Sidney's theory about Poetry.

Sidney's Poetry

Sidney is a devoted student of Greek philosophy, especially of the two great philosophers- Plato and Aristotle. He has a profound regard for Plato and Aristotle. In defining the nature and functions of poetry, he follows Aristotle and builds up his opinion on Aristotelian concept of poetry.

Sidney does not concern himself with entire poetry. For this, he divides poetry into three kinds- divine poetry, moral or philosophical poetry and proper poetry about which the question has arisen. This third kind or proper poetry is created by man by imitating nature. The poets imitated nature as their subject to teach and to delight, so, this poetry serves man in two ways – first, it teaches man how to accept good leaving evil and secondly, it provides man how to take delight from it.

So, poets are not like the historians, the servile imitators. They are no bound to choose to reproduce what has already happened. In this connection, Sidney points out that the ending end of all learning is to teach the virtuous action. The historians cannot teach the virtuous actions properly because he has no precept to offer. The philosopher also teaches virtuous actions but his teaching is not fruitful as it is not accompanied by any example. So his teaching falls flat upon the learners.

It is not only the poet who performs his function by creating the pictures of life conveying both precept and examples. In his poem he can show what is right or what is wrong by drawing events from life by his sweet imagination. The function of teaching is admirably performed when he can draw the learners to him by his imaginary pictures.

`A pure poet has another effective way to teach and at the same times provide pleasure or delight, it is the moving power or endearing power of his art. To attract a man to learn a lesson is a great power and this power is known as the moving power. Poetry possesses this power for which it is more effective to teach a lesson to man. For this lesson, poetry is said to be the monarch of all artists.

To conclude, poetry performs its duty which is to teach and to delight man far better than any other branch of art does.