Plato
was born in 427 BC. Plato was introduced
to Socrates when he was a young boy. He
first started writing poems but destroyed them under the influence of Socrates
and developed interest in philosophy and mathematics. He founded his ‘Academy’ in 387 BC and taught
his pupils philosophy, mathematics, natural science, Juris prudence and
practical legislations. He wrote his
great books then, The Dialogues, Ion, Symposium and The Republic. He died in 347 BC.
Though
Plato’s views on art and literature are scattered all over his ‘Ion’ and
‘Republic’ they are of at length and forceful. His views on ‘Poetic
Inspiration’, ‘Imitation’ and ‘Condemnation of poetry are also of great
historical significance. Many of his utterances
are of a challenging nature and thus he gave a stimulus to literary
criticism. His glowing fancy, his
idealism, the subtle irony and humour of his style are beyond praise.
Plato was an idealist. He believed that the phenomenal world (usual,
known through senses) is but an objectification of the ideal world. The ideal world is real; the phenomenal world
is but a shadow of this ideal reality.
So, it is fleeting and unreal.
Plato describes poet as ‘a light and winged
and holy thing’ and the poetic inspiration as something that happens in poet
‘by power divine’. God takes away the
minds of poets and uses them as his ministers as he also uses diviners and holy
prophets. So, we who hear the priceless
words of the poets, in a state of unconsciousness, hear the words of God. As the poet speaks divine truth, poetry is
not a craft which can be learned and practiced at will. This is the most elaborate presentation in
the ancient world of the notion of poetry that survives even today with
modifications.
As Plato was an idealist, he believed
that ideas alone are true. According to
him all the earthly things like beauty goodness and justice are mere types of
copies of the ideal beauty, goodness and justice which exists in heaven. He regards “imitation’ as mere mimesis (copy)
or representation of these ideal forms and not expression, which is
creative. The reality lies not in
individual objects but in general ideas or forms. A painter only imitates what he sees. He does not know how to make or to use what
he sees. He
can paint a bed but can't make one. Similarly,
the poets imitate reality without necessarily understanding it.
Plato
was a teacher and had his own ‘Academy’.
So, his ideal was to turn out young men of well-formed personalities fit
to be the leaders and rulers of an ideal State.
His literary criticism is frankly Utilitarian (more good to more people)
that of educating the youth and forming them into good citizens of his ideal
State. It is from this practical point
of view that he judges poetry. So, he had
no other way except attacking poets and poetry.
Education was in a sorry state in Athens, then. The epics of Homer formed an essential part
of the school curriculum. They were venerated
by the Greeks almost like the bible. But
in Homer there are many stories which represent the Gods in an unfavourable
light. Allegorical interpretations of
these stories were considered unconvincing and difficult to understand. Moreover, the wonderful flowering time of
Greek art and literature was over, and the creative impulse had practically
died away. So, there was a degradation. As a result, philosophers and orators were
regarded as superior to poets and artists.
So, much of his criticism is thus in the nature is governed by the
social and political conditions of his age.
Plato’s
published writings consist of some, twenty-six dramatic dialogues on
philosophical and related themes. In,
almost all the dialogues Socrates is the main and Plato's mouthpiece, but
Plato's Socrates is not the historical Socrates. Plato's dialogue does not
always present a straightforward argument. The questions of Plato's Socrates
towards his interlocutors Adeimantus in book two and Glaucon in book three of
'The Republic', revolve round the role that literature should play in the
education meant for the 'Guardians', the future rulers. Thus, it becomes a
discussion on the quarrel between philosophy and poetry. Actually, 'Ion'
examines poetry as a kind of divine madness.
Whereas in Republic he argues for an ideal, well-regulated community in
which the educational curriculum should promote respect for law, reason,
authority, self-discipline and piety. To
him literature should teach goodness and grace.
Though
Plato’s Socrates loves and regularly cites Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, he calls
for the censorship of many passages in these works that represent sacrilegious,
sentimental unlawful and irrational behaviour.
Actually, many of the stories of Greek Gods were thought by Xenophanes
(570-480BC) the pre-Socratic philosopher, to be possibly lies. So, here Plato's
Socrates mentions the story of Uranus who hated his children and kept them
packed in their mother Earth's womb. And how the mother Earth made one of her
children Cronus Castrate his father and became the Lord of creation and how
later his son Zeus, with the help of his mother over-threw Cronus and
established himself as the king of all Gods.
Plato’s Socrates also says that similarly the story of horrific kidnap
of Helen by Theseus and Pirithous, who were respectively the sons of Poseidon
and Zeus is unbelievable and intolerable.
Such stories fail to teach goodness and grace. He also insists that the Gods are not shape
shifting wizards and do not mislead the people by lying in what they say or do,
as they are presented in many of the stories.
According
to Plato as the epic, lyric or tragedy, the literature that he has mentioned
through Socrates are fictional and made up, they are dangerous. Since they are too inferior to be accepted as
a Mimesis, a copy of a copy, he insists everyone should be aware of what in
literature should be allowed and what should be censored. According to him good literature, cultural
studies should lead the younger generation to become ideal men and women. It must represent a world in which virtue is
rewarded and even the punishment of evil serves virtuous ends.
Plato
condemns poetry in Republic X (book 10), that they feed and water the passions
instead of drying them up and let them rule instead of ruling them. The poets with their emotional frenzies and
lack of moral restraint can afford no safe moral and intellectual guidance. Thus, Plato attacks poetry on intellectual,
emotional, utilitarian and moral grounds and demonstrates its uselessness and
its corrupting influences. He also
condemns the ridiculous mixture of tragic and comic effects that were a feature
of contemporary drama. He emphasises for
the first time that organic unity is essential for success in all arts.
He
ends his charges against poetry by saying that in an ideal state, “no poetry
should be admitted, save hymns to the Gods and panegyrics on famous men”. According to him the poets are to be honoured
but they are to be banished from his ideal state.
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