sir philip sidney's remark on his contemporaries
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8/14/2019 Sir Philip Sidney's Remark on His Contemporaries
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Altaf Ahmed Sheikh 1 M.A (Hons.) English Literature
An apology for poetry (or literature as a whole)
by Sir Philip Sidney
It is a discourse signifying importance of poetry, defending attacks on poetry, categorizing
poetry in various types & sub types, as well as passing judgment over literature of its age &of ages before it. To have a better understanding of this not so pedantic work on poetry, it
has been classified into following sections:
A) Conventional ideas in praise of poetryB) Arguments on the basis of nature & usefulness of poetry
C) Objections laid on poetry & their answers
D) Remarks on contemporary literature
Since, we have already discussed first three sections of this critical essay before; I shall
deal with the fourth section here.
Philip Sidney had eventually earned the repute of a practical critic. He not only put forwardhis conception of an ideal poetry; indeed he pushed criticism to the practical use. He
weighed the works of writers who wrote in his lifetime and those before him as well. Indeliberating his thoughts on contemporary literature, I would first perceive the method he
had used and then with the defects and suggestions which he had pointed out in regard to
the literature of that age.
Method of Criticism
Sidney approached the literature available in his times in the following steps:
Find out the faults in literary work, its genre, form, content etc.(Tragedy, Comedy, Lyrical poetry, diction & style)
Put forth suggestions for the possible improvement in that literary genre.
Pass judgment whether a work is good, bad, better, best or worst.
(Based on its conformity to classical models & sincerity of purpose)
Sidney started finding faults with the drama, as it was the emerging genre until then.
He laid stress on unities to be observed and dignity of each genre to be kept in mind.It seemed absurd to him to show Asia, Africa & America all on the same stage. Or in some
cases, showing battle fields, gardens, caves etc in one place within just time span of less
than two hours was strongly disliked by him. He was of the opinion that what can not be
showed, must be told. He did not appreciate blending comic and serious incidents togetherand considered it an abuse. He dealt with the two major kinds of dramas viz. Tragedy and
Comedy separately. About tragedy he stated;
Tragedy should be subject to laws of poetry and not history. Dramatist musttransform his material to obtain tragic effects.
Plot in tragedy should open at some significant incidence which brings the readerto the heart of happenings at once without detouring of any sort.
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Altaf Ahmed Sheikh 3 M.A (Hons.) English Literature
For poetry must not be drawn by ears; it must be gently led, or rather it must lead; which
was partly the cause that made the ancient-learned affirm it was a divine gift.
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