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He believed that verse and rhyme aren't really essential to poetry.

However, they still harmonize the language and considered as aesthetic
elements.

Defence of Poesy, or An Apology for Poetry, was written to defend

poetry against moralistic and philosophical attacks on the discipline.

One of the attacks that the book responds to is a pamphlet written by

Stephen Gosson named School of Abuse.

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The books is written in the form of a classical oration. It is structured by
the following divisions:

1- exordium(an introduction): Sidney starts with a reference to

Giovanni Pietro Pugliano's treatise which is written in praise of
horsemanship.

2- narratio: In this part, Sidney points to the ultimate goal of

poetry. He states that poet aims to teach of virtue and bring delight to the
reader.

3- propositio:present the thesis, sidney defines types of poets

referring to three types.

4-confirmatio: gives arguments to support his thesis as he tries to

show the superiority of poetry over other philosophy and history.

5-refutation: here sidney answers all the arguments said against

poetry.

6-digressio: speaks of the state of poetry in England at the time.

7-Perorati: a conclusion

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Poetry is superior to History and Philosophy because:

-Philosophy, being based on abstractions, cannot properly guide

the youth.

-The historian is tied to empirical facts.

Definition of poetry: "Among the Romans a poet was called "vates",

which is as much as a diviner, forseer or prophet (4)."

1
He also mentions the Greek's definition of poet "poiietes" which means
maker. The word reflects poet's tendency to create or make ideal world
(utopia) by using the imagination.

The Romans use the same word for both the "poet" and the "prophet".
The word used for the poet in Latin means "Prophet". which shows his
importance. Moreover, the Greek word for the poet means "Creator".
This shows that poetry is not something trivial; it is very importance.

Aristotle: Poetry is an art of imitation "mimesis."

Sidney advances the idea of the poet as maker, the imitative poet who
does not simply copy nature, but "doth grow in effect another nature, in
making things either better than nature bringeth forth, or, quite anew,
forms such as never were in nature" (78.24-26)in imitation not of what is,
but "of what may be and should be" (81.6)

Sidney's mission here is not just to recreate or imitate reality but rather it
recreate an ideal/perfect reality.

Horace: Horatian platitude that poetry's ultimate goal is to

teach and delight so as to inspire people to acquire knowledge and move
out of barbarism.

Plato:

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Sub-categories of poetry:

epic(heroic): represent the highest virtues in the highest

manner.

pastoral: a romanticization of a simple life. usually takes

place in a country-side setting.

elegy: written in mourning of a dead one.

satire: uses irony, humor to criticize a matter.

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