisted Instruction IN TEACHING ENGLI
.... Then, there is the problem of textual vs graphic vs audio-visual presentation modes. .... PLATO and TICCIT may still be experimental, but they and like systems are .... (3228 13 )
Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica
.... The Third Way, or the argument from the contingency vs. .... The Fourth Way, the argument from gradation, is reminiscent of Plato's Theory of Eternal Forms which .... (2449 10 )
Thomas Aquinas
.... The Third Way is the argument from the contingency vs. .... The Fourth Way is the argument from graduation and is reminiscent of Plato's Theory of Eternal Forms .... (2391 10 )
JOIN NOW
SAVED PAPERS
TESTIMONIALS
"I got the best grade I've ever gotten A+"
Mary P.
"This information was helpful and easy to find."
Kris D.
"This site is so helpful! You have opened my eyes to learning thank you!"
Karen F.
"I liked the information that you gave to me because it helped me do a analytical essay for this short story and i give it a 10/10 =) "
Dave M.
"This website is very helpful and informative and well worth it's money. Thanks!"
Sean R.