An Apology for Poetry - by Philip Sidney

Sidney's essay, an apology for poetry, was written in the Renaissance period known
.also as the Elizabethan age(era) at the 16th century
‫) في عصر النهضة المعروف أيضا بالعصر اإلليزابيثي )نسبة‬an apology for poetry( ‫ُكتب مقال سيدني‬
‫للملكة‬
.‫اليزابيث(' في القرن السادس عشر‬
The Renaissance
The word "renaissance" means rebirth or new birth, this can tell us that -1
Renaissance period was considered as revival of classics
Renaissance affected greatly English literature -2
Renaissance was a period of knowledge, exploration and discovery in different -3
fields
literature changed from religious to secular (worldly) -4
-Before Renaissance, there were miracle plays or morality plays (religious plays)5 )
During Renaissance period, humanism philosophy spread_ it was based on belief of -6
man's
.powers and individuality
‫ )النهضة( تعنى إعادة الميالد أو الميالد الجديد وقد كانت فترة عصر النهضة بمثابة إعادة‬renaissance ‫كلمة‬
‫ كان عصر النهضة فترة للمعرفة‬.‫ أثر عصر النهضة بشكل كبير على األدب اإلنجليزي‬.‫إحياء للكالسيكيات‬
‫ قبل عصر‬.(‫واالكتشافات في شتى المجاالت وشهدت تلك الفترة تحول األدب من ديني الى علماني )دنيوي‬
‫ خالل‬.‫النهضة كانت هناك المسرحيات الدينية المعروفة باسم المسرحيات األخالقية أو مسرحيات المعجزات‬
.‫فترة عصر النهضة انتشرت فلسفة اإلنسانية القائمة على االيمان بقدرات اإلنسان وفرديته‬
The puritans
Puritans were a group of fanatics and extremists. They rejected arts and literature
under the pretext that these arts are immoral. One of those puritans is Stephen
Gossoon who wrote an article titled as" School of Abuse" in which he attacked the
poetry and poets, he also attacked Sidney himself. And see that people should to
spend they're in useful thing
‫ من هؤالء‬.‫البيوريتانيون' هم جماعة متعصبة ومتطرفة رفضوا الفنون واألدب بحجة ان هذه الفنون غير أخالقية‬
‫( هاجم فيه الشعر والشعراء وهاجم‬school of abuse) ‫البيورتانيين ستيفن جوسون الذي كتب مقاال بعنوان‬
.‫أيضا سيدني نفسه‬

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Types of poetry / main divisions of poetry :
Religious -1
Philosophical -2
Imaginative -3

Subdivisions of imaginative poetry:

* Lyric ‫غنائي‬ * Satiric – comic ‫كوميدي‬/‫ساخر‬
*Pastoral ‫رعوي‬ * Epic – heroic * ‫ملحمي – بطولي‬
*Elegiac ‫رثاء‬
*Tragic (‫تراجيدي (مأساوي‬
Which from And yet I must say that, as I have just cause to make a pitiful defense of poor
poetry, almost the highest estimation of learning is fallen to be the laughing- stock of children, so
.have I need to bring some more available proofs

** Sidney wrote this to response the puritan's attack

*Here Sidney explains the reason of writing this essay. He wrote this essay to defend
poetry which is being laughed at after it had the highest estimation (‫)أعلي تقدير‬. After
being ridiculous Sidney is going to prove with evidence the importance of poetry.

Poetry has been the first light-giver to ignorance, and first nurse, whose milk by little and little
enabled them to feed afterwards of tougher knowledges.

Ignorance- nurse- milk: Are Figures of speech

Poetry is the first source of knowledge to end the ignorance and clear the darkness of
* .ignorance
* Milk is an essential kind of food to baby
It is the one which introduced people to read and enabled them step-by-step to *
read more difficult topics. From simple and easy topics to difficult topics

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Let leaned Greece in any of her manifold sciences be able to show me one book before Musses,
Homer and Hesiod, all three nothing else but poets. Nay, let any history be brought that can say
.any writers were there before them, if they were not men of the same skill

History says that there were neither a book nor a writer in Greece before (Musses,
Homer and Hesiod)
.Poetry was the first source of knowledge in Greece for written material *
.Which means that the poet is the first one who made people read and learn *
Examples from the past ages to express Sidney's point of view
So in the Italian language the first that made it aspire to be a treasure-house of science were the
poets Dante and Petrarch; so in our English were Gower and Chaucer, after whom, encouraged
and delighted with their excellent foregoing, others have followed to beautify our mother-tongue,
.as well in the same kind as it other arts

Latin language was the language for rich people, it was the language of church, *
.Ruling government and aristocratic people
Italian language reached the highest places in society and respected position *

This did so notably show itself, that the philosophers of Greece durst not a long time appear to
.the world but under the masks of poets

**Metaphor: the masks of poets. ‫))بدأ يغير حاجات في شكل الكتابة‬

*Used to write the text of poetry in verses.
*Plato who the first one writes in verses.

And truly even Plato whosoever well considers, shall find that in the body of his work though the
inside and strength were philosophy, the skin as it were, and beauty depended most of poetry.

**Metaphor: body/ skin

Body mean (The main Idea) -content-
Skin mean (Form or outline of poetry)
* Greece philosophers and Plato use paradox ‫ المفارقة‬to show his point
*They rejected poetry but write in verse style Why? Because it is catchy and rhythm
sentences
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And even historiographers, although their lips sound of things done, and verity be written in their
foreheads, have been glad to borrow both fashion and perchance weight of the poets. So
Herodotus entitled [the various books of—ed.] his history by the name of the nine Muses; and
both he and all the rest that followed him either stole or usurped of poetry their passionate
describing of passions, the many particularities of battles which no man could affirm, or, if that be
denied me, long orations put in the mouths of great kings and captains, which it is certain they
never pronounced.

The main Elements of history:

1- Telling something already Happened
2- Verity (‫ )حقيقة‬tell the truth and be honest

*Historian Borrow the design of poetry and they borrow a lot of techniques of
poetry.
*Historian borrow both fashion from poetry.
* 9 muses Related to poetry. Herodotus entitled his books by the names of the nine
Muses
Why he chose the name of 9 muses to their books?
To reorganization / to show his respect and gratitude to the poetry.
* Both Herodotus and all the rest followed him stole from poetry WHY?
 To describe many details of battles which no one could affirm, and to narrate the
long Speech to the kings and captains which is certain they never said.
 To make history more pleasant and make it approval

-Shape history in form of story (like story) that is taken from literature and poetry.
EX: Emotions/ many particularities‫ ))خصوصيات‬of battles/ speech of great kings and
captains which is never pronounced.

So that truly neither philosopher nor historiographer could at the first have entered the gates of
popular judgments, if they had not taken a great passport of poetry.

Metaphor: Passport/gates

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Passport(poetry) mean: to reach to audience (Gate) to be able to get a positive
feedback to work.
They use poetry to soften and beautify their work (history)

In Turkey, beside their lawgiving divines they had no other writers but poets. In our neighbor
country Ireland, where truly learning goes very bare, yet are their poets held in a devout
reverence. Even among the most barbarous and simple Indians, where no writing is, yet have they
their poets, who make and sing songs (which they call "areytos") both of their ancestors' deeds
and praises of their gods – a sufficient probability that, if ever leaning come among them, it must
be by having their hard dull wits softened and sharpened with the sweet delights of poetry.

Here Sidney proves that poetry and the poets have a high standard and respected
in all nations.

**In Turkey: There were not having writers except the lawgiving (‫ )طابع ديني‬and the
poets. This proves that poetry had a high position in Turkey.

** In Ireland: they weren't well-educated, but people appreciate and respect poets.

**In Indian and barbarous: They were illiterate, and they have poets in oral (songs)
They were
singing their poetry.
Why Indians use songs?
1- They use songs to religious purpose
2- To talk about their ancestors

Among the Romans a poet was called vates, which is as much as a diviner, foreseer, or prophet, …
But now let us see how the Greeks named it and how they deemed of it. The Greeks called him “a
poet,” which name has, as the most excellent, gone through other languages. It comes of this

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word poiein, which is “to make”; wherein I know not whether by luck or wisdom we Englishmen
have met with the Greeks in calling him “a maker.” Which name how high and incomparable a
title it is.

Vates = diviner which means to describe poet (talented)

Foreseer= To understand better
Prophet= Deliver a message (‫)رسول‬
*** In Greeks "Poiein is original of "poets"***

There is no art delivered unto mankind that has not the works of nature for principal
object, without which they could not consist, and on which they so depend as they
become actors and players, as it were, of what nature will have set forth doth the
astronomer look upon the stars, and, by that he sees, set down what order nature has
taken therein. So doth the musician in times tell you which by nature agree, which
not. The natural philosopher thereon has his name, and the moral philosopher stands
upon the natural virtues, vices, and passions of man; …lawyer says what men have
determined, the historian what men have done.

All different kinds of arts they can exist depends on elements of nature.
 The astronomers need to star, Plants and sky without those natural objects there
wouldn't be any astronomers.
 The musician will not be able to play music without instruments.
 Historian's work depends on what has already happened and comment.
 The lawyer will not be able to make anything without a contract.
 Moral philosopher depends on something that has been already there like virtues,
vices.

Only the poet, disdaining to be tied to any such subjection, lifted up with the vigor of his own
invention, doth grow, in effect, into another nature, in making things either better than nature
brings forth, or, quite anew, forms such as never were in nature, as the heroes, demi-gods,

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cyclops, chimeras, furies, and such like; so as he goes hand in hand with nature, not enclosed
within the narrow warrant of her gifts, but freely ranging within the zodiac of his own wit.

- Only the poet who Depends on itself

- Why poetry independent? Because the power of creativity. Poetry builded by
fiction. Poetry can create things that is not real to make things better than they are
in nature or to create
- and make something new such as heroes, demi-gods, cyclops, chimeras, furies.

 Why The poet goes hand in hand with nature?

Because it a parallel world (‫ )عالم إفتراضي‬not enclose ‫غير مغلق‬, freely ranging
within his space.

Nature never set forth the earth in so rich tapestry as divers poets have done; neither with
pleasant rivers, fruitful trees, sweet-smelling flowers, nor whatsoever else may make the too-
much-loved earth more lovely; her world is brazen, the poets only deliver a golden.
The poet is a diver who can find out new things and predict what others cannot.
The poet is more completely and developed than nature

Poesy, therefore, is an art of imitation, for so Aristotle terms it in his word mimēsis, that is to say,
a representing, counterfeiting, or figuring forth; to speak metaphorically, a speaking picture, with
this end, —to teach and delight.

The definition of poetry according to Sidney and Aristotle is an art of imitation

 What does imitation stand for?
Representing, counterfeiting, or figuring forth.
 What about style?
Speak metaphorically, a speaking picture

The message of poetry is able to achieve 2 purposes: - (Teach and Entertainment)

Of this have been three general kinds. The chief, both in antiquity and excellency, were they that
did imitate the inconceivable excellencies of God. Such were David in his Psalms; Solomon in his

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Song of Songs, in his Ecclesiastes and Proverbs; Moses and Deborah in their Hymns; … The second
kind is of them that deal with matters philosophical, either moral, or natural.

Poetry has 3 general kind:

1- The chief for religious purpose
2- The matters philosophical
3- Imitated poetry (Heroic, Lyric, Tragic, Staric, Elegiac, Pastoral 0)
These names related to the content
**Based on imitation **Divided according the matters deal with type of
writing
Is it then the pastoral poem which is misliked? —for perchance where the hedge is lowest, they
will soonest leap over. Is the poor pipe disdained, which sometimes can show the misery of people
under hard lords and ravening soldiers, … sometimes, under the pretty tales of wolves and sheep,
can include the whole considerations of wrong-doing and patience; sometimes show that
contention for trifles can get but a trifling victory…

Pastoral poem: ‫شعر الرعاه‬

 These poems show the hard part of life of these people.
 Give us symbolic‫ رمزي‬stories from fables‫ خرافات‬for moral lesson like avoid evil
 Although your life is not easy, but poets helps you to appreciate your life

Or is it the lamenting elegiac, which in a kind heart would move rather pity than blame; … the
weakness of mankind and the wretchedness of the world; who surely is to be praised, either for
compassionate accompanying just causes of lamentation, or for rightly painting out how weak be
the passions of woefulness?

Elegiac ‫رثاء‬
 Reminding you or remembering a positive side in his\her life.
 A good thing this person do.
 To forget the conflict or differences between us.
 Help you to soften your heart.
Or the satiric? who never leaves till he make a man laugh at folly, and at length ashamed to laugh
at himself, which he cannot avoid without avoiding the folly; No, perchance it is the comic; … that
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the comedy in an imitation of the common errors of our life, which he represents in the most
ridiculous and scornful sort that may be, so as it is impossible that any beholder can be content to
be such a one.

Satiric ‫ساخر‬
 It represented in a ridicules way to grab the attention.
 It represented folly acts or negative.
 The exaggeration in do something

So that the right use of comedy will, I think, by nobody be blamed, and much less of the high and
excellent tragedy, that opens the greatest wounds, and shows forth the ulcers that are covered
with tissue; that makes kings fear to be tyrants,

Tragedy ‫مأسوي‬
 Tragedy gives us lesson to change our ways of thinking and give us an example to
learn from it to solve our problem
 Heroes in a bad or negative position

Is it the lyric that most displeases, who with his tuned lyre and well accorded voice, gives praise,
the reward of virtue, to virtuous acts; who gives moral precepts and natural problems; who
sometimes raises up his voice to the height of the heavens, in singing the lauds of the immortal
God?

Lyric ‫غنائي‬
 Represent stories about virtues – a good should be awarded
 Give peoples hope
 It gives a religion purpose not for only entertainment

There rests the heroical, whose very name, I think, should daunt all backbiters. For by what
conceit can a tongue be directed to speak evil of that which draws with it no less champions than
Achilles and Cyrus? who doth not only teach and move to a truth, but teaches and moves to the
most high and excellent truth; who makes magnanimity and justice shine through all misty
fearfulness and foggy desires; … But if anything, be already said in the defense of sweet poetry, all
concurs to the maintaining the heroical, which is not only a kind, but the best and most

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accomplished kind of poetry. For, as the image of each action stirs and instructs the mind, so the
lofty image of such worthies most inflames the mind with desire to be worthy and informs with
counsel how to be worthy.

Heroical-epic ‫ملحمي‬
The Best kind of poem Because it represents hero's life and teaching by
examples to show us how this hero act
It teaches you and motivate you to do a good thing. And be a good person
It gives you an advice to how to be good
wherein, if we can show, the poet is worthy to have it before any other competitors, among
whom as principal challengers step forth the moral philosophers; … Therefore compare we the
poet with the historian and with the moral philosopher; and if he go beyond them both, no other
human skill can match him. The historian scarcely gives leisure to the moralist to say so much, but
that he, loaded with old mouse-eaten records …

***Sidney start to compare between philosophy and history***

The poet worth to come first before any other competitors including the
philosopher.
Sidney chose to compare the poet with the philosopher and the historian specifically
to prove that no other human skill can match him (no one can match the poet)
The historian tells stories about the past, doesn't give moral lesson. He only has
old records.

The philosopher therefore and the historian are they which would win the goal, the one by
precept, the other by example; but both not having both, do both halt. … Now doth the peerless
poet perform both; for whatsoever the philosopher says
should be done, he gives a perfect picture of it …

Both the historian and the philosopher have a goal:

The philosopher reaches his goal by addresses the mind and gives information.
The historian reaches his goal by examples because the history tells stories.

But Neither Philosopher nor historian give the same rule

don't have both the precept and example, both of them have cons.

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 For conclusion, I say the philosopher teaches, but he teaches obscurely, so as the learned only can
understand him; that is to say, he teaches them that are already taught. But the poet is the food
for the tenderest stomachs; the poet is indeed the right popular philosopher.

*Philosophy can also teach but for not all people who already taught
***But poetry can address simple minds or low educated peoples introduce
knowledge in simple way to anyone can understand it

Now therein of all sciences—I speak still of human, and according to the human conceit—is our
poet the monarch. For he doth not only show the way, but gives so sweet a prospect into the way
as will entice any man to enter into it.

The poet is the superior of all because he does not only directly teach, but he does
that in a pleasant way using beautiful pictures so that can reach all people's mind.
The poet teaches moral lessons and delight at the same time.

"Since, then, poetry is of all human learnings the most ancient and of most fatherly antiquity, as
from whence other learnings have taken their beginnings"
 Poetry is the first source of knowledge. And clear the darkness of ignorance
 And it's the most ancient among all human learnings. It is like a father and other
sciences are like sons. Poetry is the source from which all the human learnings
started.

"since it is so universal that no learned nation doth despise it, nor barbarous nation is without it;
since both Roman and Greek gave divine names unto it, the one of “prophesying,” the other of
“making,” ,and that indeed that name of “making” is fit for him"

 Here Sidney discusses the position of poetry saying that there is neither a learned
nor a barbarous nation without poetry, the poetry is Appreciated in all nations. Then
he starts to talk about the position of the poet saying that the Romans called the
poet as "vates" which means a prophet, diviner or foreseer. The Greeks called him
"poet" coming from the word "poiein".

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 "considering that whereas other arts retain themselves within their subjects, and
receive, as it were, their being from it, the poet only brings his own stuff;"
 Only the poet who Depends on itself. Because the power of creativity. Poetry
buildedsss by fiction. Poetry can create things that is not real to make things better
than they are in nature or to create and make something new such as heroes, demi-
gods, cyclops, chimeras, furies. depend on the nature and If there aren't elements of
nature.

since his effects be so good as to teach goodness, and delight the learners of it; since
therein—namely in moral doctrine, the chief of all knowledges
 Poetry is the chief of all knowledge because it introduces morals and virtue in a
simple, easy way which achieves 2 purposes: (Teach and Entertainment) at the same
time

"he doth not only far pass the historian, but for instructing is comparable to the
philosopher, and for moving leaves him behind; [which] of all other learnings, honor
the poet’s triumph."
 Sidney start to compare between philosophy and history the poet worth to come
first before any other competitors.
 Sidney chose to compare the poet with the philosopher and the historian specifically
to prove that no other human skill can match him (no one can match the poet).
 The poet surpasses both philosopher and the historian because he doesn't only give
instructions or say what happened, but he introduces his message in an easy and
pleasant.

Now then go we to the most important imputations laid to the poor poets; for aught
I can yet learn they are these.
Imputations :‫إتهامات‬

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First, that there being many other more fruitful knowledges, a man might better
spend his time in them than in this.
It's better for the reader to spend their time to read any kind of writing than reading
poetry Why? Because poetry does not represent any benefit to the reader.
Secondly, that it is the mother of lies.
Mother=source
It represents falsehood and mislead (‫ )تضليل‬peoples
Thirdly, that it is the nurse of abuse, infecting us with many pestilent desires,
Poetry has a corruptive(harmful) impact(influence) on people
it negatively affectively on their morals
And, lastly and chiefly, they cry out with an open mouth, that Plato banished them
out of his Commonwealth. Truly this is much, if there be much truth in it.
Plato Condemned and rejected poetry
He banished(‫ )منفي‬from his ideal state

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